Parsi

The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, when Zoroastrians were persecuted by the early Muslims. Representing the elder of the Indian subcontinent's two Zoroastrian communities, the Parsi people are culturally, linguistically, and socially distinct from the Iranis (the name of another small Zoroastrian ethnic group, not to be confused with Iranians), whose Zoroastrian ancestors migrated to British-ruled India from Qajar-era Iran. The word Parsi is derived from the Persian language, and literally translates to Persian ().

The Sugar in the Milk story is a foundational legend explaining the integration of the Parsis into India, who found sanctuary mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra, in the 7th-10th centuries. When King Jadi Rana feared his kingdom was full and could not accommodate them, a Parsi priest added sugar to a vessel of milk, demonstrating they would blend in and enrich the local culture without causing disruption.