Jan 1986

< . .-i .. 7 * is ¦I 1 *S si V ¦'hj ? •ff-1^ a a Ifi^: i^' '< n W •sk. ’IL 1' < b b F '¦ " ' ' h. p I! * *1 5 i® Vimadalal resigns £^1 t t Zt J •’X"' ‘¦’r 4 ¦^s T**^' Front-runner Jamshed N.Guzder ‘3^-'' '"i ¦¦ V\ z J X ?? r w. ... >«iS!»^ s. a"* I * ¦• ¦¦'S. n '•I,\ 1 -4 '^t i ¦A‘ ¦f ’ F' . »?I s January 1986 Volume 8 Number 7 EDITOR Jehangir Patel MANAGING EDITOR^rnavaz Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz Toddywalla • ASSOCIATE EDITOR Niloofer Madon DESIGN CONSULTANT Mini Boatwala DESIGN ASSISTANTS Kranti Shiiotri, Varghese Fernandez MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Zarin Billimoria ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Cheryl D'Penha CHIEF EXECUTIVE Rustom Thanavala FINANCE B.L. Arora CIRCULATION Behrarn Umrigar MANAGEMENT Minoo Patel, Jasmine DriverKhurshid Daruwalla DATA PROCESSING Rohinton Mistry OFFICE Raiendra Nayak, Madhuri Dabral 3 Readers' Forum 8 Events and Personalities 11 The shifting fires by Parinaz Toddywalla 16 Vimadalal resigns from Punchayet by Arnavaz Mama 21 The return of Guzder by Arnavaz Mama 25 The Athravan Educational Trust's Position Paper 29 Two high priests' rejoinder to the Position Paper 33 Business 35 "We should be the first. . by Parinaz Toddywalla 3 J 39 "Nuts" over acting by Niloofer Madon I Cover:Transparencles of Vimadalal and Guzder by Homyar Mistry i . i Parsiana is published by Jehangir R. Patel for Parsiana Publications PviLtd at C/o H.L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 400 001 and printed by him at Parsiana Publications, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Bombay 400 001, and phototypeset at TRIACE, Bombay 400 005. All rights reserved. Address all editorial and business correspondence to Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Phorte: 2048730. Annual inland subscription: Rs 40 for one year (12 issues); Rs 75 for two years (24 issues). Foreign subscription rates: Seamail Rs 80 for one year, Rs 150 for two years; Airmail Rs 160 for one year, Rs 290 for two years. For U.S. cheques add $4 to cover bank charges. For Indian upcountry cheques add Rs 3 for bank charges. Cheques and drafts are to be drawn in favor of Parsiana and posted to G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001 or C/o H.L. Rochat, Navsari Chambers, ground floor, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombqy 400 001. 1 jREADERS' FORUM Board is the president of the Madras Anjtiman, the word Anjuman was used Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman. The chair- in the general context of the Par si man and two trustees are periodically community settled in Madras and not elected. The accounts and annual as specifically applicable to the Madras report of the JPCD are recorded in the situation where there is a clear distinc- minutes of the annual general meetings tion between the Anjuman and the of the Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anju- Association, man. . In “A gift turns platinum ” {Par- AOureSSlIlg tile AET siana, October ’85) you have men- We are disappointed with a biased and tioned that Mr Jehangir Clubwala, the misleading article “Addressing the hereditary trustee of the Dar-e-Meher, AET” {Parsiana, November ’85). is the backbone of the Madras Anju- Whilst individuals may have their own man. I think a grave injustice has been prejudices in reporting, we are surpris- committed by this remark. Mr Club- ed that Ms Mama did not even bother wala has never been involved with our Anjuman Committee. Even as a here­ ditary trustee of the JPCD, he has only Ifi recent times taken interest in the points with regard to the Athravan Agiary activities. Educational Trust/Zoroastrian Studies Among old stalwarts, the real back- accommodation dilemma for the bene- bone of the Anjuman for over 50 years fit of your readers, and an institution by himself (despite my numerous personal differences on frOm the K.R. Cama Oriental Institute account of the generation gap) is (KRCOI) trustees because: 84-year-oldMr Arjasp F.Taraporewala. •Our legal counsel advised us that it The other indomitable figure of the was not necessary to do so as we were Madras Anjuman is the wife of Jehan- well within our legal rights as tenants Readers' views are welcome on any gir Clubwala, Mani J. Clubwala, who- to allow AET to use the office premises subject of interest to the community se contribution to the Association, An- jointly with us. and should be sent to the Editor, Readers' Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400 001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. to find out both sides of the story in the interests of fair, accurate journalism. We would like to make the following Nq permission was sought by us juman and behind the scenes, to the •There is no question of ZS allowing Agiary, has also been phenomenal. Yet another untiring worker of the any legal rights whatsoever, as no rent Anjuman and Association is Dr M.M. or compensation has been paid or will Cooper, present vice-president of the be paid by AET to ZS. Anjuman and ex honorary secretary of •Both AET and ZS are manned by per- the Anjuman and Association. sonnel who are common to both orga- In your closing sentence you have nizations and therefore t^ere is no stated that despite differences of question of AET usurping the said pre- opjnion, the Madras Anjuman was suc- AET to become subtenants or claiming Anjuman and Association There are a few inaccuracies in your reports on the activities of the Madras Farsi Zarthosti Anjuman and Madras opinion, the Madras Anjuman was sue- mises. Farsi Association {Parsiana, August cessful in demonstrating its strength. •The majority of the trustees of the and October ’85) which I would like to 1 might respectfully point out that KRCOI have been publicly inimical to- bring to the notice of the readers. The there has been no difference of opi- wards the very existence of AET, and set-up of the Farsi community in Mad­ ras is as follows: •Madras Farsi Zarthosti Anjuman is > I 1 1 '5J»* ¦ 5 ’1 j nion. There is, however, a generation therefore we realized the futility of tak- gap. We (a few persons of middle age) were able to bring about a change in the Anjuman in 1982, and in the Asso- ing “courtesy ” permission from them. It is indeed surprising to learn, years later, that “a leave and license agree- M.K. Belgamvala is the president. the Anjuman in 1982, and in the Asso- ment ” is meant to exist between ZS •Madras Farsi Association looks after ciation (after the conclusion of the and the KRCOI, when no such agree- the cultural side of which Mr A.F. Taraporewala was the president at the time of the functions (in July ’85). Since then Mr N.F. Mogrelia has taken lia, Ms Zavera K. Shahuna, Mr Jam- rights, if any, does not exist as the over. ¦ shed C. Patel and some others. KRCOI trustees do not accept ZS as •There is yet another body, Jal Phirpj r.p. ginwalla tenants in the first place. Additionally, Ms Mama has conve ­ niently missed out a very important point in her article, namely clause six When Jehangir Clubwala was referred of our agreement with the KRCOI au­ to as the backbone of the Madras thorities where it is explicitly stated in the parent institution of which Mr Clubwala Dar-e-Meher (JPCD) Trust Federation meeting and Agiary cele- ment or document has ever been drawn brations in July ’85). The new faces on up in the first instance. In fact, the the scene are Mr Nariman F. Mogre- question of relinquishing tenancy shed C. Patel and some others. R.p. GINWALLA Madras Board with 40 percent representation from the Clubwala family and 60 per- Parinaz Toddy walla replies cent from the Madras Farsi Zarthosti Anjuman. The chairman of the Trust 3 Parsiana January 1996h i'*' C f I i our letter dated February 29, 1980 that and secular organizations. In fact, are behind us and recognize our integ- “we at Zoroastrian Studies will be al- AET does not use any additional space rity through our work and not by the lowed to operate our projects and ful- in the KRCOI building where, we inimical polemics played by vested fill our objectives with no interference would like to add, vacant space is still groups, newspapers and biased repor- in our work from the managing com- available. It is worth noting that, in mittee of the KRCOI.’’ We believe that the KRCOI trustees the majority of the KRCOI trustees, have broken their agreement with us, AET has not been given any shelter or as the aims and objects of AET includ- accommodation of its own. Had ZS but it is a reality to thousands who sup- ing its first project are common and not helped AET with office facilities, port the cause which her uncaring pen central to the aims and objects of ZS. where was AET to operate from? sadly ignores. After all, the education of the Zoroas- Moreover, why indeed should AET not trian priesthood falls very much within operate from the ZS office in the the scope and ambit of ZS and has KRCOI building? been a cause which ZS has worked for since its inception. Is it ethicSlly improper to give a sis­ ter organization office facilities where and important points which we cannot Khojeste Mistree ’s letter {Parsiana, all the workers and some of the trustees raise as the matter is now sub judice as December ’85) and neither ZS nor the are common to both ZS and AET, legal proceedings have been initiated Cama Institute were approached, whose aims and objects also, are simi- against ZS and AET by the KRCOI lar to those of ZS? We think not, and trustees. We are open to reason and ne- entitled “AET: a matter of trust ’’ would like to ask why AET should not gotiation but shall defend our rights {Parsiana, September ’85) with my be allowed to operate from our pre- when high-handedness and politicized article “Addressing the AET.’’ Inci- mises when: pressure are brought upon us in order dentally, if the AET is not “belea- •The K.R. Cama Institute was founded to seek our wrongful eviction. Clearly, gured’’ {Webster’sNew CollegiateDic- with the main object of promoting and our alleged offence is to have helped tionary: beseiged, beset, harassed), encouraging organizations involved in and promoted'the educational and eco- why is she defending it? the field of “Oriental Studies. ’’ nomic amelioration of the Zoroastrian •The trustees of the said Institute have priesthood! let their premises to other commercial ters whose main aim seems to be to tar ­ spite of verbal requests being made to nish the credibility of ZS and AET. AET may be a “matter of trust ’’ or “beleagiired’’ in Ms Mama’s opinion, S. MUNSHI Trustee. Zoroasirian Studies These are just some of the important Arnavaz Mama replies points which Ms Mama has totally ig- The article was based on newspaper nored. There are many other salient reports as explained in my reply to Munshi has confused a news analysis Cama Institute ’s reply We know that the fair-minded public We have been advised not to enter into A pi ii I- MATCH YOUR AMBITION TO A CAREER To do SO we offer you -A- Diploma Course in Business Management (Oral/Postal) IMC ir Banking: C.A.I.I.B. Course (Postal) ? Executive Secretarial Course ? Private Secretarial Course Steno Secretarial Course Telephone Operating if Personal Assistants ’ Programme (working stenographers) if Telephone Operating-Cum-Receptionist Techniques if Shorthand & Typewriting -A Punch Operating if Telex Operating ? E.D.P. Concepts & Cobol Programming Computer Exposure & Basic Programming Enquire at as ,A. Sir J. J. College of Commerce 14, Nanabhoy Lane, Hutatma Chowk Bombay 400 001. Tel: 251185 4 Parsiana January l9tKi Iany controversy in the Press concern- courtesy permission from the trustees contribute handsomely towards the ing the merits of the ejectment suit that of the KRCOI; and in the same letter, speedy solution of the housing prob- Institute (KRCOI) have filed against spite of verbal requests being made to a alone cannot shoulder this gigantic Mr Khojeste Mistree and Ms Shernaz majority of the KRCOI trustees, the problem. The situation is a challenge to Panthaky of Zoroastrian Studies (ZS) AET has not been given any shelter or the community and all well-placed Par- and Athravan Educational Trust accommodation of its own. sis need to come forward to meet it. (AET). In due course of time the court The trustee of ZS writes that the As you may know, the BPP runs a will decide whether the above parties trustees of ZS are open to reason and number of other welfare institutions/ are entitled to continue to use the pre- negotiation. However, when they had activities in the interests of the commu- mises of the KRCOI. The ‘‘accommo- the opportunity to be reasonable and nity — Old People ’s Home, Golvad dation dilemma” referred to in the let- to negotiate, they chose to adopt a de- Homes for boys and girls, J. J. Corn ­ ier under comment is the creation of fiant attitude, and compelled the merce Institute, Godrej Press and In- ZS and AET and it will be resolved by KRCOI to go to court. dustrial Institute, vocational guidance the court when it decides the KRCOI The ‘integrity ’ and.