Mumbai, May 9 (PTI) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday hailed the Parsis for their stellar contribution in the development of the country and asserted the government remains committed to preserving the community’s heritage and for its socio-economic welfare.
Speaking at the seminar titled ‘Parsis in Modern India: Navigating Cultural and Socio-Economic Pathways’ organised by the National Commission for Minorities at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre here, he elaborated on efforts to rejuvenate the Avestan language and measures to address the declining Parsi population.
Highlighting concerns over the declining population of the Parsi community, the Union minister for minority affairs stated that their numbers stand at around 52,000 to 55,000 in the country.
The Parsis are the smallest minority community in India and the government is working to protect them and ensure their numbers do not shrink further, he added.
“The government remains committed to preserving its heritage and socio-economic welfare,” Rijiju said while recalling that the Tata family sponsored India’s 1920 Olympic teams and that Parsis fielded the first Indian cricket team in the 1880s.
He hailed the Parsis for their role in building the country’s industrial and economic foundations.
“It is not just about numbers; it is the impact that matters. The government values every community and follows the dictum of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, which, in the third term, has been further strengthened with ‘Sabka Vishwas’ and ‘Sabka Prayas’,” Rijiju said.
The Union minister invited suggestions emerging from the seminar, part of a series of academic engagements initiated in February to deliberate on the status of minority communities, including on the Jiyo Parsi scheme.
The seminar brought together Union and state ministers, policymakers, scholars, industrialists, academicians and representatives of the Parsi community to discuss cultural preservation, demographic concerns and socio-economic status.
Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian said the community faces distinct challenges, particularly with regard to demographic sustainability, noting that declining population trends and changing social patterns require a coordinated response involving policy support and community participation.
National Commission for Minorities secretary Alka Upadhyaya stressed the need to preserve India’s pluralistic cultural ethos, adding that the Commission has remained engaged with issues such as demographic challenges, cultural preservation and access to welfare schemes.
National Commission for Minorities member Berjis Desai spoke about the community’s significant contribution to India’s economic, industrial, legal and philanthropic foundations, noting that despite its small population, it has played a disproportionately large role in shaping modern India.
There is need for sustained and collaborative efforts to safeguard the cultural identity and demographic future of the Parsi community, National Commission for Minorities member S Munawari Begum said.
Its declining population requires collective attention from the government, community institutions, civil society and scholars, Begum added.
Hormazd Godrej of Godrej Agrovet Ltd highlighted the entrepreneurial and philanthropic traditions of the community and stressed the need to preserve its cultural identity for future generations.
Pyare Jiya Khan, Maharashtra State Minorities Commission chairperson, said there was need for sustained institutional support for minority communities.
A short film showcasing the history, heritage and contributions of the Parsi community to India’s social, industrial and philanthropic development was screened on the occasion. A coffee table book on the Parsi community’s legacy, achievements and demographics was also unveiled. PTI ND BNM
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