At least 178 community members have passed away since onset of the coronavirus pandemic (March 2020) in India. Parsiana compiled the death statistics from 11 major Indian locations where significant Parsi populations exist.

105 deaths have been registered in Bombay, obtained from Worli Prayer Hall, where a large number of Covid-19 victims are cremated, though others may have opted for crematoria closer to their homes. Other figures include: Surat (26), Navsari (22), Ahmedabad (7), Pune (7), Delhi (4), Nagpur (3), Calcutta (2), Hyderabad (2), and nil in Madras and Bangalore. These numbers are based on the information available by the location’s Anjuman office bearers/trustees.

Distressingly, 44 Parsis passed away in Bombay in April, 2021 alone due to the virus. Chairman of The Prayer Hall Services and Maintenance Trust that runs the Worli Prayer Hall, Dinshaw Tamboly, shared that on April 21 alone there were 5 funerals and 4 more were recorded the next day. “The whole demographic profile is going to take a severe beating,” he lamented.

Adil Nargolwala, Vice President – Delhi Parsi Anjuman informed that a number of resident Parsis were unwell or currently hospitalized and hoped for their healthy recovery. Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Fali Major, President – Bangalore Parsi Anjuman, shared heartening news of no Parsi lives lost to Covid-19, and the few who had tested positive, had all recovered well.”

.

.

---

(Courtesy: Parsiana Magazine)