HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

THE HOUSE OF TATAS

HORTICULTURE

Parsi trade shifted from Gujarat to Calicut, Mangalore, Cochin, Coorg, Ooty and Chennai in the South, upto Srinagar in the North where the Pestonjee family is still revered, to Rangpo in Sikkim and across Central India to Calcutta, Rangoon and beyond.

Besides cities, small mofussil areas were served by Parsis and the cemetries and shop and house names in even far-flung villages of Himachal Pradesh testify to their pioneering enterprise.

A record of these people who braved many difficulties to provide facilities in Interior India must be created.

Because of the vision of their founder, the Tatas have provided the Nation with industrial infrastructure, scientific and research foundations and core industries normally setup by National Governments.

While their contributions will be seen in many parts of this section of the Project, some of the core areas for which the Nation is indebted is the Iron and Steel Industry, Electricity, Aviation, Tea Industry, Large Scale Exports, Information Technology, Salt and Chemical Industries and the creation of International quality research Institutions which contribute to the Scientific and Industrial growth of India such as the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research with its Atomic Programme, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences with its creation of social awareness in Industry among other pioneering enterprises.

Mr. R.M. Lala has documented much of this in his powerful story "The Creation of Wealth" which should be reprinted, used to create a film and widely disseminated.

Traditionally hardworking farmers, Parsis owned vadis and large agricultural lands in Gujarat.

In the villages Parsis often brewed and sold Indian alchol and ran liquor businesses.

The Land to The Tiller Act, and Prohibition were laws which affected them severely and for which no compensation was provided.

The shift from agriculture to trade with the coming of the Europeans and the later migration from the land need historical and sociological documentation.

There is still Parsi presence in agriculture and horticulture with chikoo and mango plantations and success stories of the rose belt and Dhanu estates need to be encouraged.

Land and vadis owned by Parsis should be cultivated and a sociological change of attitudes is necessary to instill pride in the wealth that comes from the soil to reverse the phenomena of the Deserted Parsi Village.

The contribution to agricultural research made by Dr. Asana of The PUSA Institute needs recording.

TRADE

SHIP BUILDING

COTTON INDUSTRY

Historically Parsis traded across the earth with settlements from Aden to Zanzibar.

China was visited first by Hirji Jivanji in 1756 after which a flourishing trade existed with all parts of China, Burma, Hongkong, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and America.

Banaji Limji pioneered trade along with agriculture and experimented with cultivation of African silk worms for the production of silk.

His brother Babu Rustomji was the merchant Prince of Calcutta and a close friend of the Tagore family.

The Jeejeebhoy empire spread from Singapore and Thailand to Egypt and England.

The Petits starting with service in the East India Company traded in cotton with America during the American Civil War.

The Readymoney family also traded with the East India Company and with China besides other business and social responsibilities.

Networking across India and the globe will be required to document this area of the Project.

The first Parsi commercial enterprise was ship building for the East India Company on the river Tapti.

Lavji Wadia built docks and ships, and the family tradition continued to build battle ships, merchant ships, steam ships as the foundation of the Wadia fortunes. Some records and documents regarding their contribution to the British Royal Navy are available in England at archives and naval museums.

Parsis contributed to ship building in Surat and along the Western Coast as craftsmen, master craftsmen and in the making of ship parts such as sails and ropes. The family names of Dhotiwala (Dotiwala) and Dordi, tell an interesting tale.

Kavasji Dabar pioneered cotton industry with the Bombay Spinning and Weaving Company, 1854.

The Petits established the Oriental Mills in 1858 and throughout the cotton belt Parsis created cotton based industries including small scale industries of ginning, carding, weaving etc.

The Tatas and Wadias are among the better known names of the cotton industry today.

THE HOUSE OF GODREJ /SOAP AND CHEMICALS

BANKING

OTHER FIELDS OF ENTERPRISE

The Godrej family pioneered the manufacture of locks and safes and experimented with soaps, vegetable oils, inks, chemicals, refrigeration, the mechincal press, the fork lift truck, office furniture as well as initiating much of India’s Wild Life and Nature Conservation activities.

Today they have diversified into many fields and continue their tradition of social responsibility and environmental consciousness.

The Tatas and Balsaras are some other names among those in the field of soaps and chemicals while many small scale Parsi Industries have also contributed in this field.

From the pioneers Vicajee and Pestonjee to the man who revolutionised Indian Banking, Sir Sorabji Pochkhanwala, founder of the Central Bank, Parsis have played a primary role in banking across the Indian sub-continent founding state banks in places as diverse as Kashmir and Ceylon.

Architecture and construction engineering has among others, the firm of Shahpoorji Pallonji and Dasturco who have created a new outline on the horizons not only of Indian cities but across the world.

In dairy farming Parsis were pioneers the great names being the Polsons, Kothawala of Anand which later became Amul and the Parsi Dairy Farm among others.

Parsi distilleries large and small were found throughout Gujarat and across India. Even today the tradition continues at places as distant as Rangpo, Sikkim and Nepal.

In catering, canning and confectionery, in Hotels Spencers, Writers, the Camas of Ahmedabad, The Tatas Taj Group of Hotels are among the bigger names.

There are also small scale industries such as ice factories, the Kolah pickles and spices of Navsari, the Oliaji family hotels and ice creams, the Dukes soft drinks, the recent phenomena called Rasna which revolutionised marketing with its campaign, small hotel owners in many hill stations of India, Pizza parlors and ice creams all part of the Parsi contribution to trade and commerce.

In bakery products particularly at Surat and Pune, Parsis are still leaders maintaining standards set by their families over the centuries.

In refrigeration with the brand of Kelvinator, newspapers, printing, railway construction, as opticians, in air conditioning, in every branch of industry and trade from jewellery manufacture to computer chips Parsis have been pioneers.

They have also been leaders in providing the Service Industries and Scientific Research and Development for the creation of a strong India.

ACTIVITY

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

TECHNICIANS

Research, collection and collation of data.

Microfilming of archival material, photographs, Digi-Beta recording for edition to the CD-ROM.

Interviews and analysis.

Collection of material already available in published form or from company records and collation of the same.

Production of a book as the fifth book in the Parsi Series.

Research collection and collation of material.

Digi-Beta recording, microfilm, filmaking and the CD-ROM production. Book production.

Networking within India and abroad to trace trade routes, shops and small industries and establishments, using the Internet for networking regarding Parsi Zoroastrian Enterprise and businesses in the lands of the Parsi Diaspora e.g. Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America, England, South Africa.

Researchers, historians, sociologists, writers, author, editor, publisher, filmmaker and CD-ROM production team, Microfilm team.

Costing will take into account research, documentation, microfilming, collection of material, travel cost. The film-makers costing and the re-printing programme will also be included.

The publication of a book as the fifth in the Parsi Series will also have be worked out. If individual corporate bodies can reprint material pertaining to their establishments, provide research and collated materials, film clips, photographs, digital or CD recordings this would save a lot of time as well as money for the Project.