Zoroastrianism is one of the smallest religions in the world in terms of adherents. In Sri Lanka, the faithful number only around 40 to 60 people. Yet this tiny community has left an outsized mark on the country’s commercial landscape.The Parsis, as the Zoroastrians...
Noshir Dadrawala: Why has the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 sparked such outrage?
The government introduced the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 on March 25. The Bill aims to amend the FCRA Act, 2010. The main thrust of the amendment is the introduction of a ‘Designated Authority’, which will have the power to take over the...
Iran’s ancient treasures face threat from bombing, scholars warn
The palace of Darius I at Persepolis / Alamy Damage to Iran’s world heritage sites Sir, We are deeply concerned not only about the humanitarian impact of the war in Iran but also about reports of damage to that country’s cultural heritage. Cultural heritage is always...
At 89, Zubin Mehta Shows No Signs of Stopping at the LA Philharmonic
At 89, conductor Zubin Mehta doesn’t make things easy for himself. Since taking on the role of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s conductor emeritus, Mehta has been bringing Walt Disney Concert Hall audiences some of the largest-scaled late-Romantic works on earth. ...
Ashdeen Lilaowala Redefines Parsi Heritage with Contemporary Gara Embroidery
Ashdeen Lilaowala's relationship with Parsi Gara embroidery began long before it became his life's work. Growing up surrounded by the craft—watching his mother and aunts adorned in intricately embroidered garments at weddings—the art form was simply part of his...
Zubin Mehta, at 89, still commands mammoth Bruckner
Zubin Mehta, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s conductor emeritus and (without exaggeration) a living L.A. icon, returned last weekend to conduct Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony with his old band.The score requires a monster orchestra with a blockbuster brass section and an...
The Architectural, Spiritual and Personal: Karl Singporewala at SOAS Gallery
A bright blue lamppost in the gallery feels like it’s been brought in off the street and given a fresh lick of paint. Look a little closer and you’ll see tiny people at the base and within the lamp. That’s when the light goes off in your head: this is a maquette for...
140-Year-Old Ripon Club At Kala Ghoda Faces Eviction From Landlords; Court Hearing Scheduled On November 24
After a furore over the proposed sale of the Sanjan sanatorium, Parsis have raised concerns about the future of another community Institution - the 140-year-old Ripon Club on Mahatma Gandhi Road, Kala Ghoda.Article by Manoj Ramakrishnan | Free Press JournalEviction...
Nadir Godrej — the Renaissance man
On a rainy afternoon in Mumbai, inside the executive dining room at Godrej Industries Group’s sprawling Vikhroli headquarters, water droplets on the glass windows blur the view outside — a single chimney, all that remains of the company’s old chemicals factory, once...

