London’s Lord Mayor hosts First Ever Zoroastrian Parsi dinner at his residence. / Courtesy: Ishani Duttagupta

A historic Parsi dinner was held at Mansion House, the official residence and office of the Lord Mayor of London, last Friday evening. 

It was co-hosted by Karan Bilimoria and the Lord Mayor of London, Alastair King. Bilimoria is the founder of Cobra Beer and the first-ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords. The event was notable because it was the first time that London's Lord Mayor officially welcomed and hosted members of the Zoroastrian Parsi community.

The Lord Mayor of London used his dinner invitation to acknowledge and celebrate the substantial contributions the Zoroastrian community has made to the British economy and culture. 

He highlighted their outsized influence, despite their small population: "Though tiny in numbers, barely 5,000 in the UK, Britain would not be the same without the contribution of the Zoroastrian Parsi community. From business to philanthropy, education to industry, the spirit and dedication of the community is felt worldwide."

The dinner was attended by many distinguished members of the Parsi community, highlighting their diverse contributions across various sectors. Finance and business leaders included Ron Kalifa, managing partner at Brookfield Asset Management and senior independent director on the court of directors of the Bank of England; Cyrus Kapadia, CEO of Lazard UK's Investment Banking business; Sirous Wadia, operating leader at K1 Investment Management, a private equity firm with $25B in assets under management; Percy Marchant, managing partner of St James Global Partners LLP (SJG), an investment advisory firm; Javid Soli Canteenwala, chief financial officer for the UK & EMEA region at Compagnie Financiere Tradition S.A; Zarir Cama, prominent banker who has held several senior leadership roles at the HSBC Group; Perses Sethna, CEO of PRT Partners Ltd, a consultancy and Farroakh Parekh, company secretary at Tata Ltd and a recently appointed member of its board.

The dinner was co-hosted by Karan Bilimoria and the Lord Mayor of London, Alastair King. / Courtesy: Ishani Duttagupta

Sarosh Zaiwalla, founder of Zaiwalla & Co, noted as the first law firm started in the City of London's financial district by a non-European solicitor and Bapsy Dastur, group chief legal officer at the Landmark Group, a leading retail and hospitality organization, also attended the dinner. Other community leaders who attended include Malcolm M. Deboo, elected president of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE); Shernaz Engineer, founder of Verity Appointments and chair of the Zoroastrian Chamber of Commerce-UK Chapter; professor Zenobia Nadirshaw, distinguished clinical psychologist with a 45-year career in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS); Rusi K Dalal, the first Asian elected member of the House of Commons; Perses Bilimoria, visionary environmentalist and entrepreneur and Ervad Yazad T Bhadha, resident priest at the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) since 2014.

“Being at Mansion House that evening, I felt the weight of history. Going far beyond simply being another formal dinner, it was an affirmation of identity, a reminder of legacy, and a celebration of values that have sustained our people for millennia. It is the first dinner of its kind and I was so proud to host it,” Lord Bilimoria said about the evening.

The dinner began with a prayer led by Ervad Yazad T Bhadha. Following the prayer, several notable attendees offered remarks that emphasized the Zoroastrian Parsi community's values and impact. Cyrus Kapadia reminded guests that Parsis "hit well above their weight," attributing the community's success to the bedrock of education and training.

Community pillar, Rusi K Dalal, shared a moving reflection on the community's history, noting that when "Zoroastrians fled to India," they always carried with them "a purpose of giving." This sentiment was echoed by Percy Marchant, who emphasized that "Parsis are all about giving."

Malcolm M. Deboo called the gathering a "historic dinner," reminding attendees that what truly matters is not wealth alone, but the care the community shows for others.

Further remarks focused on the community's dedication and integrity. Ron Kalifa, often called the father of the fintech industry in the UK, offered words of encouragement, observing that "Zoroastrians are an inspiring community who work diligently." 

Shernaz Engineer highlighted that Parsis have excelled in both education and commerce while never forgetting the importance of helping their wider communities. Bapsy Dastur reflected on the core tenets of their faith, saying the dinner reminded him that "religion, integrity, truth; imposing life is what Zoroastrianism is about."

Professor Zenobia Nadirshaw, a leader in mental health, reflected on how Parsi integrity has inspired her work throughout her distinguished career.

 

Attendees of the dinner. / Courtesy: Ishani Duttagupta

Food was a significant highlight of the evening, with award-winning celebrity chef Cyrus Todiwala crafting a typical Parsi menu.

The dinner was a “feast of memory, a taste of Bombay recreated in the heart of London, reminding us that our traditions travel with us wherever we go,” as described by Bilimoria.

The multi-course meal featured classic Parsi delicacies:

Starter: Patra Ni Machchi, delicate fillets of sea bass wrapped in banana leaves and steamed with a vibrant coconut chutney.

Appetizer: Murghi No Farcho, the community's signature fried chicken.

Main Course: Jardaloo Ma Gos No Palav, a rich dish of lamb slow-cooked with apricots and served alongside spiced lentils and fried potatoes.

Dessert: Lagunn Nu Custard, the famous Parsi dessert, which was delicately flavoured with rose, cardamom, and nutmeg and topped with a drizzle of nuts.

The historical significance of the dinner stretches back centuries, with the first known Parsi arriving in Britain as early as 1724. A pivotal moment in the Parsi community's history occurred in 1861, when Muncherjee Hormusji Cama and Dadabhai Naoroji co-founded the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE). This organization is recognized as the oldest Asian association in Britain.

Originally established to serve the spiritual and practical needs of Zoroastrians in the country, the ZTFE has consistently expanded its mission over the years. It has served not only the community but also broader causes, successfully building bridges with other faiths and wider British society.

Despite being a tiny community—with only about 100,000 members worldwide and just 5,000 in the UK—the Parsis have consistently risen to positions of global influence. This success is not due to force of numbers, but to their characteristic integrity and loyalty. 

Their impact on British history and culture is significant. Pioneering figures include Ardaseer Cursetjee Wadia, who, as far back as 1841, became the first Indian elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, celebrated for his pioneering work in engineering and science. 

The Tata family, one of India's foremost and most respected business families, is Parsi. They maintain a deep association with the UK, owning major assets like Jaguar Land Rover and British Steel. Many family members, including the famous Indian atomic scientist Homi Bhabha, have studied at Cambridge University.

The year 2025 also marks the 200th birth anniversary of Dadabhai Naoroji, famously known as the "Grand Old Man of India." Naoroji made history in 1892 when he was elected the first Indian Member of Parliament to the UK House of Commons, representing Finsbury Central.

His impactful writings on the "drain of wealth" from India to Britain fundamentally challenged the conscience of the empire, and his life remains an inspiration for speaking truth to power. 

Remarkably, he was followed in the House of Commons by Mancherjee Bhownaggree (1895) and Shapurji Saklatvala (1922). These three Parsi individuals were the only Indian Members of Parliament before India's independence in 1947.

“In Britain, we have remained few in number but determined to contribute far beyond our size. That dual identity — both rooted and open, both particular and universal — is what has enabled us to thrive. I am so proud to be the first (hopefully of many!) Zoroastrian Paris to sit in the House of Lords,” Bilimoria said.