Irani (India)

This article is about an ethno-religious community of the Indian subcontinent. For the city in Brazil, see Irani, Santa Catarina. For the native name of the people of Iran and related societies, see Iranian peoples.

The Irani are an ethno-religious community in South Asia; they belong to the Zoroastrians who emigrated from Iran to South Asia in the 19th century. They are culturally, linguistically and socially distinct from the Parsis, who – although also Zoroastrians – emigrated to the Indian subcontinent from Greater Iran many centuries before the Iranis did.

Distinction from Parsis

The Parsis and Iranis may also be considered legally distinct. This is based in part on a 1909 obiter dictum that, among many other issues relating to the Indian Zoroastrians, also observed that Iranis (of the now defunct Bombay Presidency) were not obliged to uphold the decisions of the then regulatory Parsi Panchayat.

History

Although the term 'Irani' is first attested during the Mughal era, most Iranis are immigrants who arrived on the subcontinent also during the 19th and early 20th centuries, that is, when Iran was ruled by the Qajars and when religious persecution of Zoroastrians was rampant. The descendants of the immigrants of those times remain culturally and linguistically closer to the Zoroastrians of Iran, in particular to the Zoroastrians of Yazd and Kerman. Consequently, the Dari dialect of the Zoroastrians of those provinces may also be heard amongst the Iranis.

As is also the case for the Parsis, the Iranis are predominantly found on the west-coast of India, in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, with a concentration in and around the city of Mumbai.

Notable Iranis

Irani is the generic surname for the community, though there are others surnames, depending on the hometown like Kermani, Yezdani, Khosravi, Faroodi, and Jafrabadi.

Notable members of the Irani community include:

• Anosh Irani, Indian-Canadian novelist
• Aruna Irani, Bollywood actress
• Ardeshir Irani, director of the first Indian sound film, Alam Ara
• Bakhtiyaar Irani, TV Actor
• Boman Irani, film and theatre actor
• Eruch Jessawala, Interpreter of Meher Baba
• C R Irani, Indian journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The Statesman.
• Daisy Irani, Bollywood child actress of the 50's and 60's
• Delnaaz Irani, Bollywood actress
• Dinshah Irani, Zoroastrian leader who provided aid to the Zoroastrian community of Iran.
• Faredoon Irani, Indian cinematographer
• Faredoon Driver, Meher Baba mandali
• Mehera Irani, Meher Baba mandali
• FK Irani, Industrialist & founder of Ideal Jawa
• Honey Irani, Screenwriter (Krrish)
• Jenni Irani (Jamshed Khudadad Irani), cricketer
• Kaikhosrov D. Irani philosopher
• Kashmira Irani, Actress
• Meher Baba (Merwan Sheriar Irani), mystic
• Mani Irani, sister of Meher Baba
• Nariman Irani (d. 1977), cinematographer
• Ronnie Irani, cricketer
• Sanaya Irani, actress and model
• Shireen Irani, mother of Meher Baba
• Sheriar Irani, father of meher baba
• Tanaaz Irani, Actress

See also

• Irani café