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- Title
The Parsi Contribution to Indian Agriculture and Agri-research.
- Authors
Damania, A. B.
- Abstract
The Parsis arrived on the Western shores of India from Persia around the year 716 CE. Being basically agriculturalists, they established orchards and plantations on the land they were granted by the Hindu Raja Jadi Rana. In the drier areas they also cultivated cotton, sorghum, and millets. They were moderately successful in these endeavors. The Parsis became well-known as growers of chikoo, mangoes, citrus, etc. After the British took over the seven islands of Bombay (now Mumbai) from the Portuguese, they encouraged the Parsis to move there to develop the city. Several Parsis engaged themselves in botanical sciences and carried out research fo r crop improvements. Among them were Professors RD Asana, FR Bharucha, RH Dastur, and VM Meher-Homji. They not only encouraged students to take up the study of botany, ecology, and crop improvement in the city of Mumbai but also at the all-India level. However, due to socioeconomic reasons, and also due to the restrictive practices followed by the Parsi community itself, their numbers started falling after they migrated to Mumbai in large numbers after the year 1900. In recent years their numbers have declined to such a level that the Government of India and the UNESCO have launched campaigns to arrest further decline in their population. This paper documents a fraction of their achievements in the field of horticulture, agriculture as well as agri-research.
- Subjects
INDIA; PARSEES; AGRICULTURE; AGRICULTURAL research; PLANTATIONS
- Publication
Asian Agri-History, 2015, Vol 19, Issue 2, p131
- ISSN
0971-7730
- Publication type
Article