Tribute
A Heartfelt Tribute to Our
Prof. Armaity Desai
27th September 2025 was a day of great loss. Prof. Armaity Desai breathed her last, leaving behind an immeasurable void.
Born and raised in Bombay, she chose the path of social work at a time when it was still a fledgling discipline in India. Her pioneering role at Nirmala Niketan, her transformative leadership as Director of TISS, and later as Chairperson of the University Grants Commission, reshaped the contours of education and social welfare in the country. She worked tirelessly for the empowerment of women and children, initiated adoption and foster care services, and stood firm in her commitment to gender equality, setting up Women’s Studies Centres across India.
Her leadership was not confined to institutions. She was an early supporter and guiding strength for ParZor, mentoring Prof. Shernaz Cama in the Health & Demographics project and playing a crucial role in the creation of the Jiyo Parsi Scheme. As an Executive Council member of ParZor, she believed deeply in preserving culture while driving social change.
Prof. Desai’s story was shaped by equally remarkable parents. Her father, Shapoor, Secretary of the Bombay Parsi Panchayat, and her mother, Tehmina, a visionary educationist who dared to challenge patriarchy and fight for girls’ right to education. She was also very attached to her brother, Xerxes, First Managing Director of Titan.
Prof. Armaity Desai’s legacy will endure in the lives she transformed and in the values she championed.
Ava Khullar was a cherished member of the ParZor Foundation’s Executive Council and a deeply valued contributor to its work. She was the first woman President of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman, and devoted much of her life to research, demography, sociology, and the preservation of Parsi heritage.
A dedicated demographer and sociologist, Ava played an important role in ParZor’s research and documentation initiatives. She was closely involved in the Foundation’s demographic work, including research related to the Census of India and the Parsi community.
Ava also made a significant contribution to the revival and preservation of Parsi embroidery. As part of ParZor’s Craft Module, she worked tirelessly on exhibitions, craft workshops, and research initiatives. She travelled with the ParZor team to Navsari, Calcutta, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad, sharing her knowledge, encouragement, and unwavering support. Through her personal work, she continued to contemporise Parsi embroidery and adapt traditional designs for the modern woman, including through her own line of garments.
Her distinguished professional career included serving as Programme Officer at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, Lecturer at the University of Bombay, and Programme Secretary and Research Officer at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies.
Ava’s commitment to scholarship, community, heritage, and the preservation of Parsi traditions leaves behind a lasting legacy. Her warmth, wisdom, dedication, and generous spirit will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with her.
Rest in peace, Ava ma’am. Your legacy will continue to inspire us.
Honouring the Life and Legacy of Ava Khullar (28.1.1935 - 5.10.2025)
