He was the first Zoroastrian to sail to England from India: not to mention the first Indian who sued the British and won! He sailed back in victory with his cause vindicated and putting his entrepreneur skills upfront, he was received with great respect. Naoroji Rustomji Manek Seth (1662-1732) was the son of the philanthropic Parsi Rustomji Manekji of Surat.
Read moreQissa-e-Parsi: The Parsi Story. FYI … A film by Ketatun’s nephew Zal Cowasji’s daughter Divya …. A high-res link to Divya and her colleague, Shilpi’s film on the Parsis, commissioned by the Ministry of External Affairs, and produced by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust of India (PSBT), is now available at The Film explores the history of the Parsi
Read moreThe Mumbai Research Centre of The Asiatic Society Of Mumbai invites you to a talk titled Getting to Know Ardeshir Irani and will be delivered by Dr. Narendra Panjwani. The event starts at 5 PM on Friday, 8th November 2024, with tea at 4:30 PM at the Durbar Hall. Ardeshir Irani created India’s first talkie, ALAM ARA, in 1931, choosing
Read moreDerbent: What Persia left behind with Director Pejman Akbarzadeh A documentary screening hosted by SSPIZS Tuesday 26 November 2024 @ 7.00 pm Djam Lecture Theatre in the main building of SOAS campusThe Institute is pleased to announce that we will host the U.K. premier screening of the documentary “Derbent, What Persia Left Behind,” directed by Pejman Akbarzadeh. After working with Pejman on the Idea of Iran Symposium, we are thrilled
Read moreA century of Trust – the Tatas
Read moreMumbai gained prominence as a cotton trading and commercial centre in the mid nineteenth century. Hidden away in the history books is the fact that from 1736 to 1932 over 400 ships and vessels of various descriptions were built at Bombay Dockyard. Added to that are some 220 odd ships and vessels built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. from 1932
Read moreA bottle of Pallonji’s raspberry soda comes with this helpful disclaimer: “Contains no fruit.” Electric red in colour, and syrupy sweet to the taste, the raspberry soda is a beloved cultural icon of India’s fast-disappearing Parsi community – as well as the endangered Irani cafes in the western city of Mumbai. It is pure, fizzy nostalgia. But peer more closely
Read moreThe front facade of the Bombay Central Railway Station is a heritage structure, and it depicts fire of victory. A Parsi architect designed this station to be protected by this fire at the entrance. To date, this major station has been an oasis of calm even during wars and riots and pandemics. It was Shapoorji Pallonji who built this station.
Read more‘MEHER LAGHU LIPI’ – GUJARATI SHORTHAND – DEVELOPED BY SHRI NOSHIRWAN BAPUJI KARANJIA OF SURAT – By Ailesh Shukla, Surat (Free rendering in English from ‘Meher Laghu Lipi Rachayitaa Noshirwan Bapuji Karanjia’ – by Burjor Daboo) GUJARATI SHORTHAND WAS INVENTED BY A PARSI EDUCATIONIST OF SURAT – SHRI NOSHIRWAN BAPUJI KARANJIA. Completing over 9 decades of establishment and approaching to
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