Parsiana sources information for the Milestones column from various anjumans, hospitals, individuals, newsletters and publications. While much of the material is sketchy, the Bombay marriages and death lists are quite exhaustive.
Data on marriages within the community in Bombay is culled four times in a year from the office of the Registrar of Marriages at the Bombay High Court and on interfaith unions from the Registrar of Marriages offices at Fort and Khar. There may be an inadvertent repetition of names in the marriage list when a civil marriage precedes a religious ceremony. Due to newly introduced bureaucratic procedures, Parsiana has been unable to access the intercommunity marriage figures since over a year.
The list of the deceased with the causes of deaths for those consigned to the Doongerwadi in Bombay is provided by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet with a disclaimer that the information has not been verified or authenticated by them. The Worli Prayer Hall sends Parsiana names of those cremated there. As some parties do not wish the name of the deceased to be published, the actual number of those cremated may be more than the figures shown in the magazine for the concerned month.
The last few names of those deceased in January 2025 find mention here as well as those who passed away till February 4.
In the break-up of Bombay Doongerwadi deaths, especially of the elderly, death is often due to a combination of several diseases.
Causes of deaths for January 2025: Eleven patients of the 17 who passed away due to various diseases related to the heart were octogenarians and nonagenarians. Hypertension and lung disease/pneumonia took the lives of five Zoroastrians each, whereas four each fell prey to septic shock and multi organ failure. The other killers were cancer (three), kidney failure (two) and intestinal obstruction, septicemia, hypothyroidism (when the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones to meet your body’s needs), cachexia (a condition that causes significant weight and muscle loss) and brain disease (one each). The oldest and youngest to breathe their last were both males (one at 99 years, the other at 51 years). The mean age at death of Zoroastrians for January 2025 in Bombay was 82 years. The life expectancy at birth for males was 81 years and for females, 84 years.
Parsiana also receives death intimations from the Poona Parsi Panchayat, Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyderabad, The Surat Parsi Panchayat Funds and Properties Trust, Jhansi Parsi Anjuman, Nagpur Parsi Punchayet, Zoroastrian Society of Ontario, Fram Framji of Karachi, Dr Ardeshir Damania of California and Arnavaz Sethna of Houston.
Data on births in Bombay is made available by the Breach Candy Hospital. Births in other hospitals and private nursing homes are included when an individual sends us information together with a copy of the birth certificate.
If readers have any births/ marriages/deaths they would like published, they are welcome to write to/email us. Some proof to ensure the veracity of the report would be necessary. We are sure our readers would appreciate this requirement.
Bombay
born
A boy, Danial, to Delnaaz and Arzan Karanjia on January 15, 2025
married
Khorshed Navroze Talati and Sharukh Ader Irani; October 5, 2024
Alice Kersi Ichhaporia of Pardi and Mickey Russi Kutar; October 6
Delna Faredoon Billimoria and Percy Firoz Shroff; October 30
Kainaz Dinsoo Tarapore and Jamshed Kekas Udwadia; November 8
Monaz Firdosh Mehta of Thana and Malcalm Porushesp Debara; November 10
Ferzin Manek Patel of Thana and Jamshed Rusi Mistry; November 17
Farzeen Kerman Wadia and Gilan Adil Rustomjee of Poona; November 17
Dinaz Homyar Mistry and Farzad Behram Baldawala; November 18
