"Suna’s saga of Singapore” (Parsiana, July 7, 2017) is a story of a pioneering spirit of a "small band of brothers and sisters” who had the courage to overcome all challenges. I must congratulate Ava Khullar for her lucid review which brings out the many facets of the book with a sense of rare humor.
Further, every page of the reprinted Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil is a thrill to read, and especially the introduction by J. R. B. Jeejeebhoy which gives a detailed historical account of the Parsis. But it is the volume itself that shows the Parsis as a community with an open mind, and their determination to learn from the British whose liberal thinking gave the Parsis the opportunity to become what they have despite their small numbers: citizens of the world. In the advertisements alone I realized how enterprising the Parsis were and are even today as I read about their achievements in Parsiana. No wonder a Parsi is welcomed wherever he goes. He is, if I may say, the best example of an English gentleman and gentlewoman. Are you going to re-publish Parsis and Sports and Volume II of Parsi Lustre?
KAI NICHOLSON
Poona
kairoopina@yahoo.co.in
The editors reply
H. D. Darukhanawala made many compromises in his selection of individuals for Volume II. Our first priority would be to reprint Parsis and Sports but we do not have a presentable copy from which we can scan the contents.