The Bombay Parsi Punchayet is the apex administrative body of the Parsi Irani Zoroastrian community in India. Established in 1672, at the directive of Gerald Aungier the British Governor of Bombay, it is the oldest continuously existing, socio-community organization in Mumbai.

Governor Aungier ordered various communities, in Bombay to set up a council of five men, to administrate their own affairs and facilitate law and order in the port city of Bombay. They were appointed to govern their own people according to their community laws and ensure that peace was maintained in Bombay. Individuals who violated the peace were subject to community action, as the Punchayets possessed quasi-legislative and judicial authority.

• Increasing trade and economic opportunities under the English meant that the Parsis migrated in large numbers from the villages of Gujarat. By 1818, the Governing Body of the Parsi Punchayet was increased to a council of eighteen persons. The Punchayet resolved matters related to marriage, inheritance, domestic conflicts, land, business, and religious disputes involving law violations.
• In 1884, a third Trust Deed was created, which included all the moveable and immoveable properties including the lands of the Towers of Silence, gifted to the community by various Parsi benefactors. From this point, the Punchayet became the acknowledged Trustee-managers of properties given for religious and benevolent purposes by the Parsi community.

BPP Today

In 2008, the BPP held its first historic elections based upon Adult Franchise, making it possible for community members to directly choose seven representatives of their choice, as trustees of the Punchayet.

From time to time the BPP has made several representations to the Government of India on legal matters affecting the community’s religious traditions, practices and way of life.

The Parsis have developed India’s industrial infrastructure and have served in the armed forces. They were among the first to institutionalize charity. Some familiar institutions the Parsis have contributed to are the Elphinstone College, Bombay University, the VJTI, the Sir JJ School of Art & Architecture, the Sir JJ Hospital, the Byramjee. Jeejeebhoy Medical College in Pune and Ahmedabad and the N.M. Wadia College, established for all Indians. The Cama Hospital, the Wadia Maternity Hospital and the KEM Hospitals, were set up by members of the Parsi community. Their contribution to education is visible in the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Tata institute of Social Sciences (TISS), the Tata Memorial Hospital and Wadia College and school.

Dadabhai Naoroji was noted in Mahatma Gandhi’s publication Navjivan with the statement, “Dadabhai was the first patriot to inspire me. He was my guide and helper when I did not know any other leader’. Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, Sir Pherozeshaw Mehta, Sir Dinshaw Wacha, Madame Cama, Jamsetji Tata and Pirojsha Godrej are known for the role they played in the development of modern India.

Notable among the famous Parsis of India in modern times, are Field Marshal Sam Maneckshaw and Maestro Zubin Mehta, the music conductor.

In Mumbai there are over fifty fire temples and four functional Towers of Silence to support their religious practices The Parsis have six High Priests who are the religious authorities. Although a miniscule community of 125,000 globally, the Parsis have served and contributed to the infrastructural development and the well-being of their adopted homeland India.