‘credibility ’ of bureau, health unit, matrimonial suit. If both AET antkZS are ‘‘manned by ged by the court at the proper time, personnel who are common to both the dastur n.d. minochehr-homji organizations, ” as alleged, then where capt h.x'm. msai is the need of having two organiza- joint Honorary secretaries tions? If these two organizations are ' distinct and separate, then the fact of _ their being manned by personnel who Were yOll a BPP sC^olar. are common to both the organizations ’’ ' ' « It is false for ZS to allege that the career and you are at present well set- 209^ I^^ Da^b^ hL7ebi^n'pubHclyTnfmicI^^ towwds'the dTTheBPPtrusteesmostsincerelywish may be ^ade^payable to ‘Parri Pum SO, the trustees of the KRCOI would life and bring glory to the community. Payee A/c only). not have acceded to the request by the You must be aware that at present (..nciunc, Bombay trustees of AET to be allowed to meet the Parsi community is facing many the trustees^of the KRCOI. It is on acute problems, especially funds for record that Such a meeting did take housing projects. There are 3,000 place in the KRCOI building on Sep- applicants of different categories on tember 5, 1985. When reference is made to ethics and propriety by the trustees of ZS, we can do no better than request your readers basis, to carefully read the letter of December i _ 29, 1979 addressed by Mr Khojeste couples cannot marry for want of pro ­ Mistree to the late Mr Adi Chinoy, the per accommodation; many Parsi fami- then president of the KRCOI, and pon- lies have been rendered homeless and der over the standard of ethics and pro- move from one sanatorium to another | priety of the trustees of ZS in the light on account of their old dilapidated | of what is stated in the said letter and buildings having fallen down; many B partic ularly in the last two lines thereof Parsi families live in inhabitable sur- | which read, ‘‘Furthermore, we are pre- roundi^s; in some cases,husbands and g pared to legally relinquish our tenancy wives live apart for want^of a^common | rights, if any, in case you wish to re- ' possess the premises.” Even if the aims and objects of some ‘ the trustees of the K.R. Cama Oriental the trustee of ZS should write that, in lem. You will appreciate that the BPP f The ‘integrity ’ and, ‘credibility ’ of bureau, the trustees of ZS and AET will be jud- bureau, employment exchange, school counselling project, Doongerwadi, giv­ ing monetary help to the poor and needy, giving scholarships and loans to deserving students going abroad and in K.R. Cama Oriental Institute India, etc, — which need substantial funds. ______ Your contribution may kindly be Your tr aining abroad with the help of sent to the Chairman, Board of Trus- is of no consequence. charity funds gave a fillip to your tees. Pars! Punchayet Funds and Pro- It is false for ZS to allege that the career and you are at present well set- perties, 209 Dr Dadabhai Naoroji majority of the trustees of the KRCOI tied in life by the grace of Ahura Maz- Road, Fort, Bombay 400 001. Cheques have been publicly inimical towards the da. The BPP trustees most sincerely wish may be made payable to Parsi Pun- very existence of AET. If it were in fact that you may prosper still further m chayet, Bombay ^Cross-Order and ASPI F. GOLWALLA Free food service As trustees of a government registered our accommodation waiting list. BPP public charitable trust, our main aim is trustees have therefore decided to solve to remove poverty from our commu- the housing problem on a priority nity. We feed the poor, blind, crippled • and those who are in no condition to a" good number of engaged Parsi work and earn their daily bread. We " ¦ also take the poor and needy on pilgri- < < - 1 ' J • roof over their heads. All these mis­ possess the premises.” haps and misfortunes have greatly Even if the aims and objects of some affected the Parsi community in its institutions are similar to the aims and growth and survival. It is difficult to objects of the KRCOI, the said insti- project the fate of our community be- tution cannot impose itself on the yond the next decade or two. KRCOI, just on the ground of simila- E rity of aims and objects. ? — It is surprising that the trustees of ZS project of building 1 .OTO flats of tr^^ of the KRCOI have bwn pub- to seven years. The buildings will be the Goal, to trian families. We also distributed free We therefore appeal to you to kindly snacks and chocolates during the inter ­ Feeding poor Parsis project the fate of our community be- In order to cope with all these handi- mage tours to Udwada, Navsari and rity of aims and objects. caps, the BPP has decided to launch a Surat. It is surprising that the trustees of ZS project of building 1,000 flats of mode- On the occasion of the Parsi New should write that the majority of the rate size and cost_within a span of five Year we h^ distribut^ free twkets of licly inimical towards the very existence construct^ on vacant plots owned by about 200 poor Parsi and Iram Zoroas- of the AET, and that, therefore, ZS the BPP. trian families. We also distributed free realized the futility of taking even We therefore appeal to you to kindly snacks and chocolates during the inter- 5 Parsiana January 1906 (* - I • u . reaching the figure of Rs 2,000 per are unwilling to take up the profession Well-wishers are requested to send month, there should be an efficiency of priesthood Protession ir mritrihiitinno ____ . 1_________ ¦ ?/• ... ... J H* r Si ^eir contributions to the trust office at bar and if the mobed ’s work is found Crown Building, Uranwalla Street, satisfactory, his salary should be fur- Grant Road, Bombay 400 007. ther increased at the rate of Rs 50 till it SAMY ENGINEER reaches the maximum figure of Rs Visions and drcams Active Trustee, Free F ood Service Charitable Trust 2 500 . _ - Upgrade mobed income Is it surprising that the sons of devot- and dedicated mobeds ed to^'him. Rule7shourd Vs^b^fra^^^ should decline to follow in the foot- f steps of their fathers? Seeing the treat- d?nt'fund ‘payable"to himZwhich ment meted out to their parents, they equal amount should be addeci eve would noUike to fall into the same trap month as contribution from the i and be given the boot at the time of c " • * Th cnrpiv --------------- sdaty for every complet- studies in Surat and played a leading role in bringing back many lost sheep into the Zoroastrian fold. This therefore proves that God keeps ruin and wants His flock to follow the religion of their birth. Many truths mostly dreams. " on an ad hoc or sporadic basis. I would union thropic package with the followfng ob- pay jectives in view: ' ’To encourage every Parsi to contri- casual and privilege leave, salary for bute to charities on a recurring and re- unenjoyed leave, provident fund, gra- gular basis. tuity etc. If the trustees do not listen to •To provide information their demands within a ivaauimbic cnarities wnicn deserve attention. IParsiana Deceinh«.r ior^ trustees of fire-temples will not be in a “ • “ «•» »» A Axz*44*tins ItKzlVIt T i kfisiii position to meet even reasonable welcome suggestions as also the names, funds. The only other alternative which deserve help, would be to amalgamate such agiaries, thereby reducing the number of agia- _ r *¦ ¦ _ ¦ ¦ ___ _ bay. The lands and buildings of such Parsis believe*and other agiaries, could be sold and the sale proceeds brought to a common pool for a fund for the amelioration of Parsi priests, or the land could be uti ­ lized for constructing o.wnership flats. I am further of the opinion that the /\nyooay wno makes such a ctatp lowest category of full-time working ment does not deservp m hnid hr 7 ----- u* i?' uocioraie mobeds should be paid a starting salary office in anv mmimmit public degree holder for her study in alterna- of Rs 1,200 per month with an annual unless he Sn hat°T" ’“ th" is metaUur- increment of Rs 25 until the moS Sc, , S»‘ A-ti., recipient of the salary reaches the figure of Rs 2,000 per month. On the said mobed ’s s^ary DARA P. ANTIA Calcutta per month. Rules should be A well-known educationist was ereatlv I cz> __ 1_____ a J _ » ./V. .« ___... ® •' p ----------------- vuuvauviiui. WOO tormed so that the mobed could enjoy influenced by Christianity and one day salary for privilege leave not sanction- ~ i >.•* «* Ii>vi/vu appeal c;u 111 Ills tor numthly deduction towards provi- dream and told him to read the Old casual leave, privilege leave and leave decided to convert himself to Christia- COlOMr wal — _x ¦ * *X A • 1_ nity. At night, a grand personality in the shape of a mobed appeared in his ____________ J an Testament of The Bible before he every decided to convert himself to Christia- fh e J r .• nity. Next day he got a copy of the Old amelioration of Testament and went through it. He There will surely come a time when ed year of service, the minimum num- Bombay and its suburbs may not find ber of years of service to entitle him to priests to perform ceremonies at the gratuity being five fire-temples, just as at present no mob- years. — • ¦ lAMSHED R. MISTRY tt^k of His flock, saves them from Philanthropic package * uiiiiit iriirnc tingency lo arise and not take suitable eoMiburiomVo “SStS^u?r ““ *" steps beforehand? , chiniH like to compile an ideal Parsi philan- should get together and form a —*• • ¦ ¦ - - - -- and demand regularization of scale, efficiency bar, maximum salary, ( unenjoyed leave, provident fund, gra- gular basis. their demands within I ed is willing to serve in upcountry agia- ries even on a salary of Rs 1,000 per month. Should we wait for such a con- GOOL S. BHARUCHA Coimbatore CORRECTIONS L, . ------------- on various In the Zoroastrians Abroad column a reasonable chanties which deserve attention. iParsiana. December 10R5 naoA manner in which the total amount to be should read “Medal for Enaineer’’ f . X- . Pakistan, ’’ measures 16 by 12 feet To formulate this package, I shall (not inches). deinands of mobeds from their trust addresses and activities of institutions I funds. The only other alternative which deserve help I ^’<8’™ate such agiaries, kaivos marfatia I thereby reducing the number of agia- V ries functioning in and around Bom- PricstS Ulljustly vilified ¦ bay. The lands and buildings of such Parsis believe and comment that prac- agiaries, whose fires are shifted to ticing mobeds omit paragraphs from other agiaries, could be sold and the various prayers while performing cere- Master-Moos sale proceeds brough. ,o a common monies. This is a very serious'accu- Captions of two photographs were mohJli inadvertently interchanged in the jjjobeds to omit prayers {gapcha Events and PersonaUties column (Por- A V u , December 1985, page 10). At left Anybody who makes such a state- is Meher K. Master-Moos, dk^rate X ''f Antia 1 Parsiana January 1986 practice adopted by our community Tata Medal, priests. It is precisely because such statements are made, that athornans The errors are r^etted.;i ! Events and Personalities Having started as a cub in the year 1922 in the Parsee Scouting Society, lixv _ ______—______________ Shroff, a retired state chief commis- Cama Oriental Institute, Jehangir F. sioner of the Maharashtra State Bhmi Changes at Allahabad Two awards for Shroff The Allahabad Anjuman elected a new The new president of Bombay ’s K.R. president — Capt Homi Pirojsha Dan- r w7sAefkst°e"eXn7or7residCTHi “ recdye th?GraiirMaster ’s Or^^^^ AeW twm years, during which time Dr Ratan Sagar had stood unopposed, notes a press release, Rustom Gandhi, contin ­ ues as vice-. Marshal as ordinary trustee. Subsequently, in October ’85, cer­ tain amendments were proposed to the - trust deed of the Allahabad Parsi Zo- I roastrian Anjuman. The definition of I “Parsi Zoroastrian ’’ now includes I children of mixed marriages ¦— where I either parent may be a Parsi — after I the performance of a proper navjote I ceremony. In the case of a child of a i Parsi mother and a non-Parsi father, j the written consent of both parents is | required, states the release. j The Anjuman which was established I in 1924, now has 44 members. Its assets | include an aramgah where the prayer • hall was repaired and white-washed. A j dharamshala and the Bazam Hall, both Gandhi family property, according to Dandiwalla, are locked at the moment, he noted. The dharamshala can only be used if and when the Anjuman is able to engage the services of a mobed, who will look after the dharamshala and also the .Dar-e-Meher which too is the private property of the Gandhis, says Dandiwalla. Auaust 14 1985 This Shroff, was “the first Asian’’ to Scouts and Guides, had earlier received Service to Masonry (OSM) award from of merit with bar in recogmtion of lonj the Duke of Kent, the Grand Master of and continuous meritorious service! asc ivusiuui uaiiu.u vw.xvi*.