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Sharp Divide In Bombay Parsi Punchayet Over Proposal To Convert Leave And Licence To Tenancy

Sharp Divide In Bombay Parsi Punchayet Over Proposal To Convert Leave And Licence To Tenancy

Jul 15, 2026 | Bombay Parsi Panchayat

Three Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustees have opposed a proposal to convert Leave and Licence agreements into permanent tenancies for trust-owned flats. They argued the move could weaken community housing safeguards, while Chairman Viraf Mehta said legal protections,...

Parsi sisters Pearl and Naomi Amalsadiwala, 19 and 16, to represent India at the Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam, carrying family legacy

Parsi sisters Pearl and Naomi Amalsadiwala, 19 and 16, to represent India at the Pickleball World Cup in Vietnam, carrying family legacy

Jul 15, 2026 | Sports

Adille Sumariwalla: "This Shows We Have Bench Strength" — On Records, Doping, and Asian Games Prep

Adille Sumariwalla: "This Shows We Have Bench Strength" — On Records, Doping, and Asian Games Prep

Jul 14, 2026 | Sports

Sindh High Court Grants Stay Order Protecting Sukkur’s Mama Parsi Temple from Demolition

Sindh High Court Grants Stay Order Protecting Sukkur’s Mama Parsi Temple from Demolition

Jul 10, 2026 | News

Straits of God? Of a ‘Parsi peg’ & whisky brand called ‘Hor­muz’!

Straits of God? Of a ‘Parsi peg’ & whisky brand called ‘Hor­muz’!

Jul 7, 2026 | Opinion

Mumbai’s Parsis, Iran refugees from centuries ago, have a justice folklore

Mumbai’s Parsis, Iran refugees from centuries ago, have a justice folklore

Jul 7, 2026 | History

Why Mazda Is Literally A God-Tier Name For A Car Company

Why Mazda Is Literally A God-Tier Name For A Car Company

Jun 30, 2026 | News

Want to fix the Parsi birth rate? Protect the women: Nawaz Merchant

Want to fix the Parsi birth rate? Protect the women: Nawaz Merchant

Jun 30, 2026 | Opinion

How Perizaad Zorabian Left Bollywood And Turned Her Family’s Poultry Business Into A Rs 120-Crore Enterprise

How Perizaad Zorabian Left Bollywood And Turned Her Family’s Poultry Business Into A Rs 120-Crore Enterprise

