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 around two years.
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 June 2025 find mention here as well as those who passed away till July 7.
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 June 2025: Eight of the 10 patients who fell prey to diseases of the heart were octogenarians and nonagenarians. While pneumonia/lung disease claimed six lives, old age/general debility and multi organ failure took four each, while three Zoroastrians each succumbed to brain disease, cancer and kidney failure. Liver disease felled two victims and diabetes, urinary tract infection, septicemia and hypertension, one each. In the case of one death, the cause was cited as "shock and harmorrhage due to crush injury in an alleged case of fall from height.” Two centenarians, aged 100 and 102 (the eldest age at death) were lost to the community. The youngest to die was a 63-year-old female. The mean age at death of Zoroastrians for June 2025 in Bombay was 84 years. The life expectancy at birth for males was 84 years and for females, 85 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 to Mahtab Elavia
and Maazyar Engineer on June 6, 2025
A girl to Naomi and Farokh Bhathena; June 10
A girl to Frashmim and Zarvan Tarapore; June 11
A boy to Rashna Sanjana and Darius Aga; June 16
A girl to Natasha and
Malcolm Desai; June 30
died
consigned
Dolly Dorab Daboo (90), wife of late Dorab, daughter of late Jaiji and Hiraji Kanga, mother of Farida Madhukar Sabnavis and Kashmira Pawan Chadda and sister of late Rati, Homai, Edul Kanga, Makki and Najoo, residing at 40/D, Falcon Castle, Senapati Bapat Marg, Elphinstone Rd, 400013; June 23
Jeroo Jehangir Kapadia (86), wife of late Jehangir, daughter of Soonamai and late Bomansha Billimoria, mother of Navroze and sister of late Goolu Kersi Gokal, late Thrity Nariman Dukandar and late Ketty Billimoria, 275-Q, Tarachand Bldg no 3, Zoroastrian Clny, Tardeo Rd, 400007; June 23
Merwan Byramji Sopariwala (100), husband of late Perviz, son of late Jaiji and late Byram, father of Maharukh Percy Panthaki and brother of Dhun Rusi Mistry, late Homai Homi Writer and late Burjor, Room no 14, Hormaz Bldg, Kashinath St, Tardeo, 400034; June 23
Mani Dhunjishaw Karkaria (93), wife of late Dhunjishaw, daughter of late Meher and Nadarshaw Writer, mother of Katy Nowzer Mehta and Berziz and sister of Hoshang Writer, late Minoo Writer, Pervez Writer, Rusi Writer, Gool and Homi Writer, 153, Meherdad, Cuffe Parade, Colaba, 400005; June 25
Gool Soli Guzder (88), wife of late Soli, daughter of late Piroja and late Pestonji Dalal, mother of Delnaaz Cyrus Irani and sister of late Rusi Dalal, 4, Marine Chmb, Marine Lines, 400020; June 26
Silloo Minoo Nanavaty (102), wife of late Minoo, daughter of late Goolbai and late Sorabji Cama, mother of Feroza Adi Cooper and Persis Behram Pesina and sister of late Jehangir Cama and late Freny Khurshed Irani, G-3, Palacimo, Silver Oaks Est, Bhulabhai Desai Rd, 400026; June 28
Jheroo Aspi Forbes (63), wife of Aspi, daughter of late Aloo and Keki Mistry, mother of Priyan Sheroy Chinoy and Nainaz, Room no 6, 13, Vakil Block, Khareghat Clny, N. S. Patkar Marg, 400007; June 29
Bapsy Minocher Adajania (96), wife of late Minocher, daughter of late Banoobai and Aderji Elavia, mother of Jimmy, Pervin Phirose Taraporewalla and Rrayomand and sister of late Dosabhai Elavia, late Sohrab Elavia, late Aloo and late Behram Elavia, B-8, Shiv Krupa, Kulupwadi Rd, Borivali (E), 400066; June 30