- the United Grand Lodge of England in rendered to the scout movement, note: ice-president and Nariman London, on December 11, 1985, notes the release. Another cherished aware ice presiaeni ana freemason for 43 that Shroff bagged some time ago wai . the President ’s Medal for meritoriou services Ifendered to the Home Guard and the Civil Defence.. A textile technician for the past 5 years. Shroff is a director in two textil H mills and is on the managing conuiw tee of the Zoroastrian Co-opera0 Credit Bank. H Shroff is trustee and vice-presider " of the Iran League, chief warden of th / f Greater Bombay area and advisor 1 1 t the additional controller of civil defei I; ce. Greater Bombay Corps, and an a< |i tive member of the Indian Nation: |k Congress (I) from south Bombay, st: B tes the release. H Learning with computers ‘Computers-- in education ’ was tl 1^1 theme of a full day seminar conduett HE at The Dadar Parsee Youths Assemb High School on October 15, 1985 I i^si Maegabyte Consultancy Service IH notes a press release issued by N. Wadia, principal of the school. The aim of the seminar was to brii about an awareness of how studer could use computers to learn any su ject with the help of animated lessor a press M .. A ¦L [r ;-1 8 Parsiana January 1986 Gobhai jreedom within a discipline (Left):Disused horse hearse at Allahabad years. Shroff has been the District games, etc. Lessons in geograph Grand Master of Bombay for over 10 grammar, arithmetic, computer pr years, adds the release. gramming, word processing etc we Shroff was also awarded “The Silver practically demonstrated, using coi Elephant — the highest award in scout- puters, for the benefit of students ai ing’’ by the President of India, Giani staff, adds the report. Zail Singh, at the Scouts and Guides The Rally held in New Delhi on November cooperation of Marzban J. Giara, , 6, 1985, notes the write-up. r_ . The seminar was organized with t rector, Creative Communications C<‘4’- tre, who conducts computer classes for the students of the school, concludes the report. Silver at the Regatta At the third Asian Regatta held at Pusan, South Korea in September 1985, helmsman Jimmy A. Unwalla and his crewman, Vivian Almeida, won the silver medal in the enterprise class, missing the gold medal by just 0.07 seconds, notes a press release. Moreover, Unwalla stood tenth out of 50 competitors at the Enterprise World Championships held at Hong Kong in November. Twenty-nine-yeSr-old Unwalla has participated in national and interna ­ tional yachting championships and won the gold medal at the National En­ terprise Championships held in Bom ­ bay in 1984, states the write-up. A bachelor of technology froth the Indian Institute of Technology, Bom ­ bay, Unwalla is currently serving in the furniture department of Godrej and Boyce, adds the release. h •,'1! 3 fBelow} Vathha.'on Doorckirshan (Right) Unwalla:juSt missed the gold (Below right) Shroff receiving The Silver Elephant from Zail Singh. I Parsi food festival Delhi’s first ever Parsi food festival was slated to be held at Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, from November 8 to 10, completely. ” 1985, with ^‘chefs, specially flown in from Bombay, ” notes ITDC Khabar, _____ ______ _ - ------- — — the newsletter of the Indian Tourism gallery rounds and the pursuing. You Vachha performs Development Corporation of October can call it a fragile ego. . .1 have two Television viewers all over India were 30. dealers who deal privately with my regaled by a piano concert given by Mi- The Ashok ’s restaurant, Taverna work. They sell directly to architects, chel Rumy Vachha, professor at Ro- Cyprus was expected to acquire a Parsi wedding atmosphere. Guests were en­ couraged to attend in Parsi attire, and lar collectors who buy from me.” there were prizes for the best dressed, adds the newsletter. Black for me is the most beautiful col- Asked about the sale of his work, or in the world. ” Gobhai stated, “I refuse to do the corporations, collectors and this makes me’s Conservatorio Di Musica Santa a lot of sense. Then there are the regu- Cecilia, on October 25, 1985. His recitals have been broadcast The Bombay-bred Gobhai “took a from time to time by the All-India major decision 12 years ago in giving Radio, Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Mad- up his job as art director of an advertis- ras and Goa, notes a press release is- Black is beautiful » ing firm to opt full-time for painting, ” sued by his father, T.R. Vachha, a “What brought me back is what I had notes The Sunday Observer. “He chartered engineer, lining in Delhi, feared would inhibit me as a painter — learnt drawing with (Shiavax) Chavda Furthermore he has played before large the presence of a fantastic folk tradi- in Bombay, did graphic design at the audiences in most of the principal cities tion. This you can’t get from museums Royal College of Art in London and of India, adds the release. and collections. This is something I spent four years at the Art Students have missed all these years, painter Mehlli Gobhai in an interview studied anatomy from one of the last plete the post-graduate course at Santa with Kamala Kapoor, in The Sunday of the great anatomy teachers, Robert Cecilia, Rome, after which he won an Observer of October 6, 1985. Gobhai Beverly Hill, and did graphic arts at the open scholarship in 1977 to study who has recently returned to India Royal College of Art. ” under “the celebrated concert-pia- after a 22-year stint in New York, held Gobhai,who believes that “freedom nist, ” Marcella Crudeli, notes the a one-man show of his paintings at within a discipline is the most exciting write-up. He then attended masters Bombay ’s Gallery 7, from October 5 to thingy ’notes of his paintings which use classes at the University of Zurich 25. Planning to stay on in India for the minimum of form, line and color: under professor Juerg von Vintschger, eight months in a year, part of which “I was very dissatisfied with splashing states the release. he will spend at Kangra, where he is color, brush strokes and unbridled building a house, Gobhai told Kapoor, freedom. In fact, for a long time I Italy and was awarded a diploma and “I am still afraid to give up New York worked mostly in black and white. continued on page 37 Thirty-year-old Vachha is the first notes League in New York where he also pianist from India to successfully com- Ciobhai^who believes that “freedom nist, Vachha has given many concerts in 9. Parsiana January 1986 ¦ aPOLITICS AND POLICY 'M/f ¦¦¦ 5 The shifting fires Parinaz Toddywalla The Punchayet moves to reduce the number of agiaries and better utilize the community's scarce resources. A- Ok f <0'11 Jj w F ¦ft -. ''I I The first step towards reducing the large number of agiaries in Bombay and shifting the sacred fires from areas scarcely populated by Parsis to those where more Par sis reside, has been taken by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) in collaboration with the trus ­ tees of the Langrana Agiary in the Fort area. Announcing the shift at a press conference on Detember 21, 1985 in the BPP trustees ’ board room, the trustees noted that the Langrana Agiary fire was to be shifted to the Godavara Agiary (the only agiary managed by the BPP, also located in the Fort area) until a new adaran is constructed at Godrej Baug in the Malabar Hill area. Subsequently the Godavara Agiary fire may also be housed in a separate room in the new adaran building at Godrej Baug. “As per the present agreement, in a month or two the Langrana fire will be shifted to the Godavara Agiary and the building put on sale,” said BPP chair­ man Dr Aspi Golwalla. Almost two- thirds of the sale proceeds would be utilized for the construction of the new adaran building at Godrej Baug and a fund to provide for the agiary’s month- . ly upkeep. The remaining one-third I will be kept by the trustees of the I Langrana Agiary to maintain a I widow ’s chawl, informed Golwalla. I While BPP trustee Naoroji Godrej I detailed the location of the adaran I- building “on top of the hill,” BPP I trustee Eruch Desai emphasized, i “Though the shift may not be palat- I able to a few residents in the locality, I they have to see to the larger interest. There is need for the Press to build up a psychological interest. We have to move to the twenty-first century and thus be more practical. ” "¦^'1 •< < II Parsiana January 19S6 VI .<1" 1^ j^^re will be no amal^ia»aW®P^^erate funds for lower income hous- tions to the tune of R^ noted BPP trustee Homi Rani- ing. There are plans to construct a their various projects (ejl na; ‘^’They will be housed in two sepa- building on the site of the old Fever iiag): Rs 36,000 have b^| rate rooms of the same building.” Gol- Hospital building at Khareghat Colony f^r the matrimonial buiU le hous- na; ‘^’They will be housed in two sepa- building on the site of the old Fever iiag): Rs 36,000 have rate rooms of the same building.” Gol- Hospital building at Khareghat Colony f^r the matrimonial walla mentioned that after hearing of along the lines of the Gibbs Road for the trust advisory servi^S^H Al ja r i-r r. . : Rs 48,000 for school counseliyPls from one of the agiaries in Byculla was foot. 62,000 for family counselling and Rs Appeals for donations have been 75,000 for the mobed amelioration made to those who have at some stage scheme. On behalf of the Parsi community, a letter has been sent to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi requesting him to suggest a convenient date when the community could felicitate him in Bombay. There is no adequate response for the 96 ownership flats which the BPP is planning to construct at Sanjan, with the hope of attracting retired members of the community to settle in that Gujarat township. Whether or not the opinions of other anjumans should be sought before the Government gives its consent to the much needed reforms in the archaic --------------------- i was money after November 1987 will only higher training abroad and are subse- debated by the trustees. BPP trustee be entitled to vote after the next Anju- quently well settled in life. Contribu- Jal Vimadalal noted that suggestions man Committee elections in 1995. It tions received will be utilised for con- from various sources have been tabu- was also recommended that meetings structing houses for the community lated by former BPF secretary Gustad of the Anjuman Committee (which and for other welfare activities run by Antia while preparing the amend- comprises the elected members and the BPP. ments. Vimadalal felt that calling forth donors who elect the trustees) should A contribution of one lakh rupees fresh opinions would result in “re- I the proposed transfer of fires, a trustee Scheme, but at a lower rate per square enquiring if a similar arrangement could be made for them. Addressing the Press after a lapse of eight months as “there was nothing substantial to report, ” the trustees apprised the Press of the progress made on the various BPP projects. In an attempt to ensure that the elected voters and the donors have the Same number of votes each at a trusteeship election, the BPI*have proposed fur­ ther amendments to the electoral re­ form scheme. According to the amend- I I 1 I i Those who donate money after November W87 will only be entitted to vote after the next ment, donors who register before the Anjuman Committee Anjuman Committee elections in 1988- will be allowed to vote at trusteeship elections after the 1988 Anjuman Com ­ mittee elections. Those who donate ayailed of BPP financial assistance for Parsi Marriage and Divorce ”Act elections in 0995. A. contribution of one lakb rupees fresh opinions would result in “re- be convened annually. towards the purchase of land for the opening a Pandora ’s box, ” while Desai Due to the low rents received from construction of a drug addict rehabi- said, “(This issue) has not come up be- teriants in the BPP run colonies and litation center planned by Seva Dhan, a fore the board. We will have to exa­ buildings as well as the difficulty in voluntary organization founded by ex- mine this. ” The BPP could ascertain evicting tenants who have violated the addict Russell Pinto, is being consi- the opinions of other