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A donation of five million pounds (Rs 42 crores) from the Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group to the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London will give a threefold fillip to the study of Zoroastrian Studies. The financial contribution will lead to the creation of the SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies in London, secure a long-term endowment for the Shapoorji Pallonji Lectureship in Zoroastrian Studies at SOAS in the Department of the Study of Religion; and see the creation of Shapoorji Pallonji Scholarships in Zoroastrian studies as well as facilitate a wide range of public engagement.  A news item dated July 11, 2017 posted on the SOAS website announced that the Institute will serve as "a resource dedicated to enhancing the research, learning and teaching in the field of one of the world’s oldest religions.”
"Through the creation of the Institute, Lectureship and Scholarships, this donation will ensure that SOAS continues to develop as the world’s leading center of Zoroastrian Studies, advancing in perpetuity the understanding and appreciation of this ancient religion and its history, culture, languages and peoples,” Shapoor Mistry, chairman of the SP Group, was quoted on the SOAS website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Zoroastrianism has been studied at SOAS for nearly 90 years and through this donation we will be able to enhance our research and teaching in Zoroastrian studies and strengthen our relationship with the Zoroastrian community,” commented SOAS director Baroness Valerie Amos who felt "SOAS is the perfect place to be home to an institute of Zoroastrianism.”
Dr Sarah Stewart, lecturer in Zoroastrianism, and Dr Almut Hintze, Zartoshty Brothers Professor of Zoroastrianism, who have been named co-chairs of the upcoming Institute, said they will "work closely together on all aspects of the Institute.” In response to queries from Parsiana, they clarified that work on the Institute will commence in end September 2017. "The Institute will have a designated space at the School of History, Religions and World Philosophies, SOAS.” They observed, "There is a great interest in Zoroastrianism among both Zoroastrian and non-Zoroastrian students. We are proud to have several Zoroastrians from both Iran and India currently studying their religion at SOAS.”
Hundred-year-old SOAS has offered opportunities to study subjects related to Zoroastrianism for several decades. As Burzine Waghmar from the Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS pointed out to Parsiana, "Prior to the Pallonji bequest, Bombay Parsis had raised monies which established a Parsee Community Lectureship at SOAS in 1929.” As per his research, "It was arguably the earliest ethnic initiative in subventing teaching of non-western studies at a western varsity in the modern era and funding for it came from the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and Wadias.  Harold Bailey was the first holder of that post (1929-36) followed by Walter Bruno Henning (1936-47).” Prior to this endowment, "Jamshedji Maneckji Unvala (d. 1961) briefly taught at the School as lecturer in Iranian languages and Indo-Germanic philology (1921-23),” adds Waghmar. In the subsequent years, many students undertook research under renowned scholar Prof Mary Boyce, who taught Zoroastrianism from 1947 until 1982, and other internationally reputed professors.
For over two months in 2013, SOAS, with core funding of £ 100,000 (Rs 84 lakhs) from the  Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE), had hosted "The Everlasting Flame: Zoroastrianism in History and Imagination,” a major international exhibition exploring the cultural history of Zoroastrianism. Pallonji Mistry, chairman of the SP Group, was one of the invitees at the private viewing and launch of this exhibition on October 10, 2013, notes a communication from ZTFE president Malcolm Deboo. Recalling the earlier magnanimous donations to SOAS by the Zartoshty Brothers and Boyce, Deboo added, "We at the ZTFE together with the Zoroastrian community in the UK congratulate Dr Sarah Stewart, her team at SOAS and all those who worked silently behind the scenes in securing this generous donation from the SP Group.”
As lauded former ZTFE president Dorab Mistry, in his email to Deboo, "It is probably the most significant achievement of the modern ZTFE and your presidency... Your dogged determination brought the exhibition to fruition and finally resulted in this happy outcome — in the SOAS centenary year.” Sharing the credit, Deboo felt ZTFE was able to raise £ 100,000 towards the exhibition thanks "to all in the managing committee, trustees, members and well-wishers in the UK and abroad.” He was confident "there will be additional chapters as the legacy of The Everlasting Flame 2013 that will result in further positive developments.”