Eminent Parsis of India
EMINENT PARSEES OF INDIA
In science and industry
- Adi Bulsara (born 1952): Physicist
- Ardaseer Cursetjee of the Wadia shipbuilding family, first Indian elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
- Ardeshir Darabshaw Shroff (1899–1965): economist; delegate at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference; co-author of the Bombay Plan; founder-director of the Investment Corporation of India; first Indian chairman of the Bank of India
- Ardeshir Godrej (1868–1936): inventor; co-founder (with his brother Piroj) of the Godrej industrial empire
- Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy Lady, continued her husband Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy philanthropic work, builder of Mahim Causeway, connects two islands of Bombay and Salsette (north Bombay.)
- Byram Dinshawji Avari (born 1942): Pakistani hotelier, founder and chairman of the Avari Group of companies.
- Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Sir: philanthropist and founder of B.J. Medical College, Pune.
- Cowasjee Jehangir, Sir (1879–1962): civil engineer; master constructor of Bombay
- Cowasji Shavaksha Dinshaw (Adenwalla) (1827–1900): entrepreneur; founder of the modern port of Aden
- Cowasji Jehangir Readymoney Sir, (1812–1878), 1st Baronet, philanthropist, including various academic buildings of the Bombay University.
- Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (born 1968): Chairman of Tata Group; Irish businessman
- Cyrus Poonawalla (born 1945): industrialist, pharmacologist; co-founder of the Serum Institute of India
- Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, Sir (1823–1901): founded the first textile factories in India
- Dorabji Tata, Sir (1859–1932): industrialist and philanthropist, Sir Dorab Tata Trust.
- Fardunjee Marzban (1787–1847): publisher, founded the first vernacular newspaper on the Indian subcontinent Bombay Samachar
- Homi Jehangir Bhabha (1909–1966): nuclear scientist; first chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission.
- Homi Nusserwanji Sethna (1923–2010): Padma Vibhushan awardee, chemical engineer; guided the development of India’s first nuclear explosive device.
- Hormusjee Naorojee Mody, Sir (1838–1911): financier and industrialist in Hong Kong
- Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (J. R. D.) Tata (1904–1993): industrialist; founder of India’s first commercial airline: Air India
- Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy, Sir (1783–1859): opened sea trade with China; philanthropist, J J Hospital,
- Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata (1839–1904): industrialist; founder of the Tata group of companies, titled a “One-Man Planning Commission” by Jawaharlal Nehru
- Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee (1880–1960): industrialist; founded Hong Kong‘s first brewery; established the first anti-tuberculosis sanatorium in the far-east
- Keki Dadiseth (born 1946): Home and Personal Care Director, Unilever plc
- Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia (1702–1774): shipwright and naval architect; builder of the first dry-dock in Asia
- Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw (18??–1924?): industrialist and philanthropist; NED Engineering College.
- Ness Wadia (born 1970): joint-Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing.
- Nowroji Saklatwala Chairman of Tata group of companies from 1932 till his untimely death in 1938.
- Pallonji Mistry (born 1929): construction tycoon
- Pirojsha Godrej (1882–1972): entrepreneur; co-founder (with his brother Ardeshir) of the Godrej industrial empire
- Ratan Naval Tata (born 1937): Chairman emeritus of Tata Sons; former Chairman of the Tata Group of companies; member of the central board of the Reserve Bank of India
- Russi Mody (born 1918): former Chairman and Managing Director of Tata Steel Limited. He is the son of Sir Homy Modi and brother of Piloo Mody.
- Shiraz Minwalla (born 1973): theoretical physicist, String theorist
- Spenta R. Wadia theoretical physicist.
- Ratan Jamshetji Tata, Sir, younger son of Jamshetji Tata, industrialist and philanthropist, Sir Ratan Tata Trust
In academia
Military
In entertainment, religion, sports and astrology
- Aban Marker Kabraji (born 1953): Pakistani ecologist, Asian regional director of IUCN
- Amyra Dastur (born 1993): model, film actress, television presenter
- Ardeshir Cowasjee (1926–2012): investigative journalist and newspaper columnist.