anjumans at the Rent Act, the BPP has made a repre- dered by the BPP. forthcoming executive council meeting sentation to the Government of Maha- Pleased with the success Of their of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian rashtra seeking exemption from the school counselling project, the trustees Anjumans of India in Poonai on Feb- application of the Act. decided to launch a family counselling ruary 22 and 23, 1986. Out of a total of 60 ownership flats project in January 1986 which will be for Parsis at Gibbs Road, 43 have been managed by Prof Noshir Kaikobad, an Electoral reforms booked so far. The Gibbs Road pro- ex-United Nations consultant on social In light of suggestions made by various ject, aimed at well-to-do Parsis, is to welfare. The BPP has sanctioned dona- parties, the trustees have proposed fur- Pleased with the success of their of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Trying to meet the demand for housingfieft) Godrej Baug, fright) Panthaki Baug (Photos:Homyar Mistry) \ / /' : 'k -M 13 Parsiana January 1986 If ¦ 'igirww! a 'iSim •«n Im f '4 I -T- I 4 < I Ko ' I >'» - ’•V, I-r J 'W tl f< •ns to the BPP electoral re- made to those who had availed of BPP proposed a scheme for family counsel grhese proposals have to scholarships for higher training abroad ling which was to be launched in Jan uary 1986. The work will proceq under Kaikobad ’s instructions and the community before and are now well settled in life. Gol- scheduled on February wallawaspositive, “Iam suretheres- ^^H^B^Fihe Bombay High Court of ponse will be good. ” Contributions supervised by a Committee of DireC Sujata Manohar. will be utilized for housing and other tion, chaired by Golwalla. To ensure equal voting rights to the welfare institutions/activities managed f— ' ' ‘ ZZ _ elected members of the E Register and by the BPP like the Old People ’s concerned whether there was enough the donor members of the F Register at Home, Golvad Homes for boys and publicity to prompt people in distre^ the time of trusteeship elections, it has been suggested that the F Register be frozen in the period between elections to the E Register which are currently held every seven years. Thus no donor will be utilized for housing and other tion, chaired by Golwalla. { I BPP trustee Jamsheed Kanga wd 11 to turn tQ family counsellors for assia tance. Though Vimadalal doubted whether people would be willing to ii^ voke public support for family quarj rels, Kanga thought that since it was d well-known mode of settlement in th« west and since Parsis were known to b« the pioneers, there was no reason wh^ this project should not be successful. \ Though the shift of agiary fires may not «er be palatable to a few Committee elections until November TeSlclentS lO the 30 preceding the next Anjuman Com- . , ' ' mittee elections, seven years later. At locality, they have to the end of the period, the new donors would gain voting rights and the E Register would be expanded by a pro ­ portionate number. It was also suggested that the Anju­ man Committee should hold annual girls, J.J. Commerce Institute, Godrej introduced to permit simplification of tional guidance bureau, health unit, the various formalities involved at the matrimonial bureau, employment ex­ time of change of trustees. Other proposed amendments — re­ ducing the tenure of office of trustees and needy, and giving scholarships and loans to deserving students for further dren availed of intensive individuals TmJIm f* ...HI ...111 J C______ _____ sessions at the three schools. As re-3 ported in the press release, special! attention is given to the residential students of Petit School and a special A break-up of scholarships given to aptitude test was administered under Dr Mehroo Bengalee to the Std X girls with representatives of different voca ­ tions invited to address the students. Parent educational sessions were also School counselling < With the school counselling servic^ extended by a period of one more year at a further cost of Rs 48,000 per year^ parents will be encouraged to refer the! behavioral and scholastic problems ol^ meetings. Another clause has been Press and Industrial Institute, voca- their children to the counsellors work^ ing at Bai Avab^ F. Petit Girls’ High School, Byramji Jejeebhoy Parsi Cha- change, school counselling, Doonger- ritable Institution and Co wasji J ehan- wadi, giving monetary help to the poor gir School, notes the press release. _ _ . I One hundred and twenty-five chil-i to seven y^^rs instead of the present lOj Jaquc frt Hacarmnn cfuriontc fnrfUnf" m/niiQ/i /-k-r increasing the qualifying donation for education abroad or in India. It will counselling services and 175 of groupj enrolment on the Donors ’ F Register also help meet the administrative costs from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,500 with the of Rs 12 lakhs borne by the BPP be- donor applying for registration within cause of the new agreement signed with 180 days from the date of receipt of the trade union, informed Golwalla. donation; combining A, C and D regis­ ters into a General Register and re- Parsi students for college and engineer­ naming the F Register as the Donors ’ ing studies in India and for higher Register, redefining graduate to meZan studies abroad for the academic year any Parsi graduate of any recognized 1985-86 indicate that Rs 2,10,000 were university in India or abroad — stand given as gift and Rs 1,50,000 by way of held, as previously agreed upon. loan to 41 students for post-graduate Only a marginal increase of Rs 2,500 studies abroad. Rs 1,34,000 were given was suggested for the qualifying dona- as gift to 361 students for various coi ­ tion which entitles an individual to be lege courses in India; 91 students were enrolled on the F Register. BPP chief given Rs 71,200 by way of gift for tech ­ executive Rustom Anklesaria revealed nical and engineering studies in India; certain statistics to support the BPP and Rs 14,500 were given as gift for decision: In 1982, there were 21 donors medical and paramedical studies in who had contributed between Rs 5,000 India, and Rs 7,500 and three between 7,500 and 10,000. In 1983, 54 donated be- Family counselling tween 5,000 and 7,500, one between Realizing that family disharmony has Coaching for administrative services 7,500 and 10,000 and, two over 10,000. caused emotional upheavals for grow- Specialized coaching at a cost of Rs In 1984, 196 donated between 5,000 ing children, hampering their scholas- 14,850 was given to seven Parsi youths and 7,500, six between 7,500 and tic performance, the BPP has sane- for the all-India Civil Services preli- 10,000 and three over 10,000. tioned a sum of Rs 62,400 per annum minary examination. Though only two towards implementation of a family youths managed to clear the prelimi- Enlisting donees’ help counselling project. Prof Noshir Kai- Special appeals for donations, signed kobad who was instrumental in setting by BPP chairman Golwalla, have been up the school counselling service, has see to the larger interest. 9 9 Coaching classes in mathematics have been extended f6r another term of six months. Eight students from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences receive practical training in school counselling work at the three schools under the supervision of two honorary consul ­ tants. National Social Service volun ­ teers of Lala Lajpatrai College also participated in the teaching work. nary examination, after which they will need to pass the main examination and continued on page 42 14 Parsiana January 1986 %1 Vimadal^ Jal Vimadalal ? bedevilled th T ^ns from Punchayet loc^n fads and party alignments have king of the BPP's board of trustees. Arnavaz S. Manna A brightly clad, relaxed Jal v| and his sable colored dachshui dy welcomed the Pdrsiana team into Mehta versus incumbent lawyer Eruch the study of Bis Churchgate residence Desai), Vimadalal stated that he had next to the Cricket Club of India on conveyed in writing his “desire to ther the financial nor the legal capacity January 11, 1986. The ex judge of the move a resolution. . .on October 14... to do so. Even the tamasha of the two Bombay High Court, who had resigned and actually moved the resolution at World Zoroastrian Congresses for from the BPP board of trustees nine the next meeting of the trustees which which the Federation seeks to take cre- days earlier, was initiMly hesit^t to was held on October 29...Naoroji dit, were staged entirely by the BPP. The only possible benefit that could have emerged was a permanent world tion constitution ... and the discussion body of Zoroastrians, but even that idea is still-born as far as the Parsis in India are concerned. In fact, there is little doubt that the World Zoroastrian Congresses have widened the chasm between the Zoroastrians of the west and the Zoroastrians of India... palal before the trusteeship election of Can- November 23 (businessman Hector Vimadalal’s opposition to the Fede­ ration stems from his belief that the Federation “has not served any useful purpose whatsoever (because) it has nei- grant an interview and eventually ac- Godrej asked for a postponement be- ceded, he said, against the advice of his cause he wanted to study the Federa- immediate family. f Vimadalal says he had been “think- was continued by the trustees on ing of resigning’’ since several months November 19 when, again by the same past, but Eruch Desai’s trusteeship slender majority,my resolution was un­ term was drawing to a close and Vima- fortunately rejected. ’’ ? dalal deferred his resignation he claims, “because my resigning would have af­ fected the election one way or the other, ’’ Certain unfinished tasks in which he had taken special interest, also made hifn hang on. There was the petition to amend the election scheme, the amendment of the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, the BPP’s mobed amelioration scheme, etc. But when these matters dragged on, he resigned. Vimadalal admitted his unhappiness at the “grouping amongst the trustees in deciding and voting on important matters according to party align­ ments. ’’ Vimadalal questions the Pun- chayet ’s priorities and has dissented from the majority on many important issues, including BPP membership of the Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India and on electoral reforms. Vimadalal has been a consistent cri­ tic of the Federation and was opposed to the BPP’s reentry into the federal body. (In 1978 the BPP had left the Federation by a majority of 6:1 and re­ joined it by a majority vote of 4:3 in 1983.) The defeat of Vimadalal’s re­ cent resolution for the BPP to with ­ draw from the Federation, was a major setback for him. Questioned about the timing of the resolution that was put to vote on November 19, 1985, a scant four days iu ' f “The Federation has only been a , ? ‘talking-shop ’ with nothing effective ever coming out of it, ’’ says Vimadalal adding, “The only advantage is a pe­ riodic get-together of the representati ­ ves of anjumans from all parts of In­ dia. That however, is something the BPP itself can do. A resolution to in­ sert such a clause in the proposed amendments to the electoral scheme I ~ I I (D I >¦ I I o I - I 2 I o I 16 Parsiana January 1966 r- ___ _______ , *esent beyond 10 thousand (as the minimum such a resolution would ide^^ schenie which has, on the whole, work- donation qualifying for membership of ,’it!' ''.k. <'<»’. _________ a a._____________________________________________________.I 1 ___ ' T*? a* vb* n. ¦ ¦ 4' a MMAM 4l« ____ _______ ____ ” However, Vima- is five thousand rupees) you ’ll be in dalal suggests that whatever be the difficulty. Today the community is not that affluent. ” Vimadalal fears that a proposed clause in the amended scheme would own activities is questioned by Vima- Vimadalal justifies his stand — which deter donors from contributing money amendment, only donors who register prior to the Anjuman Committee elec­ tions held once every seven years would be able to vote for trustees. Those who enrol after the Anjuman Committee election would only be eligible to vote after the next Committee elections are held. Thus, for example, a person who donated Rs 5,0(X) to the BPP today would only be entitled to vote after the Anjuman Committee elections in 1988. By this system the elected representa ­ tives (E register) and the donors (F register) would be equally represented at a trusteeship election. Under the amended scheme, ‘‘the trustees are committed to the principle VW 'We mightily s< rive the Federation of its only raison ed satisfactorily. We have not had any the F register — the amount currently d’SlrCj saw to it that my resolution was mavalis as trustees. ” However, Vima- ’ ’ ’ ' thrown out. ” ( Even the Federation ’s major plank tenure which the court fixes for a trus- to salvage the property of defunct an- tee, “there shpuld be an absolute bar jumans and use the proceeds for its against reelection for a second term. ” dalal who holds that “it cannot be runs counter to the unlimited number to the Punchayet: according to the done under the law.” When the origi ­ nal objectives of a trust are no longer practical, possible or expedient, says Vimadalal, the court can be petitioned cy pres. (That means the funds can be utilized for other objectives similar to the original. For example, gambhar funds could be usari to feed the poor.) Thus the court would grant the use of defunct anjuman property to a neigh­ boring anjuman rather than to a body sitting in Delhi, contends Vimadalal. Recalling the days before the Federa­ tion was formed, Vimadalal said, “Whenever foreign Parsis wanted any­ thing, they wrote to the BPP — and they still do. , , ., * . “If there is any advantage to the of trusteeeship terms which the BPP that they are accountable to the Anju- community, I don ’t mind the Puncha- ** yet taking a secondary role — not other ­ wise. . .I’m supposed to be very con ­ servative, but it is misunderstood, be- _ __— -- — ------- ------- cause I’m very practical. I don ’t like trustee intending to seek reelection the basic difference” between the poli- mere idealism. Even as regards the loses his independence and aligns him- tical idea of cabinet ministers being Federation, my approach is merely self for support to a trustee belonging answerable to parliament, and a board practical. What I say is ‘Do something, to one or the other party. ” of trustees, noted Vimadalal. A board Don ’t just pat each other ’s back.’ ” Constituency-Wise voting, as propos- of trustees, functions under the law of Vimadalal faulted the replacement ed in the officially amended scheme, trusts which stipulates the duties and of the Delhi Anjuman by the Delhi was also under fire: “We are too small obligations of trustees. By law, trustees Trust as member of the Federation due a community for constituency-wise are not answerable to the appointing to general criticism regarding the Anju- voting, ” says Vimadalal who fears that authority which may comprise indivi- man’s non-Parsi membership (the the measure may breed “fragmenta- duals as in the case of the Surat Parsi Delhi Anjuman accepts non-Parsi tion, parochialism and local dados.” Punchayet or an electoral body as in spouses of Parsis as members, subject But it is the “idea of parity ... push- the case of the BPP. Trustees must to certain limitations) and noted that ed to the extreme ” which rouses all of carry out the intention of the settlor or Federation membership is reserved for Vimadalal’s ire. “The proponents of founder of the trust and are only ans- the representative body of each Zoro- the theory of parity between elected werable to the charity, commissioner __ _____ _ Vimadalal’s choice of words de- able trust like the BPP cannot survive monstrated how strongly he felt on the without a steady flow of donations, subject: “There is no reason why any Dissension (in the Punchayet) there is none; differences there are bound to be; but differences based on party alignments are an unhealthy trenc^ / / ! I has officially proposed: “Ever since man Committee. I am strongly oppos- party alignments have come onto the ed to this principle Which I consider to election scene, 1 regret to state that as be humiliating. .. Some of the trus- the end of the term draws near, the tees have been unable to understand astrian community which the E>elhi and donor members of the Anjuman and the court. Trust is not. For example, only the Committee seem to forget that a charit- VI—- BPP can represent Bombay ’s Parsis, not the Athornan Mandal or any simi- . . . . lar organization. Vimadalal reminisced particularly in view of the increasing self-respecting person should become a how “Shiavax Nargolwala (president demands on its resources. .. The wage trustee, or should remain a trustee of of the Delhi Anjuman and one of the bill has risen to about 3.5 lakhs of the Punchayet if he is required to put architects of the Federation) and I were rupees. We may have to close down the himself ‘in the dock ’ before the Anju- together in Elphinstone College ” Godrej Press.When we make a profit, man Committee periodically. More- which Nargolwala attended in “a long they wipe it off by bonus, gratuity, etc. over, such meetings inevitably degene- Parsi dagla and topi — the suits and and when we make losses, we pay from rate into the undignified spectacle of pipes came afterwards! ” the general funds. Heads twin, tails individual trustees blowing their own The reform of the electoral scheme you lose. If donations dry up and liabi- trumpet in public.” Vimadalal’s lips of 1910 has been another source of lities increase, we’ll face a very difficult pursed slightly at the thought of such contention between Vimadalal and his situation. You cannot trifle with dona- indignity. n Parsiana January 1996 ¦ *! ¦ ¦'{ 1 i I »Jot -5 r* 7 f r* 4 White the BPP has been doing “very *77 rts >r,» There is no reason why any self- respecting person should rennain a trustee if he is required to put himself 'in the dock/ before the Anjuman Committee. delayed.” ' Vimadalal has accepted BPP chair­ man Aspi Golwalla ’s invitation to par­ ticipate on the subcommittee of the BPP’s mobed amelioration scheme. The invitation was extended in view of Vimadalal’s “special contribution ” to the scheme. Indeed, Vimadalal says, Golwalla invited him to participate in the deliberations of the main commit ­ tee also, but as the members of that committee are the representatives of the donor trusts, Vimadalal says he did not consider it proper for him to parti ­ cipate on it anymore. Vimadalal looks askance at the func­ tioning style of the controversial Ath- Asked to indicate areas of the BPP’s ravan Educational Trust (AET),recent- useful wOrk for the community, ” Vimadalal notes that “the weaker sec­ tions of the community rely too much on the Punchayet. Might from Sir Teh- mulji’s Lying-in Hospital to Doonger- wadi, they expect the Punchayet to do everything for them. This is not a heal­ thy trend, ” adds Vimadalal, his Roman profile bowed in thought. On the other hand, a lot of people who occupy cheap accommodation, no longer need the benefits of charity. “People living in the bangs own Mer­ cedes cars. They do not move out for a variety of reasoi^, the commonest ex­ cuse being that the flat has been lucky. But if you feel that way about it, why not give a donation at the end of each functioning where changes might be ly founded by co-trustee Homi Ranina year? They should give unasked, just appropriate, Vimadalal’s first priority and others — particularly the fact that as the BPP donates to the J.J. Chari- would be “absence of groupism amon- its cosmopolitan nature was not reveal­ ties each year for the office space that gst the trustees, ” and “no interference ed when it sought funds for mobeds at the Punchayet occupies. When it pin­ ches one ’s self. I’m afraid we don ’t come up to expectations. ” Another source of disenchantment is that “the Punchayet has recently done disturb the trustees. . .these interr up- ferences there are bound to be; but dif- nothing whatsoever for housing the tions unduly prolong the meetings and ferences based on^arty alignments are poor. Rents of Rs 350 or Rs 450 per the disposal of matters on the agenda is continued on page 23 month, or ownership at even a conces ­ sional rate, are well beyond the reach of those wlu) are really poor. In fixing rents of new buildings it is entirely wrong to add repair and maintenance charges as well as municipal and other outgoings. For that a separate fund must be created either by setting apart a certain portion of each donation made for housing, or some other eco ­ nomically viable scheme must be evolv ­ ed with the assistance of experts, to create a general fund for that purpose for all buildings. My plea in that behalf has fallen on deaf ears and this is also a reason for the unhappiness which has led to my resignation. “In spite of my repeated protests against diversification of activities, thousands of rupees are spent every year on modern fads like child counsel ­ ling, marriage counselling, the Alpai- walla Museum -which not more than five people visit per week-when the Punchayet has not enough money for its basic objectives like housing the poor, maintenance of old buildings that are in a sad state of disrepair, run­ ning the Golvad Rural Homes where there are 97 boys and girls even today, paying adequate salary to the staff or making provision for the escalating cost of labor. ” Z 9 from outside bodies. ” He also suggest- the inaugural function, ed a “strict adherence to the agenda of the trustees ’ meetings. . .and not per- dissension in the Punchayet, Vimadalal mitting every Tom, Dick and Harry to. parried, “Dissension there is none; dif- Asked to comment on the level of 19 Parsiana January 1986 I' Mrs. Armaity R. Bamanbehram The first Parsee outstanding lady Professional in VIDEO SHOOTING with Free Titling, Editing & Audio-dubbing. Superior clarity in Colour & Sound recording, with special effect, music of your choice. A family memory to treasure ¦* Transferring of Super-8 and 8mm movies to Video Tape also done. Free Demonstration cassette to Judge our Professional work and Quality. For Weddings, Navjotes, Parties and Functions Contact: Resi. Tel. No. 8226074 No. 6, Khareghat Colony, Hughes Road, Bombay 400 007 110** 1 9 r ? F !^' 'f Bif Tfw-5' " ¦ ?a. f- St y ( ¦<' ’1 if; 5S I The return of Guzder I MS M' Ex BPP trustee Jamshed Guzder is ret I to the Punchayet' oard of trustees. ned unopposed ‘t i. ¦navoz S.Mama ¦K r The letter came as a surprise. Seven sig- ing he “was quite touched by the senti- BPP’s electoral scheme,Guzder favors natories, representing all shades of the ments expressed, and in response to a shorter trusteeship term but no res- community ’s political spectrum, came out in support of Jamshed Guzder’s candidacy for the Bombay Parsi Pun- announce my candidature for the said the maximum experience. The safety chayet trusteeship seat, vacated by Jal election. ’’ If elected, he promised he for an undesirable person not repeating Vimadalal. Vimadalal had submitted would “not serve for more than a max- his term is that 20,000 people elect the his resignation from the board of trus- imum of five to six years.’’ Anjuman Committee and the Anju- I tees on January 2, 1986 as he found ' himself increasingly isolated. Barely a year ago, the same signato- charge that a younger person was re- As for the bugbear of the minimum ries had shied from publicly supporting quired as trustee. “An aspiring youth donation to qualify for F register Guzder’s reelection to the BPP against (must) possess the basic essential quali- membership (which entitles donors to industrialist Naoroji Godrej. Godrej ’s ties. ’’ Editor Jehan Daruwalla noted vote at trusteeship elections), Guzder candidature had been supported by that though Guzder was 70 he, had the has no reservation about raising the BPP trustee Homi Ranina and other vitality of someone “at least 15 years amount to Rs 25,000 (as against the prominent individuals who wanted to younger. ’’ current Rs 5,000 and proposed Rs keep Guzder out of the Punchayet for personal and business reasons. “At a stage when it is imperative to avoid unseemly controversies in public and present a solid, united front, we candidate but because I am more con ­ feel that the community requires a res­ pected and widely accepted non-con- troversial candidate, with a proven track record. .. We suggest that a per­ son of Jamshed N. Guzder’s caliber his reaction to Vimadalal’s resignation themselves and submit a statement of and standing would be ideal as trus ­ tee, ’’stated Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy Bart., Dadi Engineer, president of the Com- always helpful; his legal opinions were general meetings of public limited com ­ mittee for Economic Revival, Feroze very sound. I can’t say I was at all panics. Gheyara, Rusi Chowha, J.N. Mar- happy.. .’’ Guzder says Vimadalal was shall, Cowasjee Dinshaw, president of very frustrated (by the course of BPP Outmaneuvered? the erstwhile Committee of United affairs) and ‘ found himself on many It had been generally believed that Zoroastrians and Jal Vakeel of the Or- occasions the only dissenting vote. .. Guzder had been outmaneuvered by thodox Graduates group. Overall he was quite disenchanted. ’’ co-trustee Homi Ranina at the end of The next day Guzder responded stat- their appeal and the numerous requests triction on the nurifcer of terms. “At that I have received, I have decided to 55 or 60, a trustee would have gained imum of five to six years.’’ The Bombay Samachar also sup- man Committee would not elect a trus- ported Guzder and repudiated the tee who is not desirable.’’ charge that a younger person was re- younger. ’’ As Guzder himself modestly stated, 7,500),“because one should not donate “I am in a position to serve the Parsi just to get a reward. The donation Punchayet efficiently, not because I should be with regard to the commu- am in any way better than any other nity. ’’ Guzder is also in favor of enshrining versant ’’ with the Punchayet and its the accountability principle into the projects. legal scheme. “Once a year the trustees In an interview with Parsiana on should appear before the Anjuman January 10, 1986, Guzder registered Committee and give an account of as “one of regret. Why should he have accounts for the previous ytfar, ” he resigned? He’d done well; (he was) says, giving the analogy of the annual Overall he was quite disenchanted. ’’ Regarding the amendments to the his first term of trusteeship and Naoro- 2) Parsiana January 1996 *{, / .k ' - ? F % K *¦' f A. > '1^ i.’ 0 I u 1 ' J *'?¦ -7^ 1 I '4 1 t's*. ------- ' 4. -- J gress, in matters pertaining to the The holding of the Third World Zoro- 1 Godrej had replaced Guzder uncon- L . _ __ ______„ tested on the BPP board. But Guzder Federation and the World Zorbastrian astrian Congress in 1978 “created the 1 insists his relationship with Ranina is a Organization, says Guzder. first stirrings among community mem- | cordial one, noting that Ranina and he serve together on the Petit trust. As for viewing BPP affairs from the peri- munity and out of that was bom the Godrej, “Naoroji and I are very very phery, Guzder said that the reorganiza- movement of people getting together: ' old friends. I’m perfectly sure 1 have tion of the accounts department which Jamsheed Kanga, Dadi Engineer, Fall his blessings and his support. ” Indeed, had been“set in motion three years Poncha, Minoo Shroff —middle-aged Guzder says he is “looking forward to ago (was) now bearing fruit. ” But, he men holding responsible positions but J working with him (Godrej). ” - ---------------------------------- -------------- with no involvement in the Punchayet, Questioned about the source of his dispute with the Wadias of Bombay Dyeing, Guzder said, it was “not a business dispute. . .not really a dispute at all. Even today, my relations with community property ancf protectors of the interest of community members, have to be accountable for what they do. Speaking with the perspective of one bers. That really awakened the com- / ! Trustees, who are custodians of who were not even voters, decided to make their presence felt. ” During the second half of Guzder’s ; first term the economic uplift commit ­ tee was formed under Guzder’s chair- < manship with “outsiders, top men of | different disciplines. The housing "1 scheme was initiated and the idea of 5 Godrej Bang was born. ” I Neville Wadia^re very cordial. Unfor ­ tunately, misunderstanding arose from the sale of Ness Baug land (the Jyoti Studio property affair) at a price which was not considered to be appropriate, and in the absence of Neville Wadia from India, I was one of the trustees who suggested that this deal should not . go through. So it was cancelled. Fortu ­ nately, Neville subsequently was able to find a buyer at almost double the price, so it all happened for the best. “Secondly, I had suggested that the allotment of flats (in the Wadia bangs) should also be on the same basis and noted, “the involvement of outsiders the open and said trustees who are cus- i on the same norms and standards as has petered out. For example, the sub- todians of community property, pro- the system prevailing in the Punchayet. committee for the economic uplift of tectors of the interest of members of ; Subsequently, at a meeting of the full Parsi Zoroastrians (is almost dormant) the community, had to be accountable board of the Punchayet when Neville but if I come back. I’ll revive it. ” for what they did. Because I believe in < and Nusli were also present, Neville the theory that if someone serves some- realized the benefit of a proper, ratio- First term body, he must be accountable to the « nal, equitable system and agreed. Guzder’s first term had been heralded person he serves. It was not accepted Therefore, the assumption that there ’s by a dogged fight with the Pundolites by quite a few trustees. .. The Fourth unpleasantness between the Wadia led by sitting trustee Dr Nelie Noble, World Zoroastrian Congress and the ¦ family and myself is not correct,in the whose candidate Jimmy Shroff lost to response to it, showed clearly that the sense that I have considerable respect and affection for. Neville with whom I’ve been associated in business for created by the resignation of noted the affairs of the community and the over 50 years,” lawyer Shiavax Vakil. The situation Punchayet. If I’d done nothing but to has repeated itself with the resignation arouse the interest of the community, of Vimadalal. A genial individual, who says he “never believes in confrontation and awareness of the people, is the current animosity, ” Guzder says he “got along practice of the merit rating system for : First term ¦ t z Accountability Guzder discussed the question of ac­ countability of trustees — one of the policy differences that led to Vima- dalal’s resignation. ‘‘As far as the Punchayet is concerned, they ’ve al­ ways maintained closed doors. The first three to fdtir years as trustee, I went along; but after that I came out in 1 <* !¦ Guzder in 1975. Ironically, Guzder’s public, by and large, have an over- first term as trustee filled the vacancy riding desire.. .to be associated with '¦ I. Wilderness Guzder says he was “never busier than in 1985,” his wilderness year in terms of BPP trusteeship. Apart from busi­ ness and professional affairs, where he well with all trustees including Nelie the allotment of flats, says Guzder, is said to have taken strides, there were Noble, ” adding, “I never fail in com- and briefly traces the history of that i a “number of people who continued to mon courtesy. ” momentous change: “Previously the . come for help regarding Punchayet Describing the atmosphere of the allotment of flats was privy to a few J matters. ” Guzder says, he “intervened early seventies, Guzder recalled “there trustees. I was involved in getting the in many cases, for example housing, inquiries regarding scholarships, re­ dressing things that happened in my regime but were not corrected. My re­ quests to the BPP were always respon ­ ded to cordially and sympathetically. ” The first half of the year was spent in portant elections, nobody cared or bo- Priorities finalizing a report on the proceedings thered, especially from the F register. Guzder’s immediate priority is to acce- < of the Fourth World Zoroastrian Con- The Punchayet was a closed shop. ” lerate the construction program of the ? ¦: I’d done a great deal.” One concrete result of this increased mon courtesy. ” Describing the atmosphere of the allotment of flats was privy to a few was no communication between trus- full board ’s involvement. Today, be- tees and the community, and nobody fore a flat is allotted, it is put up on the bothered about elections. The first stir notice board for all to see so that no- came when I stood and Nelie Noble put body can accuse trustees of favori- up Jimmy Shroff and there was all this tism. ” hullabaloo. .. Barring one or two im- thered, especially from the F register. The Punchayet was a closed shop. ” , 22 Parsiana January 1906 1 i> i ¦Ji I BPP’s targetted 1,000 flats. “Con- continued from page 19 I struction on Gibbs Road is going on an unhealthy trend. ” I very fast but I’m not sure if the money is coming in fast enough. The secon- up the amendment to the Parsi Mar- been seeking his advice for years — dary scheme of ownership flats at Bha- riage and Divorce Act shortly, says even in their domestic problems, rucha and Panthaki Bangs has not got Vimadalal, adding that the BPP sub- A keen sportsman throughout his i off the ground despite the plans being mitted its report for overhauling it in life — Vimadalal represented his col- passed.” Guzder was quick to reassure 1978, mainly to bring it in line with lege in cricket, tennis and badminton that the delay “was not out of default other marriage and divorce acts in the and was a western India badminton — I do not blame my ex co-trustees ... country. Essentially it means the incor- champion — he played tennis every but if I go back (on the BPP board) I’ll poration of the provision for divorce morning until last year when an inci- be able to revive it very quickly.” 1 ' . ' " Guzder’s long-term priority con- vided for under the Act as it stands. cerns the growth of the community. He Vimadalal says he has written to law iy, studies religion — a catalogue of is optimistic thatj)^ “There will be posi- minister Ashok Sen requesting that the 400 books on religion and literature at- boys and girls to come together .. .en- and the wheels are now moving. courage girls to find good partners. ” Guzder beamed with pleasure as he community, Vimadalal says he would described how much the youngsters be willing to serve if required by any in- had enjoyed themselves at a picnic stitution of his liking. One idea is to of- organized by the BPP’s matrimonial fer free legal advice to poor and lower bureau to his cottage on Marve beach, middle class Parsis, if some organiza- judge of the Bombay High Court in A director of 18 companies, trustee tion is willing to take on the task of ar- 1967, retired as judge of the Andhra of 11 public trusts including some non- ranging it. The BPP passed a resolu- Pradesh High Court in 1977. “I was communal trusts and office-bearer of tion on January 14, 1986 noting Vima- one of the first victims of Indira Gan- Indian and foreign socio-economic dalal’s “valuable services rendered to dhi’s (committed ju&iciary) policy. She organizations, Guzder is a busy man the board and through it to the Parsi didn’t like my judgments. ” Merely to who says he “always finds the time ” community. ” As an individual, how- please others, has not been the cardinal for community affairs. ever, he has been free with his time and motif of Vimadalal’s career. ^expertise to anyone who wants to avail of them and noted that some Parsis The Government of India may take whom he had never known before have h ft 1 by mutual consent, which is not pro- pient heart problem compelled him to ___ _____ —-_____ _ _______ give it up. He still swims or walks dai- tive growth of Parsis (if we) encourage government take up the amendment test to his devotion to the subjects — and has published four books. Vima- Regarding further service to the dalal says he has no ear for music: “If you played the same tune twice, I wouldn ’t know it, though I’d enjoy it twice over. ’’ Vimadalal, who was appointed as With the Compliments of P.S. KUKA Chairman GOODWILL THEATRES PVT LTD Owners NOVELTY CINEMA (THEATRE MAGNIFICENT) CINE PROPERTIES & FINANCE PVT LTD Owners DREAMLAND CINEMA Rendezvous of the Elite 23 Parsiana January 1996 9P#I I ? JS A f t 3%' - •l S v 7 /: , » 'Vz-. ' '' ^4 J •ru ’1^- 2 1'^-’ jc f !