For anyone with an interest in Parsi history and the story of the press in India, a documentary on Mumbai Samachar...
Blog Articles
Zubin Nalawalla’s “Ahura Mazda – An Ode” Enters Top 5 on UK Apple Music Charts
In a remarkable long-tail success story, Mumbai-based singer-composer Zubin Nalawalla’s spiritual anthem “Ahura Mazda...
Dr. Rustom Soonawala passes away at 95
Dr. Rustom Soonawala, a distinguished gynaecologist noted for his work in women's health and family planning, passed away at 95. His invention of the polyethylene IUD and significant contributions...
A Memorial to Pestonji Nowroji Kharas in Bastar village honours tragic love, vengeance
Every New Year’s Day, the remote village of Kutru in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, comes alive with a poignant ritual that relives the tragic love story of a Parsi couple and the vengeance of a wild...
Famous Pakistani author Bapsi Sidhwa dies at 86; A look at her literary legacy
Bapsi Sidhwa, a globally celebrated author and a prominent voice in cultural and partition literature, passed away on Wednesday in Houston, Texas, at the age of 86. Her death is a loss not just for...
Iranshah Udvada Utsav 2024 A Grand Success
The 4th Edition of the Iranshah Udvada Utsav was held from December 27-29, 2024. The Utsav built on past three editions in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Below is a day by day report shared by Delaveen...
Maharukh Chichgar & Mahazarin Variava: Parsi mum, daughter team up for rare Bharatanatyam debut
A Parsi mother-daughter duo is set to perform their ‘arangetram' together after years of training in Bharatanatyam. Arangetram, a Tamil word, which means ‘ascent to the stage', marks a dancer's...
Small, But Mighty: Niloufer Mavalvala On The 18th NAZC 2024 Houston.
Small, but mighty! With that remark and fanfare, we concluded the 18th NAZC in Houston. There was plenty of entertainment and food. Old friends reunited, and new friendships were formed. Beautiful...
Parsis Amongst 9 of the most ‘genetically isolated’ human populations in the world
In article article authored by Kristina Killgrove and published on LIVE SCIENCE Geographical barriers and cultural differences can prevent people from mingling with their neighbors, leading to...
Rahul Gandhi attends funeral of Raiyan Banaji, son of top Mumbai ophthalmologist
Satara (Maharashtra): Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, travelled to Maharashtra to attend the funeral of Raiyan B. Banaji, son of leading Mumbai ophthalmologist Dr Burjor P. Banaji,...
Iran’s Zoroastrian Leader Dr Mehraban Puladi Visits Bhikha Behram Well At Churchgate
The head of Iran's Zoroastrian community, Dr. Mehraban Puladi, is on a religious and cultural tour in India. On Monday, he visited the three-century-old Bhikha Behram well at Churchgate, an...
Parsi Dharamsala in Secunderabad comes alive with winter fest
Members of all communities attended in large numbers to join in the fun and frolic and make this event a huge successBy Beyniaz Edulji | News MeterHeritage Parsi Dharamsala in Secunderabad...
Cancer surgeon Dr. Shahriyour Andaz Receives Prestigious Mary Pearson Award
Under a canopy of stars at The Lannin in Eisenhower Park, the 2024 Soirée Under the Stars annual fundraising gala celebrated excellence and dedication in healthcare on Saturday, November 9. Dr....
Designer Ashdeen Lilaowala’s latest collection displays the best of Indian craft
The designer's new edit, Fragments of Time, is replete with the famed Parsi Gara embroidery depicted in modern silhouettesAshdeen's new collection Fragments of TimeArticle by Sharmistha Ghosal |...
Udvada, The Iranshah, and Rebirth: Ervad Sheherazad Pavri In Conversation
In the third episode of Season 2, Zoroverse features Ervad Sheherazad Pavri, a prominent, celebrated priest in the global Zoroastrian community. The location of the podcast is a beautiful beach in...
Sheroo Kanga Spearheads Another Successful St. Judes Walk in 2024
Our dearest friend Sheroo Kanga a long time resident of New Jersey and a lifelong active member of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY) has led a team in the Annual St. Judes...
Surat’s Parsi Family Opens Darshan For 199-Year-Old Turban of Lord Swaminarayan
When Lord Swaminarayan visited Surat in 1881, he presented his turban and Shriphal to Parsi Kotwal Ardesar. The turban has remained with the Parsi family for 199 yearsThe turban is displayed...
