This is a list of notable Parsis. The Parsis constitute one of the Zoroastrian communities that originated from the groups of people from Persia who sought refuge from religious persecution through migration to other countries after the Arab/Islamic conquest of Persia; the other later Iranian Zoroastrian migrants are Irani. __TOC__
In science and industry
Aban Pestonjee (born 1936): Sri Lankan entrepreneur Adi Bulsara (born 1952): physicist Adi Kanga (1923–2013): Indian Civil engineer, planned city of Navi Mumbai and Vashi bridge Ardaseer Cursetjee (1808–1877) of the Wadia shipbuilding family: first Indian elected Fellow of the Royal Society Ardeshir Darabshaw Shroff (1899–1965): Indian economist; delegate at the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference; co-author of the Bombay Plan; founder-director of the Investment Corporation of India; first Indian chairman of the Bank of India Ardeshir Godrej (1868–1936): Indian inventor; co-founder (with his brother Piroj) of the Godrej industries which does not include Godrej & Boyce. His son now runs Godrej Properties, an aggregator model based real estate development firm. Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy (1793–1870) Lady: continued her husband Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy philanthropic work; builder of Mahim Causeway, connects two islands of Bombay and Salsette (north Bombay) Ardeshir Cowasjee (1926–2012): Pakistani newspaper columnist, social activist, and philanthropist Byram Dinshawji Avari (1942-2023): Pakistan hotelier; founder and chairman of the Avari Group of companies Dinshaw Patel (b. 1942): Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering; member of the National Academy of Sciences Zubin Damania (born 1973), physician, comedian, internet personality, musician, and founder of Turntable Health Byramjee Jeejeebhoy (1822–1890) Esq., CSI: Indian philanthropist and founder of B.J. Medical College, Pune Cowasjee Jehangir, Sir (1879–1962): Indian civil engineer; master constructor of Bombay Cowasji Shavaksha Dinshaw (Adenwalla) (1827–1900): Indian entrepreneur Cowasji Jehangir Readymoney Sir, (1812–1878): 1st Baronet, philanthropist, including various academic buildings of the Bombay University Cyrus Chothia (1942–2019): molecular biologist Cyrus Pallonji Mistry (1968–2022): former chairman of Tata Group; Irish businessman Cyrus Poonawalla (born 1945): Indian Industrialist, pharmacologist; co-founder of the Serum Institute of India Dhunjibhoy Bomanji, Sir (1862–1937): Indian Shipping Magnate, philanthropist Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, Sir (1823–1901): founded the first textile factories in India Dorabji Tata, Sir (1859–1932): Indian industrialist and philanthropist, Sir Dorab Tata Trust Fardunjee Marzban (1787–1847): publisher, founded the first vernacular newspaper on the Indian subcontinent Bombay Samachar Feroze Gandhi (1912–1960): publisher of The National Herald and The Navjivan newspapers and husband of Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India Framji Cowasji Banaji, Esq (1767 – 12 February 1851): merchant, philanthropist, lease holder of Powai Homi Jehangir Bhabha (1909–1966): nuclear scientist and first chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission Homi Maneck Mehta, Sir (1871–1948): industrialist in textiles, insurance, banking, chemicals & sugar. Represented India at League of Nations, Chairman of Bombay War Gift Fund and President of Victory Thanksgiving Fund. Homi Nusserwanji Sethna (1923–2010): Padma Vibhushan awardee, chemical engineer; guided the development of India's first nuclear explosive device Sir Hormusjee Naorojee Mody (1838–1911): financier and industrialist in Hong Kong. He contributed $150,000 to help establish the University of Hong Kong. Sir Temulji Bhicaji Nariman (1848–1940): obstetrician. Co-founded one of Bombay's first Lying-in hospitals in 1887 and was knighted in 1914 for his work during the plague epidemic in India at the turn of the 19th century. Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (J. R. D.) Tata (1904–1993): industrialist; founder of Air India, India's first commercial airline Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy, Sir (1783–1859): opened sea trade with China; philanthropist, J J Hospital Jamsetji Tata (1839–1904): industrialist; founder of the Tata Group of companies, titled a "One-Man Planning Commission" by Jawaharlal Nehru Jehangir Ghandy, Sir (1896–1972): built Tata Steel in Jamshedpur Jehangir Hormusjee Ruttonjee (1880–1960): industrialist; founded Hong Kong's first brewery; established the first anti-tuberculosis sanatorium in the Andajat Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia (1702–1774): shipwright and naval architect; builder of the first dry-dock in Asia Nadirshaw Edulji Dinshaw (1862–1922): industrialist and philanthropist; NED Engineering College Nariman Mehta (1920–2014): organic chemist and inventor of bupropion, the most commonly used antidepressant drug Nergis Mavalvala (born 1968): astrophysicist and professor at MIT Neville Wadia (1911–1996): businessman and son-in-law of Muhammad Ali Jinnah Nusli Wadia (born 1944): chairman of the Wadia Group Ness Wadia (born 1972): joint-managing director of Bombay Dyeing Noshir Gowadia (born 1944): aircraft engineer and convicted spy Nowroji Saklatwala (1875–1938): Chairman of Tata group of companies from 1932 until his death by heart attack in 1938 Pallonji Mistry (1929–2022): construction tycoon Pirojsha Burjorji Godrej (1882–1972): entrepreneur; co-founder (with his brother Ardeshir) of the Godrej industrial empire Ratan Tata (1937–2024): chairman emeritus of Tata Sons; former chairman of the Tata Group of companies; member of the central board of the Reserve Bank of India Russi Mody (1918–2014): former Chairman and Managing Director of Tata Steel Limited; son of Sir Homi Mody and brother of Piloo Mody Rustom Jal Vakil (1911–1974): cardiologist Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (1856–1926): a noted chairperson of Tata Group and Tata Sons; father of J. R. D. Tata Sir Sorabji Nusserwanji Pochkhanawala (1881–1937): banker, co-founder of the Central Bank of India Shenaz Treasury (born 1981): actress and vlogger Shiraz Minwalla (born 1972): theoretical physicist, string theorist Spenta R. Wadia (born 1950): theoretical physicist Ratanji Tata (1871–1918), Sir: younger son of Jamsetji Tata; industrialist and philanthropist; Sir Ratan Tata Trust Villoo Morawala-Patell (born 1955): MD of Avesthagen, Officer of the National Order of Merit holder
In academia
Homi K. Bhabha (born 1949): cultural-studies theorist; Professor, Harvard University Jamshed Bharucha (born 1956): President, Cooper Union. Formerly, Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences at Dartmouth College (first Indian American to serve as the dean of a school at an Ivy League institution) Mahzarin Banaji (born 1956): Professor of Psychology, Harvard University Noshir Contractor (born 1959): Award-winning Professor of Behavioral Sciences, Communication and Management at Northwestern University Rusi Taleyarkhan: Professor of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University Rohinton Kamakaka: Professor of Molecular Cell Developmental biology at University of California, Santa Cruz J.K. Mehta (1901-1980): Jamshed Kaikhusroo Mehta, known professionally as J.K. Mehta, was a well-regarded Indian economist of Parsi descent who published several theories of economics in books and papers, and served as Professor of Economics in Allahabad University during his storied career. Thrity Umrigar (born 1961): Armitage Professor of English at Case Western Reserve University N. H. Wadia (1925–2016): Prominent neurologist; Director of Neurology at Grant Medical College and Sir J. J. Group of Hospitals for 25 years Vistasp Karbhari: President, University of Texas at Arlington Homi Kharas (born 1959): deputy director for the global economy and development program at the Brookings Institution Ness B. Shroff: Ohio Eminent Scholar of Networking and Communications, and Chaired Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University
Military