- Ardeshir Irani – Filmmaker
- Bapsi Sidhwa (born 1938): author and screenwriter; vocal proponent of women’s rights
- Behram “Busybee” Contractor (1930–2001): journalist and columnist.
- Behramji Malabari (1853–1912): poet, publicist, author, and social reformer.
- Bejan Daruwalla (born 1931): astrologer.
- Boman Irani (born 1959): Indian film and theatre actor, host of the 2007 IIFA Awards
- Cyrus Broacha (born 1971): MTV India VJ and stand-up comedian.
- Cyrus Poncha (born 1976): Asian Squash Federation Junior Coach of the Year 2003–04.
- Daisy Irani: Bollywood actress.
- Deena M. Mistri (1924–2011): author and educationalist; recipient of Pakistan’s “Pride of Performance” medal.
- Diana Eduljee (born 1956): first captain of the Indian women’s Cricket team – from 1978 till 1993
- Erick Avari (born 1952): Hollywood actor.
- Eruch Jessawala, Meher Baba’s interpreter
- Fali R Singara: Indian radio jockey
- Farokh Engineer (born 1938): cricketer.
- Farooq Sheikh (born 1948): actor (Parsi mother)[2]
- Farrukh Dhondy (born 1944): novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, journalist.
- Firdaus Kanga (born 1960): author, actor and screenwriter.
- Firdaus Kharas (1955–): animation, television and film producer and director.
- Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara, 1946–1991): rock icon and lead singer for Queen.
- Godrej Sidhwa (born 1925): theologian and historian.
- Goshpi Avari (born 19??): first Pakistani woman to win a gold medal at the Asian Games.
- Homai Vyarawalla (1913-2012): India’s first woman photojournalist, Padma Vibhushan.
- Homi Adajania (born 1972): Film Director, Writer and Scuba Diving Instructor
- Jivanji Jamshedji Modi Sir, Zoroastrian scholar, Ph.D from Heidelberg, Germany, recognition and awards, for scholarship, from Sweden, France, and Hungary.
- Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji (1892–1988): composer, music critic, pianist, and writer.
- Kaizad Gustad (born 1968): film director.
- Keki Daruwalla (born 1937), poet and writer
- Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla (1875–1956): high priest and religious scholar.
- Meher Baba (Merwan Sheriar Irani; 1894–1969): Indian mystic
- Mehli Mehta (1908–2002): musician; founder of the Bombay Philharmonic and Bombay String Orchestras.
- Mehr Jesia Indian model
- Nariman “Nari” Contractor (born 1934): cricketer; coach at the CCI Academy.
- Nauheed Cyrusi (born 1982): model, film actress, television presenter
- Nina Wadia (born 1968): British-Indian comedienne and television actress, currently and most notably from EastEnders.
- Perizaad Zorabian (born 1973): model, film actress
- Persis Khambatta (1950–1998): actress and model. Miss India in 1965.
- Pahlan Ratanji “Polly” Umrigar (1926–2006): cricketer.
- Rohinton Mistry (born 1952): novelist, short story author, screenplay writer.
- Rustom Khurshedji Karanjia (1912–2008): Journalist & editor, founder of India’s first tabloid, Blitz.
- Sam Dastor (born 1941): television actor and director.
- Sanaya Irani (born 1983): television actress.
- Shapur Kharegat (1932–2000): Journalist, editor and director of The Economist (Asia).
- Shiamak Davar: Bollywood choreographer
- Sohrab Modi (1897–1984): stage and film actor, director and producer.
- Sooni Taraporevala (born 1957): screenwriter, author and photographer.
- Viraf Phiroz Patel (born 1980): The Grasim Mr. India 2005, model turned actor
- Zarin Mehta (born 1938): musician; executive director of the New York Philharmonic since 2000
- Zarnak Sidhwa (born 1972): Pakistani Chef with a TV show on Masala TV.
