A Parsi is a member of the close-knit Zoroastrian community based primarily in India. Parsis are descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent over 1,000 years ago to escape religious persecution.
Parsi ladies were among the earliest Indian women who had an active public life. Parsi women who crafted their own identity included Pirojbai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy (who worked for charitable institutions), Hirabai Cowasji Jahangir (community service) and Meherbai Tata (a champion of women's issues). In general, Parsi ladies of the past seemed confident than their Hindu counterparts and had an aura of self-assurance, probably helped by a high literacy rate. Even during the recent past, the Parsis had the highest literacy rate (97.9% as in 2001) among Indian communities. |