Jun 27, 2026 | Business, News

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When Nariman Karkaria, an Indian-Parsi soldier who When Nariman Karkaria, an Indian-Parsi soldier who fought in World War I, departed from Bombay on October 24, 1923 for a trip to Iran, the country was in the throes of a regime change. Before Karkaria could reach Iran, Ahmad Shah Qajar, the Shah of Iran, went into exile on November 10, 1923. Article by Murali Ranganathan | The WIRENariman Karkaria at Yazd. Photo: Author provided.During the First World War, Britain and Russia jointly fought the forces of the Ottoman Empire on Iranian soil. After the war, the Russian (who were now the Soviets) and British armies became colonial occupiers of Iran, but adversaries, both vying for a share of Iran’s newly discovered petroleum riches besides its other resources. When the occupation armies finally agreed to withdraw from a politically weakened Iran in early 1921, it encouraged Reza Khan, a brigadier who commanded the Persian Cossack Brigade, to march into Tehran and seize power to become the de facto ruler. Before departing from Iran, Ahmad Shah Qajar acknowledged the transfer of power by appointing Reza Khan as the prime minister of Iran. Sardar Sepah Reza Khan. Photo: Author provided.Though Iran was no longer a mysterious land to the Parsis of India, it was still a potentially dangerous place for a Zoroastrian. Karkaria would have imagined himself as walking in the footsteps of Manekji Limji Hataria (1813–1890) who was sent from Mumbai to Iran in 1854 by the Society for the Amelioration of the Condition of Zoroastrians in Persia. Hataria returned to Mumbai in 1863 and delivered a series of lectures about his experiences that he later compiled into a book, Iran Deshni Safarna Saarno Report (1865). He reported that centuries of persecution and dwindling numbers had left the Iranian Zoroastrians in a precarious condition. Describing the dangerous conditions of travel in Iran, Hataria noted that, “During my travels, I always secured the necessary government permits and sought assistance from local officials in every city.
Two years ago, Nozer Amalsadiwala captained India’ Two years ago, Nozer Amalsadiwala captained India’s senior side at the Pickleball World Cup in Peru, chasing the dream at the age of 50. This September, in Vietnam, the family is back on the world stage. Only this time, the name on the tricolour belongs not to the father but to his daughters.Article by Gaurav Sarkar "| Mumbai MirrorPearl, 19, and Naomi, 16, the Mumbai sisters known within the Parsi community as the “Sisters of Destruction,” have been selected for the Pickleball World Cup 2026 in Da Nang. It is the third edition of the tournament and the first ever in Asia, drawing thousands of players from over 80 countries.At the Indian team selection trials, the sisters took over the Open category, clinching Gold together in the Pro Women’s Doubles. In the mixed doubles, lined up on opposite sides of the net with different partners, Naomi took Gold with Arjun and Pearl Silver with Divyanshu. “It was the most intense match of the tournament, because we were on opposite sides,” they recall. “It went down to the last point.” Naomi, still 16, will pull double duty in Da Nang, turning out for the Under-18 team as well.“We were in Vietnam, so we celebrated with our fellow athletes over a few pizzas,” they say. “Before we could even call our parents, they had already seen the announcement and called us. In our family, when one of us wins, the whole family wins.”From table-tennis to a world stagePearl’s road to pickleball began at a different table. She spent nearly eight years in table tennis, representing Maharashtra, before the sport stopped giving back what she put in. “There came a point where I felt completely burnt out,” she says. It was the Covid period, and she was preparing for her Class 10 boards. “Walking away wasn’t easy, especially since my career was progressing well, but mentally I knew it was the right choice.”Pickleball arrived three years later, in 2023, as a suggestion from her parents, picked up just to enjoy a sport again.
Three Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustees have opposed Three Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustees have opposed a proposal to convert Leave and Licence agreements into permanent tenancies for trust-owned flats. They argued the move could weaken community housing safeguards, while Chairman Viraf Mehta said legal protections, including a 'Parsi-only' covenant, would be incorporated into tenancy agreements.The BPP has its office in the Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Fort Boys’ High School building on D N Road Article by Manoj Ramakrishnan | Free Press JournalA sharp divide has emerged within the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), one of Mumbai's largest landlords, after three of its seven trustees publicly opposed a proposal to convert Leave and Licence (L&L) agreements into permanent tenancies for nearly 4,500 trust-owned flats across the city's Parsi baugs.Open Letter WarningIn an open letter published in a community newspaper on Sunday, trustees Anahita Desai, Hoshang Jal and Adil Malia criticised a resolution, passed in May 2026 through Chairman Viraf Mehta's casting vote, to replace the long-standing Leave and Licence system with tenancy agreements. They warned that the move could undermine a housing framework that has protected the community for over five decades.The trustees argued that permanent tenancy could weaken the "Parsi-only" covenant governing the baugs, potentially allowing non-Parsi occupants to remain indefinitely through inherited or transferred tenancy rights. They cited long-running legal disputes involving non-Parsi families residing in colonies such as Cusrow Baug and Jer Baug as evidence of the complications associated with tenancy.Historical ContextDesai told The Free Press Journal that the Leave and Licence system was introduced after rent control laws granted statutory protection to tenants, making it difficult for the trust to regain possession of its properties.Of the BPP's housing stock, around 1,900 flats are currently under Leave and Licence agreements, while the remainder are tenanted.
