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Parsi Heroines of Bombay
- Sanaya Kashalkar
- Apr 19
- 8 min read
Introduction
About a millennium ago, a group of Parsi families arrived at the coast of Gujarat, escaping brutal Arab persecution in their homeland, Persia (modern-day Iran). They promised to mingle with Indians the way sugar mixes in milk and sure enough, this small yet industrious group of Zoroastrian men and women sweetened India’s fortune with their glorious deeds. Jamsetji Tata, Homi Bhabha, Sam Manekshaw- Parsis excelled in every field one could name and cemented an indelible legacy. Today, most of the Parsis reside in Mumbai, which has various places named after them, carrying their legacy.
However, what’s often overlooked is the contribution of Parsi women. Contrary to the social norms of India under the British Raj, the Zoroastrian population was relatively more open to educational and employment prospects for women. These ladies had a say in family matters, frequently accompanied their husbands or fathers to public events and many even pursued careers. In accordance with their ancient Persian customs, Parsi men continued to hold their female relatives in high regard.
Meet the Trailblazers
Perhaps two of the most well-known Parsi women from India are Advocate Cornelia Sorabji and Madam Bhikaiji Cama. The former was India’s first female lawyer, while the latter was the first Indian to hoist the Indian flag on foreign soil when her country was still under colonial rule. A lot has been written about their inspirational lives. But the Parsi community is teeming with other such women who deserve to be remembered and celebrated. Today, we look at the stories of five incredible bawis*, set against the backdrop of India’s ‘City of Dreams.’
Meherbai Tata (1879-1931)
Meherbai was born in Bombay into the family of Hormusji Bhabha, a prominent educationist and the Inspector-General of Education in the erstwhile princely state of Mysore. Meherbai was a highly educated lady, a talented pianist, a lover of English literature, the first Indian woman tennis player at the Olympics and above all, a daring feminist icon of her time. Meherbai married Dorabji Tata, the eldest son of prominent industrialist Jamsetji Tata. The couple initiated several social and philanthropic initiatives. Meherbai’s education in England taught her the Western view on liberty, equality and women’s rights, which influenced her work for women in India. She worked towards their social upliftment, education and healthcare, especially in rural and underprivileged areas. At a time when many women could not even venture out of their homes freely in India, Meherbai became the face of the Indian women’s movement on the global stage, representing India at the International Council of Women, the International Women’s Suffrage Alliance and the League of Nations’ Women’s Conferences. She addressed the International Congress of Women in Switzerland in 1919. She spoke with clarity and depth, speaking proudly about her motherland while being critical of social evils like child marriage and lack of women’s education that had plagued India.
Perhaps Meherbai’s most career-defining moment was the passing of the Child Marriage Restraint Act (also called the Sarda Act) of 1929 on which she was consulted and for which she campaigned relentlessly in India and abroad to garner support. During her presidency, the Legislative Council of Bombay passed a resolution granting women the right to vote.
Going beyond her work for women, she supported the welfare of injured soldiers during the First World War, for which she was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal by the British Government.
Meherbai passed away from Leukemia at 52. In her memory, Dorabji Tata started the Lady Tata Memorial Trust to fund research in Leukemia and also the Lady Meherbai Tata Education Trust to support foreign education for Indian women. Thus, Meherbai Tata’s impressive legacy lives on!
Jerbai Wadia (1852-1926)
This woman’s name is familiar to many people and especially Mumbaikars, who pass by the heritage building of India’s first specialised pediatric hospital- Bai Jerbai Wadia Children’s Hospital in Parel, Mumbai. But there is more to this lady.
Jerbai Wadia was born into the affluent Wadia family of shipbuilders and industrialists. Her education prepared her for a sophisticated social life suitable to her status. However, Jerbai set her heart on using her privileges to help the underprivileged. In 1907, Jerbai’s husband, Naoroji Wadia, passed away, leaving her a colossal inheritance. In the early 1900s, employment prospects for Parsis in Gujarat without family businesses or land were bleak. Meanwhile, Mumbai (then Bombay) was fast emerging as a commercial hub. However, renting houses in Bombay came with the risk of high costs and eviction on short notice.
Jerbai Wadia purchased land in Bombay’s Lalbaug and built low-cost Zoroastrian residences. She rented them to needy Parsis, fixing each family’s rent as per their income and even waiving off the rent if a family was facing difficult circumstances. She supervised the buildings’ harmony, security and maintenance.
Jerbai established the Naoriji Nusherwanji Wadia Building Trust Fund in 1917 and purchased land in Byculla to expand the number of residences for migrants. This noble housing initiative, pioneered by her, eventually led to the establishment of five Parsi colonies in Bombay (Nowroz Baug, Rustom Baug, Jer Baug, Cusrow Baug, Ness Baug) with around 1550 flats of varying sizes, housing 300+ families. Her sons, Cusrow Wadia and Ness Wadia, continued her legacy and even established the Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children. Notwithstanding the donations given from the wealth she inherited from her husband, Jerbai donated Rs. 800 lakhs from her personal income for various initiatives, including women’s healthcare. Her colonies continue to remain a living testament to a generous, pioneering lady who touched the lives of many.
Perin Mistri (1913-1989)
Perin Jamsetjee Mistri became a part of the history books as India’s first female architect. In the highly patriarchal society of colonial India, Perin chose to enter a male-dominated field. She was born in Bombay in a family of illustrious engineers and architects. She completed her schooling in England, followed by a diploma in architecture from the J.J School of Art, one of India’s topmost art schools in Mumbai. Then, she joined her father’s architecture firm as a partner and worked there for 50 years.
