When Zoroastrians fled religious persecution in Persia in the 8th century, India opened its arms. 1,300 years later, their sacred fire still burns. India gave the world the Tatas, the Wadias, the Godrejs — all Parsi.
"When the Parsis arrived on Indian shores from Persia, the local Hindu king Jadi Rana asked them to
explain who they were. They showed him a vessel of milk filled to the brim — we have no room for you.
The Parsi leader placed a small amount of sugar in the milk — it dissolved without spilling.
'We will sweeten your land, not displace your people.'
The king gave them permission to stay. 1,300 years later, they still do."
An Atash Behram (Fire of Victory) is the highest grade of Zoroastrian fire — consecrated through a 15,000-hour ritual using 16 different sources of fire. There are only 9 in the entire world. One is in Yazd, Iran. The remaining eight are in India.
The Parsi community — just 57,000 people in India — has contributed more to the nation per capita than almost any other community.
The great Parsi industrialist who was refused entry to a British hotel in Mumbai built the most magnificent hotel India had ever seen — the Taj Mahal Palace (1903). He also built India's first steel plant and the first hydroelectric power plant.
India's first licensed pilot and first commercial airline. J.R.D. Tata started the airline that became Air India. Also founded Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals — the Tata group employs 900,000 people.
Father of India's nuclear programme. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai is named after him. A scientist of international reputation who chose to build India's scientific future.
The Shapoorji Pallonji Group has built India's most iconic buildings. Also the single largest private shareholder in Tata Sons.
Godrej Industries — locks, safes, consumer goods, real estate. One of India's oldest business houses. The Godrej family donated the land for the film studios in Mumbai (Godrej Mangroves).
The Wadia shipbuilding family built ships for the British Empire. Bombay Dyeing. Britannia. One of India's oldest business families since 1736.
Homi Sethna — chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission. Farokh Engineer — India's greatest wicketkeeper. Zubin Mehta — world-class conductor.
First Indian elected to British Parliament (1892). Author of "Poverty and Un-British Rule in India" — first systematic critique of British economic exploitation. Parsi statesman.
Current Tata Sons chairman. 65% of Tata group profits go to charity through Tata Trusts — funding hospitals, education, cancer research across India. The Parsi tradition of philanthropy is extraordinary.