The Fascinating History of Parsis In India By Chinmoy Mukherjee

The significance of the role played by Parsis in India in various fields of our national life is truly phenomenal. How a small community could spread their influence with their liberal ideas towards making our planet a better place to live in by setting up innumberble hospitals, schools, colleges and world-class research centres and institutes ,A should be an example for not only the people belonging to the majority community but also different minority groups whose leaders seem to have developed a vested interest in their minority status.

The saga of a community of people who came to India as “boat people” circa 936 A.D. from Iran after losing their land to conquering Muslim Arabs and how they progressively integrated with our mainstream national life should fill one's mind with a sense of wonder ment. Over centuries the community has produced a number of luminaries and stalwarts who have left their footmarks on the flow of time in the fields of education, philanthropy, social reforms, economic development and politics And the few names which come readily to mind are Dadabhai Naoroji, Jamsetji Tata, Sir Pherozshah Mehta, Dr Homi Bhaba, Zubin Mehta,J.R.D Tata, Nani Palkhivala and Minu Masani, Soli Sorabji, Fali Nariman .

Dadabhai Naoroji was a pioneer in the field of education and social reforms and founded “Students Literary and Scientific Society” which played a memorable role in improving the educational standard and spreading literacy amongst women. It amply demonstrates the sagacity and far-sightedness of the man who realized and emphasized the need and importance for education of a vast number of populace to ensure overall progress and development of the country. Perhaps the name of one Parsee whose name had inspired, inspires hundreds and thousands of people and would continue to continue to do for many many centuries to come was Jamsetji Tata. He laid the foundation of the industrial empire owned by the Tatas .The labour welfare concept was propounded and practised by him led to the birth of a clutch of labour legislations like the Factories Act, EFP Act, ESI Act, Bonus Act etc.

It is noteworthy that a community as tiny as it is ,its members never clamoured or sat on the railway tracks for reservation. Nor do they pompom their glorious achievements in different walks of life. Shouldn't we take a leaf out of their book to use much repeated cliché.