Dear Readers,
Across news features, history books and commemorative speeches given by top politicians and personalities, Parsis are often hailed as India’s ‘model minority’ – a tiny but tenacious community known for punching well above its weight. We are celebrated for our philanthropy, enterprise, patriotism and a spirit that blends dynamism with deep cultural richness and mystique. We see our icons on stamps, our surnames in school textbooks, and our tales of indomitable resilience romanticised in documentaries.
While it’s heartwarming to see our contributions acknowledged, there’s a hidden cost to this glowing reputation. It reduces us to ‘tokens’ of success and service, while erasing the real, present-day challenges we face as a living, breathing community. This tokenism, which spotlights the exceptional while sidelining the commonplace, is a double-edged sword. It preserves the illusion of thriving while masking the erosion of community life, in terms of dwindling numbers, low birth rates, youth disconnect, housing crises, families grappling with interfaith complexities, the mental health toll of an aging and isolated population, and identity dilemmas. These real-life stories are often glossed over in favour of nostalgic tributes to the ‘golden Parsi era’.
It feels good to be celebrated, but it’s dangerous when the same narrative which praises our past, silences our present. It breeds apathy, creating a disconnect, especially for our youth, who don’t see their reality reflected in the community’s self-image. It nearly compels us to conform to a legacy, rather than encouraging us to live out our own truth.
We need to challenge this ‘model minority’ narrative, not with defensiveness, but with honesty. While we take deep pride in our rich heritage, we must also claim the space to acknowledge our challenges openly, to struggle, to question and to seek support. It’s time to write a more holistic story, one including both – the legends and leaders, as well as the not-so-celebrated rest of us!
Let’s stop letting the world define us by only our triumphs. Let us define ourselves, fully and truthfully. Let’s honour our ancestors not by becoming relics of their legacy, but by carrying forward their spirit through compassion, courage and connection… by showing up for each other, by listening without judgment and responding with empathy and keeping alive our ‘community spirit’ in its truest sense. We are not the echo of a proud past – we are its continuation… still shaping, still striving, still becoming.
Have a lovely weekend!
– Anahita
- Echoes of Identity – Celebrating Our Traditions - 21 June2025
- Leave Behind A Legacy Of Clarity, Not Chaos - 14 June2025
- Log In to Legacy: Building Digital Bridges - 7 June2025