- Zerbanoo Gifford (born 1950): human rights campaigner
- Zubin Mehta (born 1936): musician; Musical Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, former director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and Bavarian State Opera.
- Zubin Varla (born 19??): stage actor.
Politicians, activists and bureaucrats
- B. P. Wadia (1881–1958), Indian theosophist and labour activist. Pioneered the creation of workers unions in India.
- Cowasji Jehangir (Readymoney) (1812–1878): J.P.; introduced income tax in India; first baronet of Bombay.
- Frene Ginwala (born 1932): Is a member of the ANC and aided Nelson Mandela in abolishing apartheid in South Africa. Later served for 7 years as Speaker Of the House of Parliament in South Africa
- Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta (1886–1952): former Mayor of Karachi for 12 consecutive years.
- Jamsheed Marker (born 1922): Pakistani diplomat, ambassador to more countries than any other person; recipient of Hilal-i Imtiaz.
- Justice Dorab Patel (1924–1997): Former Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, former Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan and human rights campaigner.
- Mancherjee Bhownagree (1851–1933): politician, second Asian to be elected to the House of Commons (Conservative).
- Minocher Bhandara (1937?–2008): Pakistani parliamentarian and owner of Muree Brewery.
- Minoo Masani (1905–1998): author, parliamentarian and a member of the Constituent Assembly.
- Piloo Mody (1926–1983): architect, parliamentarian, one of the founder-members of the Swatantra Party.
- Rustam S. Sidhwa (1927–1997): judge on the Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as one of the original eleven judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
- Shapurji Saklatvala (1874–1936): socialist, workers’ welfare activist, third Asian to be elected to the House of Commons (Communist, Labour).
Law
Others
In arts
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Dear Yazdi,
This list dated 24th Feb 2014 misses out on many notable and pioneering PIZ’ s of their time.
How can we leave these unsung and forgotten heroes from a list of Eminent Zoroastrians ?
These are some great people I have personally known.
Test Cricketer Pheroze Edulji Palia…represented India in the first ever Test Match at Lord’s with the 1932 Indian Team and again with the 1936 Team The World War cut short his Test career as there were no Test matches played from 1937 to 1947 while he was in his prime. He played 100 first class matches and represented the
Parsees in the Pentangular from 1928 to 1946.
Rusi S.Modi. Indian Test Cricketer, Started his first class career at age 17, with a century for the Parsees in the Pentangular and 3 years later at age 20,followed it with 5 successive hundreds for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy amassing 1008 runs. A record that stood for 44 years .
He was the most elegant & stylish Indian batsman, an all-rounder who was the first Indian to score over 200 runs in an Unofficial Test Match (against the Australian Services Xl in 1946).
Played all the 3 Tests on the 1946 tour of England and scored 1,196 runs.
He played all the 5 Tests against the West Indies during their 1948/49 tour scoring 560 runs.
Mehellasha Pavri, Nasarvanji Bapasola, Pestonji D.Kanga Captain 1888, M .D.Kanga. the
finest cricketers of their time who put India on the Cricketing map and earned India acceptance into the International Cricketing circle.
Dickey Ratnagar, & Bobby (A.F.S.) Talyarkhan. The two famous cricket commentators.
Seth Sorabji P. Godrej, a great Industrialist & renowned Environmentalist.
Khurshed Framji Nariman, the Parsi visionary, fondly called Veer Nariman, and after whom is named, The Nariman Point and the Veer Nariman Road.
Dr. D.N. Wadia India’s ace GEOLOGIST & PALEONTOLOGIST at the Geological Survey of India and helped Homi Bhabha on the Atomic Energy commission in the discovery of raw materials for the extraction of Thorium & Uranium ores. Govt. of India honoured him with a postage stamp. The Nehru Medal, the Padma Bhushan amongst a whole lot of other awards. The Delhi University bestowed on him an honorary degree of D.Sc. the same time I got my Bachelor of Art.
