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Series:
Prominent
Zarathushtis
Source:
Dinshah Irani's Memorial
Volume, Bombay 1948
Author:
Sir Jehangir C.Coyajee
Subtopics:
His Services...
In Iran
Reference:
Related
Articles:
Zarathustra’s...
Related
Links:
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 In the course of the Zoroastrian
history, many distinguished individuals who gave of themselves for the benefit of their
community have appeared on the scene. Not only did they show a strong commitment to the
cause of their religion, but their acts of giving and generosity extended to humanity at
large. Such behavior manifested by these noble people clearly demonstrates their belief in
the principle of the Zoroastrian religion.
One such noble Zartoshty was Dinshah Irani more
popularly known as Dinshah Irani Solicitor due to his fame in his profession. The
following is an excerpt from Dinshah Irani Memorial book produced here to familiarize you
with the great man that he was.
Mr. Dinshah Irani, born in India came of an Iranian stock,
which has given quite a number of eminent men both to India and Iran, and which must
therefore have possessed remarkable vitality and must have concentrated in itself quite a
number of notable qualities. In our age, students of Eugenics like Dr. Francis Galton have
shown how there is a tendency to concentrate good qualities through the laws of heredity
in certain families and groups. Such must have been the group to which that famous
ancestress of Mr. Dinshah Irani (Gulestanbanu) belonged. Tradition tells us that in the
year 1794 A.C., one of the much oppressed Iranis of the day, Keikhosrow Yazdyar by name,
migrated to India with one of his young daughters (Gulestanbanu), and she married in
Bombay, Framjee Bhikha-Behram and became the ancestress of the well-known
"Panday" family. Mr. Dinshah Irani too traced his descent from her. Other
daughters of this Keikhosrow Yazdyar married in the ‘Cama’, the
‘Meherhomji,’ and the ‘Nasrabadi’ families. But even this does not
tell the whole story. For one of the sons of this Keikhosrow Yazdyar was the ancestor of
the famous Zoroastrian statesman of modern Iran, the Hon. Arbab Keikhosrow
Shahrokh, M.P.
Thus Keikhosrow Yazdyar was the ancestor of a great number of distinguished persons in
Iran as well as India, and Mr. Dinshah Irani was reminded of this very interesting fact by
Arbab Keikhosrow when they met in Iran in the year 1932.
He was particularly fortunate in securing in the year 1917
for his life partner an intellectual cultured lady, who was fitted in every way to secure
the happiness and to forward the noble aims to which his life was devoted. Banu Mithibai
was the youngest daughter of Mr. Ardeshir Cowasji Sethna, a barrister by profession. She
too loved Iran and accompanied her husband on his journey in 1932 to that country. Their
home seems to have been a pattern of those virtues and that healthy social life that
characterizes the Parsis as a class. That he was very fond and very proud of his wife and
two sons Keikhosrow (1922) and Farokh (1927), and that he was most anxious to impress on
these latter the highest ideals of Zoroastrianism, will appear from some extracts from his
letters to his eldest son Keikhosrow.
"………..I have taught you the passages
from the Gathas and the patriotic lines of Aga Poor-e-Davood not merely for fun. Daily I
have been trying to infuse in you an undying love for our religion, and for our ancient
fatherland, Iran. I firmly believe the seed is sown. If God grants it, I will water the
sapling plant till it is firmly rooted in your heart. For, dearest child of mine, I wish
to see you grow up, a true scion of the ancient Iranian race, as you actually are, devoted
to Truth, perfectly righteous, manly and noble, above, far above, everything mean and low,
serving with your life and soul the cause of your ancient land, the cause of your great
religion, and serving humanity and holding up your actions, as Holy Zarathushtra says in
his divine Gathas, as worthy of an offering of love to the Father in Heaven."
Obviously Mr. Dinshah Irani felt that it was his duty so to
bring up his son that he should grow up into a true Zoroastrian. It is gratifying to find
that in the midst of such a busy life, and even when weighed down by very poor health, Mr.
Dinshah Irani conceived, and as far as possible carried through, such an excellent plan of
education for his son.
Born in Bombay on the 4th November 1881, Mr.
Dinshah Irani passed his B.A. in 1901, and studied Avesta and Pahlavi in the Sir Jamshedji
Jijibhoy Madressa, Bombay. Needless to say his student life was bright. He brought himself
to public notice in 1904, when he passed his L.L.B., securing the Judge Spencer Prize and
the Maneckji Nowrosfi Banaji Scholarship for proficiency in Equity. In 1908, he passed the
solicitor’s Examination and joined the well-known firm of Messrs. Mulla &
Mulla.
He commanded a wide clientele, but he distinguished himself most by specializing himself
in questions relating to Income Tax and arguing important cases on that matter. In 1936 he
rose to be the senior partner of his firm. Thus he shone as a lawyer, but his talents
instinctively aspired to even more exalted forms of activity. His vocation was not merely
for law, it included other and higher activities. He was both a literary man and a man of
action, who strove to serve his community at once in its present and its earlier home.
His Services to the Parsi
Community
His assiduous labours as a lawyer did not hinder him from serving the Parsi community with
characteristic zeal and ardour. Thus he was one of those who brought into existence the
Parsi Statistical Bureau with the collaboration of Sir Hormasji C. Adenwala, Kt.,
M.V.O., O.B.E., Sir Sorabji N. Pochkhanawata, Kt., J.P., and Sir Jehangir C.