Nazneen Daraius Modi of Jamshedpur and Darius Rattan Framjee of Ghaziabad; November 25
Friyan Jango Damania and Khushrooshaw Aspi Vania; December 6
Persis Yazdi Bhot and
Arzan Darayus Bhadha; December 8
Jennifer Firoz Batliwalla and Cyrus Nariman Karbhari; December 14
Sanaya Rayomond Irani and Arzan Jamshed Jesia; December 15
Sanaea Pervez Dotivala and Shahrad Jamshed Mehta; December 15
Natasha Hormuzd Mistry and Kaizad Darayash
Bamji; December 19
Persis Farhad Patel and Farhan Soli Paymaster; December 22
Bahareh Shahrokh Khobyar of Nashik and Hoshedar Faroukh Irani; December 24
Yazdandokht Marazban Maney and Merzaud Ezadyar Atai Irani of Kalyan; January 5, 2025
Tinaz Adi Doctor and Danesh Homyar Mistry; January 5
Aisha Dinkoo Mistry and Meczaad Kayomarz Dotiwalla; January 9
Farha Porus Disawalla and Neville Percy Bharucha; January 10
Varushka Khushru Umrigar of Auckland, New Zealand and Kerfehgar Pervez Mistry of Harrisdale, Western Australia; January 10
Kaizeen Jamshed Daruwala and Yazad Adil Mithaiwala; January 10
Armaiti Behram Irani and Vaspaan Jamshed Dastoor; January 12
Nazneen Parvez Kanga and Asttad Darayas Sarkari; January 12
Hufrish Tehemtan Damania and Firdous Percis Satha; January 12
Mahzarin Vispi Pardiwalla of Thana and Paurasp
Jal Waghchhipawalla; January 12
Khushnuma Bomi Gandhi and Vishtaspa Ruzbeh Sutaria; January 18
Arnaz Rohinton Watcha of Thana and Firoz Parvez Vesuna; January 18
Delnaz Rustom Mehta
and Piran Sharukh Avari; January 19
Naisha Sorab Madan and Peshaan Dady Kerawalla; January 21
Vahista Hormuzd Sinor and Kayoz Hoshi Mistry; January 24
Natasha Navil Doctor
and Arish Cyrus Dubash; January 27
Nazreen Cyrus Deolaliwala and Komron Sohrab Minoocheri of Belgaum; January 27
Janine Jamshed Vakharia and Arish Naryosang
Taraporewala of Akola; January 27
Gulnar Behram Siganporia and Danesh Hoshedar Carnac; January 31
Delaveen Cherag Tarapore and Karl Percy Mistry; February 1
died
consigned
Rusi Sohrab Mahudawala (84), husband of late Aban, son of late Mani and late Sohrab, father of Azmin Noshir Kaka and Rukshana Alok Kapadia and brother of Maki Avari, residing at 506, Pushpa Kunj, A Rd, Churchgate, 400020; January 26
Siloo Rustom Sattha (78), wife of late Rustom, daughter of late Mehroo and late Rustomji Mistry, mother of Farhad and brother of Dinyar Mistry and late Aloo, 759, Road no 7, Parsi Clny, Dadar (E), 400014; January 26
Katie Homi Daruwalla (88), wife of late Homi, daughter of late Khorshed and late Ratansha Dumasia, mother of Zarir and Dickie and sister of Freny Minu Ghadiali, Amy Dumasia and Minoo Dumasia, 14, A-2, New Khareghat Clny, Babulnath Rd, 400007; January 27
Shapoor Nusserwanji Fitter (83), husband of late Ketayun, son of late Goolbai and late Nusserwanji, father of Porus and Jasmine Kaivan Darukhanawalla and brother of Farokh, Yezdi, Nariman, Prochi Jadhav and late Shavakh, 4/101, Hormuzd, Behram Baug Parsi Clny, Oshiwara, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; January 27
Jal Shapurji Guard (89), husband of late Amy, son
of late Shapurji and late Khorshed and father of
Keki and Minaz Zubin
Patrawala, 304, Meher Homes Co-op Hsg Soc, Stn Rd, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; January 27
Mehernosh Rusi Kerawalla (64), son of late Jaloo and late Rusi and brother of Anahita Rashid Kapadia, Fareez and Hosnuwar, 607-A, Daulat Manzil, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Dadar (E), 400014; January 27
Silloo Hoshang Umrigar (90), wife of late Hoshang, daughter of Khorshedbanoo and late Noshirwan Panthaky, mother of Parvin Neville Mistry, Homiyar and Yezdi and sister of Manijeh and late Jerbanoo, 23, Modern Flats, 128, Wodehouse Rd, Colaba, 400005; January 27
