The World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO), London, UK, is proud to launch a scholarship in the name of the great Zoroastrian, Dadabhai Naoroji, (1825-2025), “The Grand Old Man of India” and Britain’s first Asian Member of the British Parliament, to celebrate his 200th birthday on 4th September, 2025.

Naoroji was known not just for his political achievements, but also for his successful academic career. Having lost his father, a Dastur (Priest), while only a child and being brought up by his widowed mother, he had to rely on scholarships to achieve his academic prowess. It was with the help of a scholarship at the Elphinstone College, in Bombay (now Mumbai), that led to him holding top academic posts in India. This was a huge breakthrough as all posts had, up to then, been held by British academics. Naoroji became an assistant professor of mathematics and then went on to become the first Indian professor.

Looking back on his life, he said that this first was one of his proudest achievements, in a life of ‘firsts’.  Later in England, Naoroji became the first Asian to become a professor at London University. His devotion to learning led him to champion the need for girls to have a good education, as up to then, they were excluded from academia. Naoroji was an early feminist.

Mahatma Gandhi, who as a young law student first introduced himself to Naoroji in 1888, considered Dadabhai to be like a father to every Indian student in London, no matter to which province or religion they belonged. Gandhiji later wrote: “I have always been a hero-worshipper. And so Dadabhai … was my constant advisor and inspiration.” 

WZO anticipates that even two centuries after his birth, Dadabhai Naoroji will continue to inspire students to acquire the highest education standards exemplified by his life and achievements.

The scholarship in the amount of GPB £ 5,000, is awardable to:  Students enrolled at accredited Universities and Colleges for pursuing under-graduate and graduate studies.

Closing date for application is 31 August 2025.

To apply for the Scholarship, please complete the attached form and email it to education@w-z-o.org or complete this form online by clicking here.

For further information or an electronic copy of the form,

please email at  education@w-z-o.org.

THE DADABHAI NAOROJI SCHOLARSHIP