On 12 March 1944, a proposal was despatched from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) at Bangalore to the Sir Dorab Tata Trust in Bombay. The letter read ‘I have for some time past nurtured the idea of founding a first class school of research in the most advanced branches of physics in Bombay… when… Continue reading Remembering an Indian Prometheus: Homi J. Bhabha
News and Updates
We Always Talk About Freddie Mercury’s Sexuality, But What About His Confusing Racial Identity?
With Bohemian Rhapsody, the film about Queen’s eccentric frontman Freddie Mercury, just around the corner, discourse about Mercury’s sexuality has rocked the internet. Some folks say that Mercury was gay, some say he was bisexual, some say he was queer and some say that he didn’t like being defined by labels so we shouldn’t be… Continue reading We Always Talk About Freddie Mercury’s Sexuality, But What About His Confusing Racial Identity?
We are not mama’s boys, say Parsi men
Are Parsi men Mama’s boys? Are Parsi women really fussy?’ This was the topic of debate at a matrimonial meet for 108 eligible Parsi men and women on Sunday. Of course, the men and women refused to accept these stereotypes and argued against them. Article by Linah Baliga | Mumbai Mirror The initiative was part… Continue reading We are not mama’s boys, say Parsi men
Can you crack this 150-year-old cloth merchants’ code?
Fabric trading in 1800s Bombay was a complex affair, with towels, hand-signals and secret bids. See how one british newspaper described it Would you have recognised the Bombay of 150 years ago? No suburbs. No traffic jams. No concrete jungle. No malls. Could you have done business there? This image, taken from an engraving reproduced… Continue reading Can you crack this 150-year-old cloth merchants’ code?
Hoarding At Doongarwadi in Mumbai pulled down
A nearly decade-long battle to remove a two-level hoarding within the premises of the Parsi Tower of Silence (Doongerwadi) at Malabar Hill ended after it was pulled down over the weekend. It was removed not by the civic authorities, but by the Bombay Parsi Punchayat (BPP), which controls the 55-acre forest property, which is the… Continue reading Hoarding At Doongarwadi in Mumbai pulled down
Textile artist Areez Katki retraces his family’s odyssey
From Auckland to Mumbai to Tehran, textile artist and aesthete Areez Katki is retracing his family’s great odyssey, for inspiration for his next collection Instead of using a tapestry frame, textile artist Areez Katki is using pre-woven fabric and embroidering it by hand for his new exhibition. Pics/Suresh Karkera A Parsi house is a living… Continue reading Textile artist Areez Katki retraces his family’s odyssey
Cyrus Mistry makes a comeback, starts aVenture Capital firm
Mistry Ventures LLP to invest in and nurture start-ups across the world Making his comeback into the corporate world, Tata Sons’ former Chairman Cyrus Mistry has started a firm Mistry Ventures LLP that will invest in and nurture start-ups in India and across the world. The venture capital firm will provide strategic insights and advice… Continue reading Cyrus Mistry makes a comeback, starts aVenture Capital firm
Fali Nariman Gets Shastri National Award
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday honoured senior advocate Fali Sam Nariman with Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration and said Nariman was one of the best eminent jurists in India. Addressing the event, Naidu applauded Nariman’s significant contributions in the field of jurisprudence. “Nariman is truly an example to… Continue reading Fali Nariman Gets Shastri National Award
Our Parsi Rich Have Fallen on Evil Days: A Sharp Account of the Community in the 19th Century
Behramji Malabari (1853-1912) was a social reformer, journalist, poet, travel writer/ethnographer and vital catalyst of change, who did much to shape the national reform discourse in late-19th century Western India. Born in Baroda and raised in Surat, Malabari moved to Bombay at age 15 and the metropolis became the central site of his myriad investigations… Continue reading Our Parsi Rich Have Fallen on Evil Days: A Sharp Account of the Community in the 19th Century