Dr. Sorabji Pestonji Shroff. Founder of the Shroff Charitable Eye Hospital in Delhi in the 1920’s. For his pioneering & philanthropic role he was the recipient of the Kaiser-I-Hind award from King George the Vth. and National awards from the Govt. of India. His grandson …
Dr. Noshir Minoo Shroff, was also honoured similarly by the President of India a year or two ago for the excellent ophthalmic services provided to the masses. ( Please see PARSIANA for details).
Savaxshah Ardershir Lal was secretary to India’s first Governor General C.R. Rajagopalachari and first President
Dr. Rajendra Parshad.
Adi Kanga, the man who thought of and planned NAVI Mumbai ( Pl refer to Parsiana & FEZANA for details)
Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji Kalfati. The man who protected the Zoroastrian places of worship (pl refer HAMAZOOR for more details)
General Noshir Karani, Headed the Indian Armed Forces Medical Directorate .
Brigadier Serosh. Jal. D. Irani. became one of the youngest Brigadier in the Pakistan Army and was Military Attaché in France & Germany during the mid-1950’s. Was decorated by President DeGaul of France and Chancellor Herr (something ) of Germany. He was received by Queen Elizabeth too. He was Martial Law Administrator Karachi, Multan & Bahawalpur 1959.
Kaikhosrov. D.Irani….. requires no introduction
Dr Jamshed Jigi.D. Irani was the youngest Managing Director of Tata Steel.
Incidentally the last three named above and Phiroze Palia are cousins.
Regards,
Rusi Sorabji
What about Yezdi D. Gundevia—-a famous well known I.C.S. officer—held important foreign diplomatic posts & was Secretary to the President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
Yes, Yezdi Gandevia was one of our real intellectuals and Foreign Service leaders in Nehrus time.
Rusi, thanks for mentioning my father, General Noshir
Karani, both as an educator,(Dean of the Medical Faculty, Pune University), Preventive Medicine Specialist (President of the Indian Public Health Association), and high ranking in the Military (Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College), besides being a World War 2 veteran.
Went through the list. Under sports did not find the name of Meherwan Daruvala. He is a Arjuna Award winner and was for 6 or 7 years all India squash champion.
They have also forgotten
Naval P Godrej -Architect of the Godrej empire
& his son Jamsheed & nephews Adi & Nadir (The poet who co sponsored the 10the world zoro congress also)
& many more
I wouldhave liked the following inclusions:
1. Sam Balsara – Chairman Madison World and Past President Advertising Association of India and other bodies.
2. Motlibai Maneckji Wadia – Daughter of Jehangirjee – Philantropist.
3. Burjorji H. Antia – Legal luminary and Religious Philantropist. Also Chairman of N M Wadia Charities and several Religious Trusts’
U guys forgot naval Godrej
Also the 3 parsis who rode around the world in the 1930s
From: Rusi Sorabji [mailto:rr@sorabji.org] Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 6:38 PM To: ‘Parsis, Iranis, Zarathushtis – ALL Under One Roof’ Subject: RE: [New post] Eminent Parsis of India
Dear Yazdi,
This list dated 24th Feb 2014 misses out on many notable and pioneering PIZ’ s of their time.
How can we leave these unsung and forgotten heroes from a list of Eminent Zoroastrians ?
These are some great people I have personally known.
Test Cricketer Pheroze Edulji Palia…represented India in the first ever Test Match at Lord’s with the 1932 Indian Team and again with the 1936 Team The World War cut short his Test career as there were no Test matches played from 1937 to 1947 while he was in his prime. He played 100 first class matches and represented the
Parsees in the Pentangular from 1928 to 1946.
Rusi S.Modi. Indian Test Cricketer, Started his first class career at age 17, with a century for the Parsees in the Pentangular and 3 years later at age 20,followed it with 5 successive hundreds for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy amassing 1008 runs. A record that stood for 44 years .