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw (1914–2008): Former Indian Chief of Army Staff and the first Indian with the rank of Field Marshal Lieutenant General FN Billimoria (1933–2005): Former Indian Army officer and head of Wellington Cantonment, father of Indo-British entrepreneur Karan Bilimoria, Lord Bilimoria Admiral Jal Cursetji (1919–1991): Former Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy Air Marshal Aspy Engineer (1912–2002): Former Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force Air Marshal Minoo Merwan Engineer (1921–1997): Former Indian Air Force AOC-in-Chief of Eastern and Western Air Commands Vice Admiral Rustom K. S. Ghandhi (1924–2014): Indian Navy Commander-in-Chief, Western Naval Command and former Aide-de-camp to Governor-General of India Lord Louis Mountbatten Kavasji Jamshedji Petigara (1877–1941): First Indian Deputy Commissioner of the Mumbai Police Lieutenant General Adi M. Sethna (died 2006): Former Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Indian Army J. P. B. Jeejeebhoy (1891–1950), first Indian pilot in the Royal Flying Corps Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Tarapore (1923–1965):, Indian Army officer and commanding officer of the Poona Horse, winner of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest award for gallantry Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major (born 1947): Former Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force Major General Cyrus Addie Pithawalla (born 1957): Recipient of the Ashoka Chakra
In entertainment, religion, sports
Aban Marker Kabraji (born 1953): Pakistani ecologist, Asian regional director of IUCN Amyra Dastur (born 1993): model, film actress, television presenter Anaita Shroff Adajania (born 1972): fashion stylist and film actress Alaya Furniturewala (born 1998): model and film actress Aneela Mirza, or Anila Mirza (born 8 October 1974), Danish singer who has found success as a member of the pop group Toy-Box and as a solo artist under the name of Aneela Ardeshir Cowasjee (1926–2012): investigative journalist and newspaper columnist Ayesha Madon (born 10 February 1998): Australian actress and singer Bapsi Sidhwa (1938-2024): author and screenwriter; vocal proponent of women's rights Behram "Busybee" Contractor (1930–2001): journalist and columnist Behramji Malabari (1853–1912): poet, publicist, author, and social reformer Bejan Daruwalla (1931-2020): astrologer Burjor Khurshedji Karanjia (1919–2012): Indian film journalist and editor, chairman NFDC Cyrus Broacha (born 1971): MTV India VJ and stand-up comedian Cyrus Poncha (born 1976): Asian Squash Federation Junior Coach of the Year 2003–04 Deena M. Mistri (1924–2011): author and educationalist; recipient of Pakistan's "Pride of Performance" medal Diana Eduljee (born 1956): first captain of the Indian women's Cricket team – from 1978 till 1993 Diana Penty (born 1985): actress and model Dinyar Contractor (1941-2019): Parsi stage actor, Comedian and Bollywood actor Dolly Nazir (1935-2012): swimmer Erick Avari (born 1952): Hollywood actor. Farokh Engineer (born 1938): cricketer. Farrukh Dhondy (born 1944): novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, journalist. Li Gotami Govinda (born Ratti Petit, 1906 – 1988) Indian painter, photographer, writer and composer. (Converted to Tibetan Buddhism.) Firdaus Kanga (born 1960): author, actor and screenwriter. Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara, 1946–1991): rock musician and lead singer of Queen. Fredoon Kabraji (1897–1986): poet, writer, journalist, and artist writing in English. Gary Lawyer (born 1959): singer-songwriter Godrej Sidhwa (1925-2011): theologian and historian. Goshpi Avari (born 1967): first Pakistani woman to win a gold medal at the Asian Games. Homai Vyarawalla (1913–2012): India's first woman photojournalist, Padma Vibhushan. Homi Adajania (born 1972): Film Director, Writer and Scuba Diving Instructor Jamshedji Sorab Kukadaru (1831-1900): priest and ascetic Jehan Daruvala (born 1998): Indian racing driver. Jim Sarbh (born 1987): actor on film, stage and television.