Feroz Ratan Cooper (51), son of late Shernaz and late Ratan and brother of Jamshed, Sharukh, Perveen Engineer, Perin Sukhia and Veera Engineer, Parsee Clny, opp Defence Clny, Lullanagar, Wanowrie,
Poona, 411040; January 28
Mani Cawas Tukina (81), wife of late Cawas, daughter of late Dhunmai and late Sheriaji Patel, mother of Armine Firdosh Mehta and sister of Mehru Godrej Zaveri, Jolly Hoshang Medhora, Jimmy Patel, late Perin Ratansha Medhora, late Tehmul Patel and late Rohinton Patel, B/7, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; January 28
Coomi Aspi Daruwalla (91), daughter of late Aimai and late Sorabji Bhathena, mother of Bakhtaver Firoz Driver and Veera Bomi Mistry and sister of late Dinshaw Bhathena, Nariman Bhathena and Adi Bhathena, H/16, Nowroz Baug, Lalbaug, 400012; January 29
Fali Dorabji Jokhi (Polly) (83), husband of Jeroo, son of late Banoobai and late Dorabji, father of late Percy and brother of Amy Nozer Irani, Rati Darabsha Jokhi, late Jimmy, Noshir and Jerro Hansotia, B-22, Sangata Co-op Hsg Soc, Chincholi Bandar, Malad (W), 400064; January 29
Sohrab Rustam Afshari (71), husband of Arnavaz, son of Sarvar and late Rustam, father of Shirin Afshari (Sachin Kambi) and Shavir and brother of Jehangir and Dilnawaz Irani, 20/1, Malcolm Baug, Jogeshwari (W), 400102; January 31
Perin Behram Bhanja (92), wife of late Behram, daughter of late Comai and late Savaksha Dubash, mother of Farokh, Jehangir, Yasmin Dara Sarkari, Nawaz Kersasp Kalianwala and Shahnaz S. Irani and sister of late Jal Dubash, Roshan and Darabsha Dubash, 19/14, B. S. Panthakey Baug, M. Vasanji Rd, Andheri (E), 400069; January 31
Coomi Behram Cardmaster (89), wife of late Behram, daughter of Bacha and late Doosabhai Bacha, mother of Cyrus and sister of late Aspi Bacha and Meher Rustom Irani, 104, Marine Mans, Anandilal Podar Marg, Kalbadevi, 400002; January 31
Zarin Darayes Hodiwala (84), wife of Darayes, daughter of late Jer and late Dady Ghadiali and sister of Tehmi Ghadiali, 5-A, Edena, 97, M. Karve Rd, Marine Lines, 400020; January 31
Rashida Aspi Irani (90), wife of late Aspi, daughter of late Alamai and late Khordad Irani, mother of Sheri Irani, Tiren Irani, Gulnar Vispi Patell, late Adi and late Farida Vispy Thanawalla and sister of late Freni N. Bharucha and late Tehmina Avasiya, Room no 21, N. M. Petit Chawl, 133, Modi St, Fort, 400001; January 31
cremated
Freny Dali Bharucha (95), wife of late Dali, daughter of late Hilla and late Cawas Wankadia, mother of Mahrukh Dinsha Jilla, Jimmy, Daisy, Hufrish Rajesh Vartak and Adil and sister of Dorab Wankadia, 9/11, Patel Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; January 27
Jimmy Rustom Behlihomji (78), husband of Mary and son of late Pervez and late
Rustom, F-1, Ben Nevis,
B. Desai Rd, 400026;
February 2
Gulshan Dara Patel (74), wife of late Dara, daughter of late Perin and late Minocher Daruwalla and mother of Sarosh, Room
no 3, Karani Widows Chawl, Marzban Clny,
Gilder Lane, Tardeo, 400008; February 4
NAVSARI
died
Vispi Sorabji Jamadar (77), husband of Hutoxi and father of Merzad and Naynaz Munsaf, Antiawad, Tarota, 396445; January 1
Roshan Ardeshar Bodhanwala (88), mother of Cyrus and Zenobia Maneck Patel, O-3, Avanbaug, 396445; January 6
Parvez Rustomji Bharda (83), husband of Ketty and father of Fredy, Kayomarz and Pauruchisti Poras Jasawala, Ajit St, Malesar, 396445; February 1
SECUNDERABAD
died
Nawsha Noshir Jalnawala (91), wife of late Noshir and mother of Venaz, Khojeste and Naheed, 3/7, Rukminidevi Clny, West Marredpally Rd, 500026; January 18
• • •
USA
New Jersey
died
Kairasp Bomi Daruwalla, son of late Khorshed and Bomi and brother of Meher Hodiwala; February 1
• • •
Figures for Bombay
January 1-February 4, 2025
Marriages
Parsi: 20
Deaths: 55
Consigned to dakhmas: 47
Males: 26, Females: 21
Cremated: 8
Males: 3, Females: 5
Compiled by Roxan A. Driver