Sir Dinshah Jijibhoy Irani (also transliterated as Dinshaw Jijiboy Irani, and commonly known as D.J. Irani) (4 November 1881 – 3 November 1938) was an Indian lawyer and distinguished benefactor of the

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...

communities of both India and Iran.

Biography

Dinshah was born on 4 November 1881 in Mumbai. His family moved from Iran to India as part of a wave of migration that began during the 18th century. His paternal grandfather, Bomes, left

Yazd Yazd (; ) is a city in the Central District of Yazd County, Yazd province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. At the 2016 census, its population was 529,673. Since 2017, the historical city of Yazd is rec ...

with his son Jijibhoy to settle in India in the mid-nineteenth century. His mother, Piroja Bānu, was allegedly the granddaughter of Golestān Bānu, one of the original Iranian Zoroastrian migrants of the late 18th century. He was distantly related to

Keikhosrow Shahrokh Keikhosrow Shahrokh () (1864 in Kerman, Sublime State of Persia – 1939) was the mastermind and designer of the mausoleum for Persian poet Ferdowsi at his burial site in the city of Tus. He is often credited with sparking the Persian nationalis ...

. In 1901, he received a bachelor's degree in English and Persian literature at the

University of Mumbai University of Mumbai is a public state university in Mumbai. It is one of the largest university systems in the world with over 549,000 students on its campuses and affiliated colleges. , the university had 711 affiliated colleges. It was est ...

Elphinstone College Elphinstone College is one of the constituent colleges of Dr. Homi Bhabha State University, a state cluster university. Established in 1856, it is one of the oldest colleges in Mumbai. It played a major role in shaping and developing the edu ...

. The following year, he was appointed as a teaching fellow in Persian at St. Xavier's College in Mumbai; however, soon he abandoned his academic career. In 1904, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws and embarked on a legal career. Dinshah (also transliterated as Dinshaw) Irani is most famous for founding the 'Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman' in 1918 and of the 'Iran League' in 1922. Both organizations, like the earlier 'Persian Zoroastrian Amelioration Fund' established in 1854 by

Dinshaw Maneckji Petit Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Petit, 1st Baronet (30 June 18235 May 1901) was an Indian industrialist and philanthropist who founded the first textile mills in India. He was part of the Petit family and became the first Petit baronet. He founded the "P ...

, were founded with the aim of improving the conditions for the less fortunate Zoroastrian co-religionists in Iran. Dinshah's efforts to improve the conditions for that community were recognized in 1932 when he – along with fellow Indian

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

– was invited to Iran as a special guest of the then

Shahanshah Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the List of monarchs of Iran, monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the ...

Reza Shah Pahlavi Reza Shah Pahlavi born Reza Khan (15 March 1878 – 26 July 1944) was shah of Iran from 1925 to 1941 and founder of the roughly 53 years old Pahlavi dynasty. Originally a military officer, he became a politician, serving as minister of war an ...

. Irani was also an academic and published numerous works including a translation of the Gathas. He was the father of

Indian-American Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly from India. The terms Asian Indian and East Indian are used to avoid confusion with Native Americans in the United States, who are also referred to as "Indians" or "Am ...

philosopher and academic Kaikhosrov D. Irani who was very active in the Zoroastrian community in New York City.

References

''"A noble son of the Zarathushtrian tradition 'Dinshah Irani, Solicitor'"'', A Zoroastrian Educational Institute
1881 births 1938 deaths 20th-century Indian philanthropists 20th-century Indian lawyers Irani (India) people Iranian nationalists People from Mumbai Zoroastrian studies scholars 20th-century Indian translators {{india-law-bio-stub