In January 2007 two Indian Parsi Zoroastrians made our community proud by their achievements. The first is Ratan Tata under whose stewardship the Tata Group acquired the UK-based Anglo-Dutch steel manufacturing company, Corus, at US $ 12 billion or Rs 54,000 crore, the biggest-ever acquisition of a foreign company by an Indian group. The Tata Group has emerged once again as India’s leading business entity in revenue. May this herald a new resurgence of Parsi domination in trade, commerce and industry.
In 1911, when the first steel ingot rolled out of the Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO), the British were sceptical and even scornful of the Indians’ ability to manufacture steel. The then commissioner of the Great Indian Peninsular (GIP) Railway — what is today known as the Central Railway — Sir Fredrick Upcott swore that "he would eat every pound of steel if the Indians ever managed to make steel to British standards.” Ninety-six years later, that same Parsi-owned, Indian steel manufacturer has taken over the Anglo-Dutch steelmaker, Corus, a company that was earlier created out of what was once the mighty British Steel.
Ratan Tata achieved greater personal glory when he became the oldest Indian civilian at the age of 69 to fly a fighter-jet aircraft. He first flew the advanced F-16 and then the more advanced F/A-18 on two consecutive days in February 2007 at speeds in excess of Mach 3, i.e. three times the speed of sound.
The second Parsi achiever is Air Marshal Fali Homi Major who will become the 21st Chief of the Indian Air Force. Traditionally, the Air Force chief is always a combat fighter-aircraft pilot. Major has created history by becoming the first helicopter pilot to lead the service.
These are real Parsi role models worthy of emulation.
KAYOMARZ PATEL
Air Marshal Fali Homi Major has been appointed the next Chief of the Indian Air Force. He will be the second Parsi to hold the post, the first being Air Chief Marshal Aspi Engineer. For a minuscule community like ours to produce four Chiefs of the Armed Services is both unique and laudable.
We hope that Parsiana will feature Major on the cover and write an absorbing article on his career. We have been often dismayed to see your magazine giving extensive coverage and publicity to personalities whose achievements are comparatively trivial while more worthy individuals are ignored or confined to short write-ups.
PERVEZ CAMA
Poona