Career
In gratitude, the British accorded him the title of Patel. The Parsis, originally from Iran, migrated to India about 900 years ago. However, in 1689-1690, when a severe plague had struck down most of the Europeans, the Siddi Chief of Janjira made several attempts to re-possess the islands by force, but the son of the former, a trader named Rustomji Dorabji Patel (1667-1763), successfully warded off the attacks on behalf of the British with the help of the "Kolis", the original fisher-folk inhabitants of these islands.
The remnants of the Koli settlements can still be seen at Backbay reclamation, Mahim, Bandra, Khar, Bassien and Madh island.