^‘ fv £ Clear necessity for a new project The Athravan Educational Trust's Position Paper seeks to answer Its critics and reassure the connmunity. guistics. This is not adequate for a modern day priest who must, if he is to fulfill his mission, be in resonance with the laity. In short, the AET program in The Athravan Educational Trust No response in the Press (AET) has been in existence for eight Early on in the controversy, we reali- months, and vft the trustees, would zed that the two vernacular papers, for like to thank the members of the public reasons best known to themselves, who have extended their wholehearted were not willing to print both sides of no way conflicts with the objects or ex­ support to our first project. It is the story. This observation is based istence of any of three madressas through this firm support that we have upon the fact that inspite of numerous or other teaching institutions and will collected a sum of over Rs 10 lakhs letters written in our favor (copies of in fact go a long way to complement and have been able to launch our which have been sent to us) hardly any scheme on time. As it often happens, success does us have been given excessive coverage, arouse envy and hostility. Our detrac- Clearly, the paper’s policy has been to them. The need of the hour is to give have been printed, whilst letters against the right motivation to mobilize the boys to join the program and then sus- ________ ___________ _____ ______ ____ .... . , tain them in the priesthood. Had the tors have done their utmost to prevent stifle the support and goodwill of well- right type of education and incentives the trust from fulfilling its objects and meaning people towards AET. In view have cast aspersions ^yhich have not of the above, we the trustees realized all this, we have ploughed ahead with point of view, without it being totally the majority of them in. our work, for conviction and truth misrepresented and distorted in the have been bur weapons. We have star- press and hence our enforced silence, ted the educational program with the . . . . first group of athravans and have laun- has decided to launch a post-madressa for giving any additional meaningful ched a medicare scheme to assist the educational and socio-economic pro ­ priests and their immediate family gram for the Zoroastrian clergy. members. A socio-economic project Whereas the two residential madressas to be full-time practising athravans. for those in need has also been initiated have been training boys up to a navar/ Thus, there is a clear necessity for a through our offices. maratab level, they have not been able new project like the one we have pro- We would like you to read our posi- to impart the kind of broad based edu- posed. This, we believe will improve tion paper and then form your own cation envisaged by the trustees of the education and economic conditions opinion. Judge for yourself as to AET. We believe that our education of the athravans, both qualitatively whether our first project deserves your will eventually motivate the boys to re- and quantitatively. It should also be support. Unlike our critics, we have main in the priesthood which hitherto, noted that the funds of one crore forged ahead and done concrete work with the existing facilities at the three rupees to be collected for this specific in an area which has been crying for at- madressas, has not been the case. In task will be spent wholly and exclusive- tention for many a decade. fact, during the last five years,at least ly for this first project of revitalizing DASTUR DR FiROZE M. KOTWAL 40 boys have passed out from the two the clergy. Chairman, Athfavan Educational Trust November 23, 1985 The Athravan Educational Trust cording to our sources (five from An- A team of specialists have proposed a (AET) has been in the news for the past dheri and only two from the Dadar broad based educational program five months during which period both madressa). In the corresponding pe- under the overall chairmanship of Das- the vernacular papers and an English riod, at least 50 elderly priests have tur Dr Firoze M. Kotwal. In recent community magazine have alleged and retired or died. years Dastur Kotwal has gained experi­ reported a number of inaccuracies existed for the priests, they would not have been in the poor state of know- been substantiated to date. Inspite of that it was a futile exercise to convey our ledge and neglect that today we find Furthermore, it has been reliably communicated to us that both the mad- The AET by way of its first project ressas have no surplus funds at present education and/or financial incentives to the boys in order to encourage them residential madressas, but only seven boys have become full-time priests ac- The Educational Program reported a number of inaccuracies The trustees of AET in this first pro- ^ence both in India and abroad, having about the formation and the proposed ject believe that they can stem this dec- taught at the Center for the Study of activities of AET. Our position paper line by giving a right and balanced edu- World Religions at Harvard Univer- is not to doubt their concern but to ^s- cation at post-madressa level to its par- sity. He will be aided by a team of qua- pel important misgivings and inaccura- ticipants, as currently a comparable lified specialists trained in the courses, cies which otherwise well-meaning peo- program does not exist. What is offer ­ pie might continue to harbor as a result ed at the other institutes and at univer- of this unfortunate controversy. sity level is a dry course in mainly lin- which they shall teach. These courses have been designed to give a better perspective to the participants and will 25 Parsiana January 1936 •-.d 4 i?! jT I ¦ uT ¦ ¦ ¦i a ;4- be tailored to their personal needs. The AET therefore cannot be accusexl of No untramelled powers 1 combination of such courses has not taking away significant BPP resources. Clause 12-A(1) (b) of the trust deed | been offered before at post-madressa as AET’s financial wherewithal has clearly states that the managing trustee level, and so only time will judge the been directed mainly towards members can exercise her powers of removing a impact which this teaching program of the public; the public are at liberty trustee only “...in consultation and will eventually have. to support either and/or both schemes, agreement with the majority of the We would welcome any reasoned if they so choose. It is time that the other trustees... ’’ According to guidance from members of the clergy financial resources of the community Clause 10 of the trust deed it is the trus- and/or other scholars who through are strengthened by the living, rather tees and not the managing trustee alone their knowledge and experience may be than from charities endowed in the who can appoint an additional trus- able to help us improve our proposed past. tee/s. There is therefore no question of educational program. the managing trustee “hiring or firing’’ any other trustee at her sole discretion, Why such broad based education? The board of trustees consists of per- as such decisions can only be arrived at The role (qj the priests) in society needs sonalities drawn from different walks through a majority vote. to be expanded in order that there may of life. At present, the board comprises be more interaction between the. priests 10 trustees with every likelihood of it Rotation of trustees Trustees of AET The board of trustees consists of per- as such decisions can only be arrived at ‘S' 1 1 -.I ¦J'" '¦ ¦ and the laity. Given a basic grounding being expanded in the immediate The trust deed has provided for the ? in a variety of religious as well as secu- future. The trustees have come to- retirement of one third of the trustees lar subjects, the chances are that (the gether as they share some important every year by rotation. The vacancies priests) will be in a better position to common goals and the implementation so caused shall be filled in by the other discuss and understand matters apper- of the same. Any serious allegations or trustees electing persons to such vacan- taining to life, society and community misgivings against any of the trustees is cies. There is no question of the mana affairs. This in no way shall hinder the to be regretted, as such allegations ging trustee having the sole power to performance of high rituals which we stem totally from the realm of the un- re-appoint the trustee after the expiry recognize to be crucial for the survival substantiated, rather than that of fact, of a three-year term of office. The rota- of.the Zoroastrian faith. Furthermore, tion provisid^ has been introduced to a highly educated laity, expects great Some points of clarification prevent persons remaining trustees for intellectual clarity and commitment Ms Huzan Kharas has been appointed life, as is the case in most other trusts. We have not provided for a ceiling on the number of terms of re-election-^^ fit from their skills and abilities. To ex­ pect them to vacate their trusteeship purely on the grounds of their having completed their tenure of office, is in our opinion, contradictory to the con ­ fidence reposed by our donors. in a variety of religious as well as secu- future. The trustees have come to- retirement of one third of the trustees from its priesthood which the AET as the managing trustee of the trust educational program,we think,will give with the unanimous approval of Das- them. This new education will help to tur Dr F.M. Kotwal, H.P. Ranina and for any of the trustees in order to bene- 'fe CD O The rotation of trustees has been introduced to prevent persons remaining trustees for life, as is the case in most other trusts. Investments and immovable properties It is common for a trust deed to em­ power the trustees to invest in a full range of assets as permitted by law, whether it be securities or immovable properties. Therefore, the trust deed empowers the trustees to purchase land and/or construct or renovate buildings increase their respect within the com- K.P. Mistree. as one of the objects. It is conceivable munity which we believe, in turn, will N.P. Godrej, who became a trustee that as the projects of the trust increase be more than willing to support them on June 6,1985 and who continues to in the future, the trustees may deem it financially. be a trustee, has also endorsed her ap- appropriate, subject to the availability pointment. Kharas’ background and of funds, to build flats for some of the No conflict with the BPP scheme training are ideal to meet the needs of needy athravans. In fact, such powers The proposed Punchayet scheme is for this project as she has done an accredit- are standard clauses in most trust deeds the amelioration of the priesthood ed Masters ’ research thesis at the Uni- and our critics have attempted to dis- through mainly- financial assistance versity of Bombay. Her thesis was on tort a perfectly valid and legal objec- which is to be given to some of the the plight of the mobeds in Bombay tive. priests. The AET project is a socio- and was done under the guidance of Dr We would also like to state that no educational one which in no way con- (Ms) Veera Mehta, currently secretary funds have been invested in or donated flicts or competes with the BPP sch- general of the International Associa- to the film project Qjt iVings Of Fire erne. Furthermore, the trustees of the tion of the Schools of Social Work, (Quest for Zarathushtra). This film has BPP plan to derive their funds mainly Vienna. The board of trustees has full already been premiered in New York from a number of well endowed trusts, faith in Kharas’ abilities and integrity, on October 2, 1985. F K.P. Mistree. N.P. Godrej, who became a trustee that as the projects of the trust increase 26 Parsiana January 1906I I' ¦ A 1 I 4 1 Ji. 1 ^2* ' CO ¦) L* The Zoroastrian Studies connection Over the years, Zoroastrian Studies (ZS) has gained experience in the field of socio-religious education within the community and at university level both here in India as well as abroad. Hence the ZS involvement. AET however does not intend to promote a monopo ­ ly of thought in any way whatsoever, e Members of the AET are individuals who have their own freedom ot thought and courage of conviction to in whom has been vested the fulfilment express their views. If any otner ooard of the objects of their trust, have deem- of trustees comes from the same school ed it fit to file notices of eviction or from any other known ideological against AET, as well as against ZS who affiliation, no eyebrows are raised as have been the rightful occupants for this is an accepted practise. Unfortuna- many years. It is regrettable that al- tely, in the present case because they though the K.R. Cama Oriental Insti- happen to come from ZS, some of our tute was founded with the main objec- detractors see this affiliation in a nega- tive of promoting oriental studies, the tive light. trustees of the said trust have deemed it We would also like to state that no fit to victimize two organizations in- financial benefit has, or is to flow bet- volved in the very fields for which the ween AET and ZS as alleged by our cri- K.R. Cama Oriental Institute trust was tics. The members of ZS, who are also first created. In fact additional space is the trustees of AET do not have a vot- presently available in the Institute ing majority op the current board of building which by way of goodwill and the trust. Dastur Kotwal holds the cast- support could still be given to AET to ing vote in his capacity as chairman. promote its activities. 