India’s Iconic Parsi Magazine ‘Parsiana’ to Shut Down After 60 Years

After six decades of chronicling the life, debates, and traditions of India’s Parsi community, the influential magazine Parsiana has announced that it will cease publication this October. Established in 1964 by Pestonji Warden, the publication began as a modest monthly and evolved into a respected fortnightly under the stewardship of Jehangir Patel, who acquired it for just one rupee in 1973.

Over the years, Parsiana became celebrated for its courageous journalism tackling themes such as interfaith marriage, declining population, women’s rights, and changing community institutions like the Towers of Silence. It served not only as a news source but also as a cultural compass and communal bridge for Zoroastrians in India and abroad.

Yet the magazine’s closure reflects broader generational and financial challenges. Its 15-member editorial team, many now in their late 60s to 80s, struggled with shrinking subscriber bases, limited funding, and a scarcity of young journalists to carry the legacy forward.

Readers and community members, from Mumbai to the diaspora, have expressed deep sorrow over the impending loss of a publication that offered both companionship and critical insight. Jehangir Patel himself has described the situation with poignant melancholy, saying there will be no grand farewell, just a quiet sign-off when the final issue is released later this year.

Sources: BBC news.