Ratan Tata, Noel Tata and their lineage to Tata Group founder Jamshedji Tata
Ratan Tata, Noel Tata related to Tata Group founder Jamshedji Tata? New book claims their father was…Navajbai Tata, the wife of Sir Ratan Tata -- Jamshedji's second son-- had adopted Naval Tata...
New Study of ‘Passover Letter’ May Change What We Know About the Birth of Judaism
The 2,400-year-old papyrus from Elephantine, touted as the earliest evidence for Pesach, may in fact reference Zoroastrian-influenced rituals, Israeli scholar concludesThe fragment of the 'Passover...
Century-Old Visitors’ Pavilion At Doongarwadi – Tower Of Silence In Malabar Hill Restored
The Panday Pavilion, named after the family that originally built it, is one of the two seating areas in the cemetery for non-Parsis. The pavilion, and another structure restored earlier, are part...
Zoroastrian Association of California Celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Zoroastrian Association of California (ZAC) celebrated its 50th anniversary on October 12th with the theme: Preserving Heritage, Inspiring Generations: Keepers of the Everlasting Flame. Under a...
Why was it fitting for people to pay their final respects to Ratan Tata at NCPA in Mumbai?
The Tatas gifted Mumbai this sprawling cultural space with five theatres, an art gallery and a library.On October 10, when the hearse carrying iconic industrialist Ratan Tata’s mortal remains drove...
“Aapro” Boman Irani’s visit to the Chicago Dar-E-Mehr
The Brilliant, the Extraordinary, The One and Only “Aapro” Boman Irani’s visit to the Chicago Dar-E-Mehr with family and friendsKhursheed Icchaporia, an active member of the Zoroastrian Association...
The Parsi Theatre Tradition We Lost
Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry on the Parsi theatre tradition we lostLavish backdrops, melodramatic flourishes, high-pitched singing, complex tableaux and opulent floats — it combined European techniques...
Prayer meeting held in London for Ratan Tata
Ratan Tata, former chairman of the Tata Group, was widely recognised for transforming the group into a global business powerhouse.Article in the Eastern EyeLord Karan Bilimoria, patron of the...
133-year-old Mumbai’s Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee school wins two honours in quick succession
Under the 'My School, Beautiful School' scheme, Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution, Charni Road, clinches third prize in Mumbai Division D Ward for Private & Unaided Schools,...
Tata leadership to remain in the family: Noel Tata
Noel Tata is the new chairperson of Tata TrustsA day after the death of India's most globally-recognised tycoon Ratan Tata, his half-brother Noel Tata has been named as the new chairperson of Tata...
Rawalpindi Zoroastrian Cemetery: A Reflection of Parsis’ past glory
During the British rule, Rawalpindi was home to people from various religions. There were Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, Christians and even Zoroastrians. However, many left the city but their identity...
Ratan Tata, Whose Indian Business Empire Went Global, Dies at 86
The patriarch of a powerful family, his Tata Group put an indelible stamp on Indian life while acquiring British brand names like Tetley Tea and Jaguar.Ratan Tata outside his home in Mumbai in 2021....
Harking back: As Parsis dwindle in Pakistan, will we ever have a better balance?
The telephone rang early in the morning. At the other end was a very old school days friend who was in a Karachi hospital. “I have a high fever and the doctors say its Covid”. A few hours later he...
Spenta Wadia Inducted into American Academy of Arts and Sciences USA
Spenta R. Wadia was recently inducted as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA at a function in Boston in September 2024.Spenta R. Wadia is the Founding...
Obituary: Ratan Naval Tata (1937-2024): A Gentle Giant, A Guiding Light, Forever in Our Hearts
With profound sorrow, we share the passing of Ratan Naval Tata, a visionary leader, a compassionate human being, and a beloved son of the Parsi community, on October 9, 2024 in Mumbai India....
Nilufer K. Shroff will conclude her service as VP & CACO at Princeton University
Nilufer K. Shroff will conclude her service as vice president and chief audit and compliance officer.Nilufer (Nilu) K. Shroff, who has led the Office of Audit and Compliance (OAC) since 2007 as the...
Zoroastrian Minorities: An Article by Paulina Niechciał
Paulina Niechciał has authored a paper titled " Zoroastrian Minorities ". This was published in the Religious Minorities Online, edited by Erica Baffelli, Alexander van der Haven and Michael...