Zarathushti Energy Expert Kobad Bhavnagri Appointe Zarathushti Energy Expert Kobad Bhavnagri Appointed to the Board of Australia's Renewable Energy AgencyThe Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced the appointment of Kobad Bhavnagri, a Parsi energy transition expert, to its Board. The appointment was confirmed by Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon Chris Bowen MP, on July 9, 2026, alongside the appointment of Ms Lara Olsen. The two incoming directors succeed longstanding Board member Stephen McIntosh.ARENA is the Australian government body tasked with funding and accelerating the commercialisation of renewable energy technologies, and a seat on its Board places Kobad among a small group shaping how Australia allocates capital toward decarbonisation.From Engineer to One of the Energy Transition's Most Cited VoicesKobad Bhavnagri spent 16 years at BloombergNEF (BNEF), the research arm of Bloomberg dedicated to tracking the global shift to a low-carbon economy, most recently serving as its Global Head of Strategy. Over his tenure he held a series of senior roles at BNEF in Australia and globally, building a reputation as a trusted, independent voice on the technologies, economics, and market forces driving the energy transition.His subject-matter expertise spans clean power, hydrogen, industry decarbonisation, electrified transport, carbon markets, sustainable agriculture, nature restoration, and climate adaptation — a breadth reflected in the more than 200 research publications he has authored, including BNEF's flagship New Energy Outlook and Hydrogen Economy Outlook. Earlier in his career, and as reflected in his long-standing bio with the Climate Council of Australia, Kobad worked across the energy and finance sectors as an engineer, management consultant, and analyst before joining Bloomberg, where his academic grounding in engineering and environmental studies fed directly into his research on energy economics, markets, and policy.Kobad holds a Bachelor of Engineering (
World Athletics VP Adille Sumariwalla at Idea Exch World Athletics VP Adille Sumariwalla at Idea Exchange: "National Records Are Being Broken Again and Again. This Shows We Have Bench Strength"Parsi Olympian and World Athletics Vice-President Adille Sumariwalla spoke on preparing Indian athletes for the upcoming Asian Games, navigating the country's doping crisis, and the debate about who makes a good sports administrator.Article by Express News Service | The Indian ExpressThe session was moderated by Nihal Koshie, Associate Editor, The Indian Express.Nihal Koshie: Over 25 national records have fallen in four months, unprecedented in such a short span. What is the reason?After the Paris Olympics, we decentralised camps. Reliance, JSW and state governments such as Odisha and Tamil Nadu are bringing in foreign coaches. Keeping people in a national camp for 300 days, where they are away from home, was not ideal. We said, "You train wherever you want, except the relays, which is a team event." Competition has increased between the different training centres. The Neeraj Chopra effect has played an important part. Records are being broken over and over again in the same event. This shows there is bench strength. We also made it mandatory for an athlete to participate in at least two events before the final trial. This helped because Indian coaches have put into the minds of the athletes that they have to protect themselves, otherwise they will get injured. This is one of the biggest problems we have. They say, "Protect yourself and win a gold medal at the Asian Games and get more money," but you may not get a medal at the Olympics.Nihal Koshie: This is the year of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) and the Asian Games. Have Indian athletes peaked too early?I can assure you that our athletes will peak and improve their performances at the Asian Games. Now, they are getting into the system of competing, as they do in Europe. They are still setting records now but, in my view, they haven't peaked.
Our dear friend Mariano Errichiello, Executive Dir Our dear friend Mariano Errichiello, Executive Director at the SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies writes in…Future Zoroastrians: Leadership Programme for Emerging Priestly LeadersWhen people think about the education of a Zoroastrian priest, they naturally think of prayers, rituals and religious texts. Yet anyone who has approached a priest with questions about identity, marriage, grief, ethics or community life knows that the role extends far beyond the performance of ceremonies. How can young priests prepare for these wider responsibilities while remaining grounded in the faith?This question inspired Future Zoroastrians, a new leadership programme generously sponsored by Zar Amrolia and hosted by the Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies at SOAS University of London. During five intensive days, twelve emerging priests from India, Pakistan, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States came together to explore Zoroastrian scholarship, communication, leadership, pastoral care and community engagement.The idea was simple. Priests rarely have the opportunity to spend uninterrupted time with colleagues from other countries, comparing experiences and discussing the very different realities of serving Zoroastrian communities around the world. Bringing them together created conversations that could never have happened online or through formal lectures alone.The response showed that this need exists. Thirty five applications arrived from six countries, with applicants ranging from twenty to sixty one years of age. The final cohort reflected both the continued vitality of the Indian priesthood and the increasingly international character of Zoroastrian life today.Convened
Sindh High Court Grants Stay Order Protecting Sukk Sindh High Court Grants Stay Order Protecting Sukkur's Mama Parsi Temple from Demolition SUKKUR: The Sukkur bench of the Sindh High Court has granted a stay order restraining the potential demolition of a century-old Zoroastrian Agiary belonging to the Parsi community, in a rare legal win for one of Pakistan's most fragile pieces of Parsi heritage.Locally known as the "Mama Parsi Temple," the site sits opposite the fire brigade station near Dua Chowk in Sukkur, on what was once known as Wallace Road. The court's intervention follows a constitutional petition seeking the immediate protection and restoration of the site, which dates back to 1923.The petitioner, Shokat Ali Mahar, approached the court to address the severe deterioration of the temple compound, which also houses the Khan Bahadur Marker Parsi Dharamshala and an old school building — together forming what was historically called the Parsi Compound. The petition states that while the site once stood as a testament to the Parsi community's contributions to Sukkur's trade, commerce, and social development, it now faces an existential threat from neglect and illegal occupation.The petition contends that after the Parsi community migrated from Sukkur, the abandoned premises were illegally occupied by private individuals for residential use. The site has fallen into ruin — cracked walls, broken windowpanes, locked sections — despite still bearing evidence of its original architectural beauty.
Straits of God? Of a ‘Parsi peg’ & whisky brand ca Straits of God? Of a ‘Parsi peg’ & whisky brand called ‘Hor­muz’! “The sun is sink­ing in the West,Din­ner dishes go down in the sink —Sauvignon Blanc is undoubtedly best —It’s time for a writer to drink!Orange skies — a radi­ant sun­setWhich calm the emo­tions to see —Those ones I saw and won’t for­getLook­ing at skies — just her and me?”— From The Songs of Rose Leyti, by BachchooArticle by Farrukh Dhondy Regime change looms ahead in the UK, and so, gentle reader, it’s reas­on­able to expect my spec­u­la­tion about the dir­ec­tion Andy Burnham’s premi­er­ship will take. But no.

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