Check emigration

B. T. Dastur is apparently underestimating the role emigration is playing in the decline of the Parsi population in India when he states that explaining the fall in numbers to emigration is dangerous because emigration to the West has also taken place from Australia, New Zea-land, Pakistan, Iran, Zanzibar, Ceylon and Hongkong ("Back to the Gathas,” Parsiana, March 2005). How does emigration from other countries to the West affect the dwindling Parsi population in India? Besides, how does one explain that the downturn in numbers started only from 1961 onwards? Did the Parsis begin restricting their children to one or two only from 1961 onwards? There is an infirmity in the argument that Parsi population is decreasing because family planning started from 1961 onwards.

In the age-group of 0-49 years the Parsi population has decreased from 69.42 percent in 1961 to 53.20 percent in Maharashtra and to 54.63 percent on an all India basis in 2001. This means that during the 40-year period from 1961-2001, 14.79 percent (69.42-54.63) of the Parsi population in the age-group, 0-49 years has emigrated from India to foreign countries. But since the emigrant rears his family abroad the Parsi population in India gets a setback, and the decline is almost doubled to 30 percent. Thus from 100,772 in 1961 we had come down to 69,601 in 2001. The conclusion is that if we want the Parsi population to grow in India, check the emigration and inculcate the importance of bringing up the family in India.

Dr P. D. SUNAVALA

The Editors reply

The decline in Parsi fertility is from 1850 onwards. The decline in numbers or negative growth rate started after 1940.