Mumbai: The 10th World Zoroastrian Congress on the theme “Zoroastrianism in the 21th Century: Nurturing Growth and Affirming Identity” was organized in Mumbai recently.

Dr Cyrus S Poonawala Chairman of Serum Institute of India LTD presented a memento to President Pranab Mukherjee, after which Paranjoti Academy rendered a performance to the audience.

President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the function and addressed the audience.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said, “In the world of business and industry, or art and letters, leading our defence forces or breaking new frontiers in the field of advanced science and technology, the Zoroastrian community in India has always extended itself and achieved success.”

Cautiously the President stated that while the demographic statistics indicate that the Zoroastrian community in India is declining by about 10 percent every decade, he nevertheless remained optimistic that this trend can be arrested as the community has such high literacy, talent, and discipline it is bound to continue on the path of advancement and growth.

Lastly he concluded by saying that it was with happiness that he was reiterating.