Dastur Firoze M. Kotwal Archival Project – A UNESCO Parzor Initiative
Vada Dasturji Dr. Firoze M. Kotwal is the High Priest of the Parsi Zoroastrian community and a scholar priest of eminence with deep knowledge of the sacred texts of the faith and the Avestan, Pahalavi, Gujarati and Old Gujarati languages. He has also studied Sanskrit and Persian and is therefore eminently positioned to place Zoroastrianism within the context of the world history of religions. As a researcher he has worked with the late Professor. Mary Boyce (Prof. Emeritus, School of Oriental and African Studies, London), and with scholars across Europe and America over the last forty years. He has taught Zoroastrianism first as a teacher of the young mobeds at the Cama Athornan Madressa in Mumbai and was later appointed its Principal. Subsequently he has held courses, delivered lectures and guided and nurtured scholars, researchers as well as priests for almost 50 years.
Without creating a recording and publishing archive of Dastur Kotwal’s life’s work a vast amount of traditional wisdom and history will be lost forever. Hence it is necessary not only for the Parsi Zoroastrian community but for all those interested in religious studies and interfaith dialogue, that Dastur Kotwal’s works be published at the earliest. His academic contribution is so large that we feel that the final product will result in the publication of a series of books.
The hand written pages are examples of over 10,000 pages of such hand written notes and registers which are all being photographed at Dasturji’s residence, then digitized and will then be transcribed in English to facilitate research and publication.
Click Here for the Press Release from Dr. Shernaz Cama