Noshir Irani
Noshir Irani, a beloved figure in Sydney’s Zoroastrian community, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2026, recognising decades of volunteer work and community service.
For Irani, the recognition came as a genuine surprise. “It was a great surprise, but I felt happy that the little bit I’m trying to do in my own capacity was recognised,” he told Indian Link. Characteristically modest, he was quick to put the award in perspective. “It’s not really about getting the award, to be honest with you. The most important thing is that whatever little you’re trying to do for the community has been recognised. The award is secondary, really.”
Irani arrived in Australia in 1979, transferred here by the multinational pharmaceutical company he worked for at the time. He admits he was initially uncertain about the move, worried about how his wife Maggie and two young daughters, Hilla and Homaxi, would settle into a country that was vastly different from the Bombay they had left behind. His concerns proved unfounded. “To my great surprise, all three of them just loved the place. It was I who took another four, five, six months to come around.”
After a long career in the corporate world, including a stint in Dubai, and a period running a small water purification business, Irani retired around 2006. It was at that point that he made a decision that would define the next chapter of his life. “I made up my mind very, very strongly, what I want to do is try and give something back to the community. They’ve been nice to me. I’ve been very fortunate. So, come on, time to give back something.”
That commitment took many forms. For nearly nineteen years, Irani has been a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, delivering food to elderly residents across Sydney. “There’s great satisfaction in ringing the bell and having an elderly person, often struggling to walk, answer the door. You hand them a meal they can no longer prepare for themselves. But more importantly, it’s not just about delivering the food — it’s about spending a little time with them. Many of them are incredibly lonely,” he said.
Twelve years ago, he became a Justice of the Peace, offering his services free of charge across multiple locations in Sydney every week. He has also served on the board of Ku-ring-gai Neighbourhood Centre (KNC), a not-for-profit dedicated to health and welfare support for the elderly, and was president of the Indo-Australian Cultural Society, which worked to foster exchange between Indian and Australian communities.
Irani’s contributions to the Zoroastrian community in Australia span decades. He served multiple terms as president of the Australian Zoroastrian Association, helping grow a community of just 40 or 50 families in 1979 to over 500 today, and led a landmark legal battle that secured the community’s right to use their own prayer hall in the Baulkham Hills area.
Now in his eighties, Noshir Irani plays golf twice a week and shows no signs of slowing down. His message to younger generations is simple: look up from your screens and look after the vulnerable. “The old and the vulnerable people of society, they need a lot of support. Whatever little you can do in your capacity, please do it.”
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