Perin’s architectural viewpoint was women-centric, something which had not received much attention earlier. For instance, she pointed out how men would have realised the futility of cornices, dust traps and carved ornaments in houses if they ever engaged in household work like women! She advocated for practical and functional designs instead of excessive ornamentation. She became the first female member of the Indian Institute of Architects, which was affiliated with the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Some of Perin’s most famous buildings in Mumbai include Shengre La, a gorgeous two-story Art Deco residence and St. Stephen’s Church in Cumballa Hill as well as the Bombay Scottish School Extension in Mahim. Taking her influence outside India, Perin was consulted on the construction of the Metro Theatre of the American Media Corporation, Metro Goldwyn Mayer.
Apart from architecture, Perin’s interests ranged from hockey to music and even studying snakes at Bombay’s Haffkine’s Institute. She also founded India’s first Soroptimist Club in Bombay, comprising women professionals.
Homai Vyarawalla (1913-2012)
Another Parsi woman who etched her name in a male-dominated field was Homai Vyarawalla, India’s first woman photojournalist. Her camera captured India’s transition from a British colony to a sovereign nation. She would hilariously recall how she once had wished to become a doctor, which her mother refused owing to the late-night shifts involved in that profession, not knowing that press photography would be far worse! Homai’s earliest experiments with her camera involved cycling around Bombay and capturing its surroundings as she trained in photography at the prestigious J.J. School of Art. Here, she met Manekshaw Vyarawalla, her future husband and a fellow Parsi photographer.
Homai’s father’s association with a travelling theatre company gave her a chance to travel places and sharpen her observation skills, something that would influence her photography. Her work first gained attention when her photos of Bombay life were published in The Illustrated Weekly of India magazine. Initially, Homai’s work was published under her husband’s name and later under a self-invented pseudonym, ‘Dalda 13.’
Soon, she started getting opportunities to capture elite subjects like Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. She also took candid photos of important foreign personalities like Queen Elizabeth II and President Kennedy during their visit to India. From the British leaving India to India celebrating its first Republic Day, Homai captured it all. However, on the fateful day of Gandhi’s assassination, Homai, who was on the way to the venue, changed her plans at the last minute as she had some other work. As a result, no photographer was present when Gandhi was assassinated, something Homai would forever regret.
She retired in 1970, being the only woman in her field during her 40-year-long career. She was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2011 and she passed away the following year at the age of 92.
Avabai Wadia (1913-2005)
In 1952, India became the first country in the world to adopt a nationwide family planning programme. The lawyer behind this feat was a talented lady named Avabai Wadia. Born into an affluent family in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), Avabai completed her studies in law in England and became a barrister. Later, her family returned to India.
In India, Avabai was exposed to the harsh realities of women’s lives in urban and semi-urban areas. Indian women had almost no access to reproductive rights. Frequent pregnancies drastically weakened them physically and mentally, while also depriving them of any opportunity to study and build their own careers. The use of contraceptives was stigmatised. Women virtually had no rights over their bodies.
Recognising this dire situation, Avabai became a part of various women’s organisations, where she engaged closely with the All India Women’s Conference. In 1949, she established the Family Planning Association of India (FPAI) in Bombay, providing women across socio-economic groups with information on contraception and reproductive health and normalising conversations on these critical topics. Soon, the movement spread throughout India.
FPAI’s efforts started bearing fruit as the infant mortality rate started declining over the years and for the first time, people showed a positive attitude towards family planning. Avabai Wadia’s advocacy led to the inclusion of family planning in India’s First Five-Year Plan in 1951. She organised the Third International Conference on Planned Parenthood in Bombay which was attended by eminent international delegates working for the cause. In this conference, members voted for the creation of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Avabai served as its president twice. Under her, the IPPF became the first NGO to receive the United Nations Population Award and a $100,000 prize.
Sadly, today, overpopulation is the root of most of India’s challenges, reminding us of the importance of preserving the vision of personalities like Avabai Wadia!
Conclusion
The Parsis continue to be respected as nation-builders. Parsi women stood shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts in chasing their ambitions. They were supportive of women’s education, employment and empowerment, a lesson for India even today. They were visionaries, enterprising and brave in the pursuit of their goals. And in Bombay, the Parsis found a city which matched their zeal and vibrancy, providing them with a fertile ground for innovation and miracles!
Bibliography:
Darukhanawala, H. D. Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil. Bombay: Caxton Printing Works, 1939.
Desai, Madhavi. Women Architects and Modernism in India: Narratives and Contemporary Practices. London: Taylor & Francis, 2016.
FEZANA Journal. Vol. IX, no. 4 (Winter 1996). Published by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America.
Gadihoke, Sabeena, and Homai Vyarawalla. Camera Chronicles of Homai Vyarawalla. New Delhi: Alkazi Foundation for the Arts, 2006.
Open BookHouse Publishing and Solutions Editorial Team. Noida: Open BookHouse Publishing and Solutions, 2025.
Patel, Dinbai Byramjee. Parsi Prakash: Annual Volumes of 1823 and 1826. Bombay: Sanj Vartaman Press, 1823–1826.
Woods, Mary N. Women Architects in India: Histories of Practice in Mumbai and Delhi. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018.
Nesiah, Vasuki. “Avabai Wadia.” In Portraits of Women in International Law: New Names and Forgotten Faces?, edited by Immi Tallgren, 10th chap. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023.
*Bawi- a colloquial term for Parsi women (Male- Bawa)
Really enjoyed reading this—it beautifully highlights the strength, resilience, and often overlooked contributions of Parsi women in Bombay’s history. Their stories feel inspiring and deeply rooted in cultural identity.
On a personal note, after reading reflective pieces like this, I often unwind in a quiet space at home—sometimes using a rocker recliner with foot massager to relax and process such meaningful reads. It’s a small way to balance reflection and comfort.