Coyajee, Kt. The
labours of that Bureau have just borne first fruits in a series of valuable pamphlets by
Mr. Pestonji A. Wadia. Even prior to that, in the year 1935, Mr. Dinshah Irani had written
a valuable report on the advisability of practical steps to combat the economic depression
among the Parsis. In this line of work, he had the support of philanthropists like Lady
Navazbanoo Ratan Tata as well as Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Mehta. He also exerted himself
particularly to forward the move for increase of housing accommodation for poor Parsis at
Tardeo, Bombay, a field in which Sir Cowasji Jehangir, Bart., K.C.I.E., O.B.E., and Lady
Navazbanoo R. Tata have distinguished themselves. The Fasli party for reform of
Zoroastrian calendar found in him an ardent champion. He worked not only on the
"Rahnumae Mazdayasnan Sabha" and the "Gatha Society," but as a trustee
of important fire-temples. Yet all the time literary work was calling to him and
fascinating him.
FOUNDER OF TWO IMPORTANT BODIES
His activities on behalf of his race and community also found another sphere of work. He
was one of the founders of the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman in 1918 and of the Iran League
in 1922. His high merits received recognition when he was elected to the post of the
president of the former and a Vice-President of the latter and continued to be so for his
lifetime.
In Iran
Naturally with his deep interest in the old home of the Parsi race, he had always been
very anxious to visit Iran. His fame had spread to that country already on account of the
interest that he had taken in it, and the services that he had rendered as regards the
educational, medical and general welfare of the Iranian Zoroastrians. The opportunity that
he had been always looking for to see the old country came at last in 1932, when he was
invited along with the great Indian sage, Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, as the guest of the
Government of Reza Shah Pahlavi. On that occasion, he was accompanied by Mrs. Dinshah
Irani, Miss Zerbanu J. Irani, Mr. Rustom P. Masani, M.A., J.P., Mr. Burjor S.J.
Aga, F.R.I.B.A., and Mrs. Agha and son, Dr. Sohrab Meherhomji, M.D., and Mr. Keikhosrow A.
Fitter, Secretary, Iran League. As his fame as a student and lover of Iran and its culture
had preceded him in Iran, receptions were held in his honor by the Iranian men of letters
and population alike, and the municipalities of some of the leading towns gave him public
welcome. By his learning, modesty and character Mr. Dinshah had equally created a very
favorable impression on the minds of those who came in contact with him including the
famous Iranian nationalist figure Aaraf Ghazvini. When in Tehran, he had the honor of
being the leader of a Parsi deputation to which an audience was granted on 2nd
May 1932 by Reza Shah Pahlavi. Further opportunity seemed to lie before him to revisit
Iran, especially as the ruler of Iran had extended a special invitation to him on the
historical occasion of the Millenary of the great poet Firdausi Tusi in 1934. He had made
the necessary arrangements but an attack of ill health defeated the project. Even so, who
can appraise the intense joy and deep enthusiasm with which his contact with the
historical as well as a rejuvenated Iran must have inspired him? Had he been destined to
live longer, the conceptions, emotions and enthusiasms roused in him by visits to Iran
would have let him to form more comprehensive schemes for linking up the fortunes and
energies of the Zoroastrian community in the two countries.
However the Late Shah of iran graciously recognised the
late Mr. Irani’s High merits by conferring on him the "Neshan-e-Elmi" of
the First Order from the Educational Department of Iran in 1932. The late Shah of Iran was
also pleased to mark his interest in the Parsi community of India by entrusting Mr. Irani
on 2nd May 1932 with a special message to it. It is worth while quoting here at
least a part of that message:
"You Parsis are as much the children of this soil as
any other Iranis, and so you are as much entitled to have your proper share in its
development as any other nationals. We estimate Our Empire’s resources to be even
greater thatn those of America, and in tapping them you can take your proper part. We do
not want you to come all bag and baggage; just wait a little and watch. If you find the
proposition beneficial both to yourselves and to this land, then do come and We shall
greet you with open arms, as We might our dear brothers and sisters"
"Iran is a vast country pregnant with many advantages
and fresh fields waiting for development. We suggest that the Parsis, who are still the
sons of Iran, though separated from her, should look upon this country of to-day as their
own, and differentiate it from its immediate past, and strive to derive benefit from her
developments, especially when they are sure to work their way through……."
COMMUNITY’S HIGHEST HONOR ACCORDED
He passed away on the 3rd November 1938; and was accorded the highest honor
open to any one of the Parsi community when the Trustees of the Parsi Punchayet of Bombay
convened a meeting of the whole Anjuman to place on record his valuable services to the
community.
TRIBUNE TO HIS HIGH MERITS
It will also not be out of place to add that on the occasion of the first anniversary of
his demise messages were received from Sir Cowasji Jehangir, Bart., K.C.I.E., O.B.E., and
the Iranian Counsul in Bombay. A few lines from them deserve to be quoted here. Thus the
former drew attention to the high merits of the deceased in these words:
"A man who owed nothing to hereditary position or
wealth, who was greatly instrumental in educating himself, attained a position of respect
and dignity in his own profession, and a corner in the hearts of all who knew him, and was
equally respected by a much larger circle in his own community who benefited greatly by
his untiring efforts of their upkeep and happiness."
"The one great characteristic of his life, worthy of
imitation by the younger members of his community, was his unassuming and modest
personality, which never craved for honor or reward, but sincerely believed that it
consisted in the good he did to his fellow-beings."
"May the community produce many more Dinshah Iranis
and if they do, they have nothing to fear in the future."
Mr. Kaivany, the consul for Iran in Bombay, struck the true
note when he observed that:
"His demise is a great and irreparable loss not only
to his family but also to the Iranian and Parsi communities. His patriotic services in the
cause of Iran will never be forgotten. May his Soul rest in Peace."
This article was prepared from an earlier
article written by Sir Jehangir C.Coyajee, a lawyer and close colleague of Mr. Dinshah
Irani. The original article was published in the memorial volume published in Bombay,
1948.
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