The Parsi’s should be grateful that the Indian government actually cares about preserving their community and is even on board monetarily to reverse the decline. The government has launched a scheme called ‘Jiyo Parsi’ in order to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population. Parsis are an illustrious community and their contribution to India and its development is starkly out of proportion to their tiny numbers. Their numbers have declined by 12 per cent every census decade on the other hand India’s population increases by 21 per cent. Having attained a certain level of education and profession, the girls want boys from a higher status and standing if not equal and that leads to late marriages or single status and consequently fewer children. The average age of marriage for Parsi women is 29-30 and 35 for men. Fertility rates have fallen below viable levels; only one in nine wholly Parsi families have a child under age 10. Thirty per cent of the community never marries. Many girls marry outside the community and so they and their children are not considered Parsis. Time has now come when cognizant effort is needed by the young Parsi generation to make a change in their socio-psychological attitude. They should get married early at the right time and should not delay the birth of children for the sake of better careers.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