He was the most elegant & stylish Indian batsman, an all-rounder who was the first Indian to score over 200 runs in an Unofficial Test Match (against the Australian Services Xl in 1946).
Played all the 3 Tests on the 1946 tour of England and scored 1,196 runs.
He played all the 5 Tests against the West Indies during their 1948/49 tour scoring 560 runs.
Mehellasha Pavri, Nasarvanji Bapasola, Pestonji D.Kanga Captain 1888, M .D.Kanga. the
finest cricketers of their time who put India on the Cricketing map and earned India acceptance into the International Cricketing circle.
Dickey Ratnagar, & Bobby (A.F.S.) Talyarkhan. The two famous cricket commentators.
Seth Sorabji P. Godrej, a great Industrialist & renowned Environmentalist.
Khurshed Framji Nariman, the Parsi visionary, fondly called Veer Nariman, and after whom is named, The Nariman Point and the Veer Nariman Road.
Dr. D.N. Wadia India’s ace GEOLOGIST & PALEONTOLOGIST at the Geological Survey of India and helped Homi Bhabha on the Atomic Energy commission in the discovery of raw materials for the extraction of Thorium & Uranium ores. Govt. of India honoured him with a postage stamp. The Nehru Medal, the Padma Bhushan amongst a whole lot of other awards. The Delhi University bestowed on him an honorary degree of D.Sc. the same time I got my Bachelor of Art.
Dr. Sorabji Pestonji Shroff. Founder of the Shroff Charitable Eye Hospital in Delhi in the 1920’s. For his pioneering & philanthropic role he was the recipient of the Kaiser-I-Hind award from King George the Vth. and National awards from the Govt. of India. His grandson …
Dr. Noshir Minoo Shroff, was also honoured similarly by the President of India a year or two ago for the excellent ophthalmic services provided to the masses. ( Please see PARSIANA for details).
Savaxshah Ardershir Lal was secretary to India’s first Governor General C.R. Rajagopalachari and first President
Dr. Rajendra Parshad.
Adi Kanga, the man who thought of and planned NAVI Mumbai ( Pl refer to Parsiana & FEZANA for details)
Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji Kalfati. The man who protected the Zoroastrian places of worship (pl refer HAMAZOOR for more details)
General Noshir Karani, Headed the Indian Armed Forces Medical Directorate .
Brigadier Serosh. Jal. D. Irani. became one of the youngest Brigadier in the Pakistan Army and was Military Attaché in France & Germany during the mid-1950’s. Was decorated by President DeGaul of France and Chancellor Herr (something ) of Germany. He was received by Queen Elizabeth too. He was Martial Law Administrator Karachi, Multan & Bahawalpur 1959.
Kaikhosrov. D.Irani….. requires no introduction
Dr Jamshed Jigi.D. Irani was the youngest Managing Director of Tata Steel.
Incidentally the last three named above and Phiroze Palia are cousins.
Regards,
Rusi Sorabji
Went thru the list
Pls include Mr. Dinyar Tantra in the list, prominent Socialist leader & Ex-President of Indore bar association & a well known social activist of Madhya pradesh,
What about Sam Maneksha (forgive my spelling) Field Marshal? He is my hero.
I think my father—the late Major General Rustom Zal Kabraji, AVSM (retd.) should also be included in your MILITARY list or section—he was Hon.ADC General to the President of India & also instrumental in the liberation of rebel held Mizoram in the 1960s while commanding forces under Field Marshall Maneckshaw who was Eastern Army Commander at that time.
Please feel free to add the names which have been missed out in the comments section. Let us build this list as large as possible
Under the title MILITARY, the ‘Rank’ of all individuals listed should be endorsed, as has been for some.