Meet Maya Tata, A Rising Star in the Tata business empire
Meet Maya Tata, likely heir of multi-billion-dollar Tata business empire, Ratan Tata is her…With her father being Ratan Tata's half-brother and her mother the sister of the late Cyrus Mistry, she is...
Padma Shri Dr. Keki Hormusji Gharda Passes Away
Dr Keki Hormusji Gharda, a legend in chemical engineering who revolutionized the industry with his groundbreaking innovations, forever changing the landscape of Indian chemical manufacturing, left...
Keki Daruwalla, the Sensitive Intelligence Officer Who Wrote Poetry
It is said that sometimes creative writers turn out to be good intelligence officers, as both need curiosity, observation, imagination and constant questioning to find answers. That was true of...
Full Time Priest for Delhi Parsi Anjuman
The Delhi Parsi Anjuman is seeking to employ a full time main Priest who will administer and manage our Dar-e-Meher. The Priest would be required to perform all religious ceremonies including daily...
Poet Keki N Daruwalla passes away at 87
The Delhi Parsi Anjuman is deeply saddened to inform you that Keki N. Daruwalla, distinguished member of our Delhi Parsi Anjuman passed away on 26th September 2024.A police officer by...
Varun Balsara Co-Founder of Nova Technologies Group on the Immigrant Founders Podcast
Our dear friend and young Zarathushti entrepreneur and co-founder of Let’s Level Up speaks about his journey on the Immigrant Founders Podcast. Check out the short clip on Linkedin and listed to the...
7th Return To Roots 2023: Annual Trip Report
We are happy to inform that the Annual Trip Report of the 7th Return To Roots Trip to India in December 2023 is out. The report will give you a detailed flavor of the trip and insights from the RTR...
How Madam Bhikaiji Cama became the first Indian to raise the tricolour abroad
Born into privilege, Madam Cama could have enjoyed a life of ease. Instead, she founded the Paris Indian Society to support revolutionaries in exile and became the first Indian to hoist the...
Diana Pundole: Steering the wheels of destiny
Diana Pundole recently became India’s first female national racing champion in the saloon category at the MRF National Car Racing ChampionshipsArticle by Kalyani Sardesai | New Indian ExpressIt was...
The critic as artist: Hoshang Merchant
On how India’s first openly gay poet, Hoshang Merchant has created an entire tradition of interdisciplinary literary and cultural criticismArticle by Saikat Majumdar | Hindustan TimesIn his...
Stone-eating Lichen that threaten Iran’s ancient Persepolis
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, Persepolis features colossal sculptures and intricate stone reliefs of ancient Persian kings, nobles and deitiesAFPRuins of the stone Gates in Persepolis,...
Parsi cemetery tells tales of Rawalpindi’s rich past
Established in 1890, the historical landmark awaits authorities' attentionArticle by Qaiser Shirazi | Tribune PakistanRawalpindi, a city with a rich history spanning over centuries is home to...
Madagascar’s Enigmatic Rock-Cut Architecture may have been of Zoroastrian origin
An international team of researchers found an enigmatic rock-cut architecture at Teniky, a site in the remote Isalo Massif in southern Madagascar, that has no parallels on the island or the East...
Religiographies on Zoroastrian Esotericism: Special Issue
We are happy to share a new publication by our dear friends Mariano Errichiello, Daniel J. Sheffield and Yuhan Sohrab-Dinshaw VevainaSpecial Issue: “Zoroastrian Esotericism” edited by Mariano...
Minority Generosity: The Ruttonjees, a Parsi family, exemplify the diversity of Hong Kong benevolence
Along with other great philanthropic families in Hong Kong history, the Ruttonjees have left an indelible mark on the city. Their legacy has been amazing acts of giving and the establishment of...
Sisters divided: How partition ruptured a family in a vanishing community
To mark this week’s anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan, a writer recalls her encounters with two sisters from the Zoroastrian community whose lives were divided forever in...
Zubin Karkaria Featured in Arabian Business 100 Most Inspiring Leaders 2024
Zubin Karkaria the founder and CEO of VFS Global is featured as one of the 100 most inspiring leaders in the Arabian Business Top 100 list.Welcome to the Arabian Business Inspiring Leaders List,...
The overlooked Gandhi: a legacy for our times
After 64 years since September 8, 1960, when Feroze Gandhi bid farewell to the world, not many remember him. He had an eventful life till he died prematurely of heart failure at the age of...