Homai Sorabji Dubash (94), wife of late Sorabji, daughter of late Jerbanoo and Hormusji Bajina and sister of late Jamshed Bajina, Noshir Bajina, Rusi Bajina, Burjor Bajina and Soona Savak Daruwalla, K-16, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, Colaba, 400001; June 30
Cyrus Jal Siganporia (78), husband of Zarine, son of Jer and Jal, father of Parvez and brother of Persis Keki Engineer, R-25, Nowroz Baug, S. S. Rao Rd, Lalbaug, 400012; June 30
Daulat Phiroz Mugaseth (93), wife of late Phiroz, daughter of late Dhunmai and late Cawasji Billimoria, mother of Urmez and Pearly Fardun Dastur and sister of Dara Billimoria, Minoo Billimoria, Freny and late Sam Billimoria, G-35, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400001; July 2
Gool Cawasjee Bamjee (95), daughter of late Khorshed Boman Chothia and late Cawasji Bamjee and sister of late Piloo, Kersi Bamjee and Jeroo, 28, Sagar Darshan, 81/83, Bhulabhai Desai Rd, 400026; July 3
Homi Ruttonji Patel (81), husband of Roshan, son of late Makki and late Ruttonji, father of Rutton, Lyla Jamsheed Mehta and Cyrus and brother of Jehangir, Adenwala Baug, 285, J. Dadaji Marg, Tardeo, 400007; July 4
Bomi Manchershah Bharucha (82), son of Goolcher and Manchershah and brother of Dolly, Jimmy, late Roshan and late Daulet, Room no 201, 220/223, 1925, Sambhu Tara Niwas, Achut B. Kolhatkar Marg, Khetwadi, 11th Lane, Main Rd, Girgaon, 400004; July 7
Gool Pheroze Pardiwalla (80), wife of late Pheroze, daughter of late Nergish and late Jehangir Mehta, mother of Yazad and Jehangir and sister of late Perin, Dhun, Kersi Mehta, Dady Mehta and Maneck Mehta, L-3, G-1, G-2, Cama Park, Cama Rd, Andheri (W), 400058;
July 7
cremated
Kersie Dara Gandhi (71), husband of Farida, son of Sheroo and Dara and father of Khurshed, Ruzveh and Ashstad, no 401, Shernaz Navabahar Co-op
Hsg Soc Ltd, Juhu Tara Rd, next to J. W. Marriott Hotel, Juhu, 400049; June 29
Mehroo Bejan Dastoor (95), wife of Bejan, daughter of Khorshed and late Pestonji Damri, mother of Viraf and sister of late Dinoo Master and late Roshan Vania, 721-A, Choksi Bldg, Rd no 4, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; July 3
CANADA
Ontario
died
Jamshed Pirojsha Buhariwala (100), husband of late Dhunmai, son of late Dhunbai and late Pirojsha, father of Kerman and Khoorshed and brother of late Cawas, late Eruch, late Bomi, late Dolat Hormuzji Vandriwala, 12, Princess Margaret
Blvd, Etobicoke, M9A 1Z4; May 30
Mahindokht Bastani, wife of late Bahram Hormozdyaran and mother of Tahmoures, Tahmtan, Golnavaz and Farshad; June 9
Shahrokh Rustomji, husband of Dinaz and father of Natasha and Fawaz; June 30
Katy Driver Radhakrishnan (86), wife of late Radha and sister of late Jimmy Driver in Toronto; July 3
PAKISTAN
Karachi
died
Freny Jimmy Daruwalla, mother of Zarine Aspi
Mavalvalla and Ronnie
and sister of Thrity Patel;
June 8
Farokh Minocher Patel, husband of late Roshan
and father of late Neville and Parinaz Adil Desai; June 29
USA
Washington
died
Alayar Ardashir Dabestani (81), husband of Gitty Zohrabi, son of late Khatoon and Ardashir and father of Nousheen and Ardeshir in Seattle; June 6
• • •
Figures for Bombay
January 1-July 7, 2025
Marriages
Parsi: 48
Deaths: 319
Consigned to dakhmas: 281
Males: 148, Females: 133
Cremated: 38
Males: 15, Females: 23
Compiled by Roxan A. Driver