Under Fine Arts, the name of Erach Ardeshir Bhiwandiwalla – originaly from Bhiwandi, and domiciled in Calcutta is a glaring void. He was feted around the world from 1930 through 1949 as a portrait painter of great talent, and dubbed “The Orpen of India” by the British Press. He painted the British Aristocracy and Royalty in the thirties, Indian Royalty before Indiependence, and Indian politicians after independence until the Seventies,. His portraits can be found at the Rajya Shabha, and government buildings throughout India. Notably even in the Museum of the Nizam of Hyderabad in Hyderabad, Among those who sat for him were Sir Manchejee Bhownagaree, The count and Countess of Howe, the Aga Khan, and his Begum, and the King of Japan for whose portrait the Japanese hounded the artist all the way from Japan to his return to india – as Japanese royalty were considered ‘sacred’ at the time. He earned the Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts distinction from England, and studied in other distinguished Art academies in Europe and exhibited in the US, and most countries of pre-War Europe.
I am in search of the details of two prominent Parsis.One being Framjee Rusthamjee
Dasai . He was the first indian who got in to I F S (Indian Forest Service) in 1866 A.D.
Another one is Dr. Noshirvan Gustasp Phd.. He was the second Indian who got in to
I F S IN 1907. Sometime he was the D F O (Dist. Forest Officer) Thane in 1907-08.
F.R.Dasai was the son of a Bombay merchant. That is all the information i know.
I need a biographical sketch of these two eminent Parsis. If anybody knows kindly
convey the details to skumarforest@gmail.com
Dear Yazdi
Keki moos & pinaz masani also mising
Even though the Parsee community of India is a minute minority of 60000 people (0.005%) of the population, their contribution for India is too amazing. More billionaires among the less than 100 billionaires in the percentage, top ranking in charity. When we study about their religion, we can come to some solid conclusion that their great religious teachings of charity and loving the humanity has greatly blessed and exalted them. India is blessed with the largest Parsee population in the world.
In art Keki Moose, of Calisgaon needs to be added,he was great table top painter,one can visit his cottage,next to Chalisgaon railway station on Manmad -Bhusval BG railway line.
name of parsi cricketers of big fan following missing from the above list are :- Farooq Engineer, Nari Contractory, Poly Umrigar, Rusi Surti are
Dear Yazid,under Military you have missed Brigadier Nasli Billimoria Father of Lt Gen Faredun Billimoria,grand Father of Lord Karan Billimoria. Also he is Uncle of Gen Adi Sethna.
You missed Commisioner of Police Bombay State Mr Keki Dhunjisha Billimoria (before formation of Maharashtra and Gujarat). Incidentally Keki and Nusli were blood brothers. Their Father Dhunjisha was Supdt.ofPolice in Bulsar.
There was another senior Billimoria who I met as a small school boy, in Srinagar, Kashmir—I think he was the Commissioner of Police over there in the 1950s ,if I’m not mistaken. Think it was Rusi Billimoria ?
A great number of Parsis have been forgotten and overlooked from this list of unsung heros, namesly, my grandparents, Dr.&Mrs.Tehmi Ginwalla-She was the founder and president of the Indian Society of Periodontology, The first lady dean of Nair hospital, the first lady from India to earn a doctrate in dental surgery from Toronto, Canada, she was the first dental scientish from across the globe to be invited to the V International Conference on Oral biology held in Zurich in 1971. To add to her list of accomplishments was being listed on page 436 in the book, “World’s Who’s who of women”.
My grandfather on the otherhand, Dr.Minoo Sorabji Ginwalla has been honoured with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Day (13th February) which celebrates the birthday of Dr. Minoo Sorabjee Ginwalla, the first oral surgeon in India. He founded The Association of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery in 1969.
My grandparents are highly accomplished people in the field of medicine and they deserve the respect and recognition they so rightly deserve.
Shirene Muncherjee
I think the list needs updating from time to time–the sooner its done the better because we are are a fast vanishing commune from this planet so lets atleast leave behind some authentic records of our glorious existence !!!
Dear Shirene,
I am Dr. Sanjeev Kumar researching the role of Dr. Minoo Ginwalla in development of our specaility. Can you let me know his date of death?
I want to know if Minoo Masani (1905–1998) a vegetarian?