Decline of the Parsi Community

A lot has been said, written, and debated about the decline of the Parsi community and the dwindling numbers of our already small community in India, and the world over.

Here in the National Capital Region of Delhi, which includes Gurgaon and Noida, we Parsis are quite concerned with our declining numbers and dismayed by the ignorance and apathy that surrounds this subject.

While many may not agree with our point of view, we would really appreciate a healthy debate on the subject. We’d rather not take the ostrich-head-in-the-sand-approach. After all, openness to other points of view and depth of thinking is part of what makes us who we are!

Here’s a perspective on the subject, from Dinshaw Tamboly, with facts and figures in support of his thinking.

“The community numbers as per the 2011 census when released will tell its own story. The most serious problem that our community is beset with is the problem of falling numbers which needs to be earnestly addressed and corrective action taken.

Based on a 10% decrease every decade, the Parsee race in India will come down to 41,099 by 2050 and 24,268 by 2100.

If one calculates the depletion @ 12% per decade, the figures can be 36,730 by 2050 and 19,382 by 2100.

The decimation of numbers will in all probability accelerate in the years to come as the 2001 census has identified 24.1% of Parsees to be above 65 years of age…”