1 It is totally erroneous to conten(d that there are two trust deeds or that any illegality has oocured during the registration of the same. gest firms of chartered accountants in India, have been appointed as the audi­ tors. Just workers Can we abolish the panthaky system? We belieye that work with responsibi- Several persons are of the view that if lity is the best catalyst to produce the the panthaky system was to be abolish- leaders of tomorrow. Our team of ed, then the financial status of the ordi- mainly young trustees are committed nary athravans would improve sub- to bring to fruition the aims and ob- stantially. Whilst thesfe persons are en- jects of the trust because of the mantle titled to this point of view, it must be of responsibility placed upon them in understood that neither the AET nor the first instance. any other trust even like the BPP, has the authority to do away with the age old panthaky system. It has to be borne No two trust deeds There appears to be some misconcep ­ tions regarding the registered trust deed due to an unregistered copy of the same published in the Press. The cor ­ rect position is that the trust deed dated February 21, 1985, was signed by all the then trustees. This deed with all the necessary changes which were volun ­ tarily effetted by the trustees, was lodged in the office of the Charity Commissioner. Thirty days later the trust deed was i^nsidered by the Cha­ rity Commissioner under Section 19 of the Bombay Public Trust Act and was thereafter approved and registered on March 23, 1985. In short, it is totally erroneous to contend that there are two trust deeds or that any illegality has oc- cured during the registration of the same. c Nothing hidden It is neither practical nor customary for a trust deed to be read out, or distribut ­ ed at an inaugural function. Further ­ more, the registered trust deed number was printed in our inaugural brochure to inform members of the public about the legal existence of the trust. The AET accommodation dilemma Currently, the Athravan Educational in mind that every fire-temple, has its Trust operates from the office premises own independent board of trustees, of Zoroastrian Studies. The trustees of Therefore, if the panthaky system is to AET have never had any intentions of be abolished, it is for the trustees of becoming sub-tenants or seeking to each fire temple to decide and this does usurp the premises as alleged, nor in not fall within the purview of AET ac- fact is it possible to do so. Some AET tivities. The trustees of one fire-temple In view of the controversy and confu- trustees who are also ZS workers have did abolish the panthaky system, but always been using the premises even subsequently reverted to it. prior to the formation of AET and therefore it is inconceivable that they No benefits to trustees would desire to usurp the said premi- Under the trust deed approved by the ses. No rent or any form of compensa ­ tion has been paid to ZS by AET. Ac­ cording to the opinion of a senior counsel, ZS is within its rights to allow trustee/s. There is no question of any Opinions of legal luminaries sion raised by individuals and the Press, we have sought written opinions from Messrs M. Hidayatuliah and J.C. Shah both ex-Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of India. Charity Commissioner on the 23 rd of March, 1985, no benefit whatsoever can be derived by any present or future chure for donations is in any way con­ trary to or inconsistent with the provi- AET to use the said premises jointly immovable property being used as the sions of the trust deed and in particular with ZS and that the permission of the residence of any present or future trus- Clauses 4 and/or 5 thereof. trustees of the K.R. Cama Oriefital In­ stitute is not necessary for such user. Inspite of this declared position, the partners is a trustee of AET. Messrs K.R. Cama Oriental Institute trustees, S.B. Billimoria and Co, one of the lar- tee/s. Furthermore, no firm of audi­ tors can be appointed if any of their 27 Parsiana January 1986 Whether the appeal made in the bro- Justice M. Hidayatuliah (MH): The appeal made in the brochure for dona ­ tions is not contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of the trust deed.‘ a' ¦¦¦(¦•¦I® 1 '¦• ^-4: .J •J c |sS 'j ¦i r Indeed, as said already, it effectuates priesthood cannot justify an inference object 4(ii) (a) and 5(i) of the deed, that the trustees have made any mis- There may be and will be many other representation to the authorities in ask- appeals to effectuate the other objects ing for and obtaining exemption under of the trust. To take up one such ob ­ ject at a time is not to deny the exis­ tence of the other objects. Justice J.C. Shah (JS): In the negative. Therefore the trust deed is not at variance with the brochure. been found in the AET trust deed by the two ex-chief justices of the Sup­ reme Court of India. As a secular trust the trustees will be Section 80G of the Income-tax Act and able to fulfil the objectives of a diverse under Section 5(1) (v) of the Gift lax and broad based educational program Act. Therefore there has been no mis­ representation whatsoever to the tax authorities. even better. (The) monies collected for the first project will be used for the same as endorsed in the opinions of both the learned judges. We appeal to fair-minded people to Whether the Querist would be guilty of Whether the appeal made in (BPP dispel their doubts and misgivings in breach of trust or of the provisions of trustee Homi) Panina ’s letter is in any view of what has been clearly stated by anv law if a restricted class of persons way contrary to or inconsistent with two of India’s foremost legal minds. (namelv 15 new entrants into the Zoro- either the brochure or the terms oj the We hope that the public will now astrian p^esthood) is chosen for the trust deed and in particular Clauses 4 recognize the false and misguided pro- first project of the Querist, particularly and/or 5 thereof. paganJa as well as the many wild alle- having regard to the direction in clause (MH) For the reasons given in answer gations which have been printed in the four that the benefits of the trust are to to the query above, the answer'is in the Press against AET, for the past five be extended without reference to caste negative. An approach to a part of months. or creed? trust obligation does not make it con- (MH) The answer is in the negative. It trary. There is nothing established here AET activities is obvious that non-Zoroastrians can- except that the pilot project does not Inspite of this bitter controversy per- not enter Zoroastrian priesthood. The comprehend the totality of the trust petuated by our critics, the AET cor- restriction is in the very nature of obligation which it need not. The other pus now exceeds Rs 10 lakhs, clearly things. The project to have 15 new en- objects can be covered by other pro- indicating the public confidence repos- trants is part of the educational pro- * jZ gram connected with the Avestan peo- ||||||||||||||Funds of one crore rupees pie of Indo-lranian stocks This benefit . cannot be shared by persons of other to be collected tor this castes and creeds. But there will be ad- vantages from the trust for others in SpeCifiC taSK Will bO SpOnt ’’'I*wholly aocl exclusively for Therefore the trustees are well within their rights to undertake a project on | the Zoroastrian priesthood as the first project. ¦!* this first project of revitalizing the clergy._____ jects and drives for collection of funds, ed in the present board of trustees, Whether^upon the basis that in its first (JS) The appeal made in the letter of otherwise such an amount wcuild not project the Querist will benefit only Mr Ranina is not contrary to the terms have been donated over such a short Zoroastrian priests, it can be properly of the trust and objects mentioned in period of time. contended that the Querist has made Clauses 4 and 5. any misrepresentation to the tax autho­ rities in claiming exemption under Sec- for donations is not in any way con- Our educationaVplan which is divided tion 80G of the Income Tax Act or Sec- trary. to the terms of the trust deed or into two parts has been launched with tion 5(1 )(v) of the Gift Tax Act. brochure. the first batch of young athravans. (MH) The answer is no. Ten percent of Part A will include (a) a proper study the donors are nOn-Zoroastrians. WhMer the trustees of the Querist and training in the recitation of prayers Many more will come forth as more have the power or authority to refund and their meanings (b) the role and and more projects get underway. All all donations so far received by them to nature X)f Zoroastrian rituals (c) Zoro- communities will be entitled to be the respective donors thereof. beneficiaries but as stated above every (MH) The answer is in the negative. one cannot share in everything absolu- (JS) In the negative. tely alike. So long as the doors are Therefore Mr Kanina’s appeal letter Educational program astrian theology and ethics (d) world religions (e) the philosophy of religious thought (f) Iranian and Parsi history. Part B will include (a) cotnmunica- open to all beneficiaries according to occured, where is the question of retur- tions with particular reference to con- what they can and what they may not ning any donation in the first place? ” share on their own, there is no mis­ representation or breach of Section Generally? 80G of the Income Tax Act or Section (MH) Nothing more needs to be said. 5(l)(v) of the Gift Tax Act. (JS) The circumstance that the educa­ tional project may benefit Zoroastrian gularities on any points of law have contemporary issues (e) modes and As nothing irregular or improper has versational English and public speak­ ing (b) psychology with a focus on the theory and practice of human develop ­ ment leading to an awareness within (JS) I have nothing more to add. man (c) social work in relation to com- Thus no misrepresentations or irre- munity and environmental issues (d) 28 Parsiana January 1986I as' i " "fr*’ methods of developing educational courses for adults and children. The real cause of controversy ” Two high priests present a rejoinder to the AET's Position Paper. Hormazdyar K. Mirza Kaikhusroo M. JamaspAsa On behalf of the trustees of the Athra- fear that AET will get control over ath ­ ravans , hence they oppose . ” Now, in the covering letter to the PP Medicare scheme This scheme, already begun, will help all the needy priests who wish to avail themselves of our health program. Pridr to the emergence of this project, free medical care was available on an ad hoc and sporadic basis. This medi­ care scheme has been made possible because of the wonderful support and cooperation given to us by 128 doctors who are now on the AET panel which continues to expand. Launched on an area-wise basis, H|e priests will now be able to choose from a panel of doctors local to their area, without the fear of an impending payment or fee. Some doctors have even agreed to give free medicines to the athravans. We are also aware that some doctors van Educational Trust (AET), one of have always treated the athravans free, its trustees and the chairman, Dastur but now many more doctors, specializ- Dr Firoze M. Kotwal has issued a signed by Kotwal, “envy and hostility ” ing in different fields, have committed write-up labeled the Position Paper have been cited as the reasons for op- themselves to make their services avail- (PP), along with a covering letter dated position against the AET. Subsequent- able to a greater number of priests and November 23, 1985 signed by him; but ly, in the PP (p. 1) itself, public criti- here lies another advantage. We believe the PP itself does not bear any signa- cism in the Press ffas been alluded to: that by organizing and implementing ture. We specifically mention this be- “Our Position Paper is not to doubt this scheme it has already benefitted a cause some months ago, one of the their concern but to dispel important number of priests, who hitherto have AET trustees, (Homi) Ranina, sent one misgivings and inaccuracies which not been aWe to avail themselves of of us a “final copy ” of the (AET’s)- otherwise well-meaning people might free medical service. Recently an athra- trust deed, along with a covering letter continue to harbor as a result of this van from our medicare scheme told our dated July 23, 1985. The trust deed was unfortunate controversy. ” investigator that he did not have to pay a cyclostyled copy and unsigned, while Rs 700 in X-ray fees, which in the past, the covering letter bore Ranina’s signa- he had had to pay. We plan to have a ture. Now this unsigned “final copy ” regular follow-up in which the scheme has been unceremoniously disowned as lity? ” The trustees lose credibility on will be reviewed and evaluated with the an “unregistered copy ” (PP p. 6). Fur­ doctors and athravans. This facility ther, it is not known whether this PP is has been extended to the athravans ’ thesameas the promised “White Paper.” dependent family members as well. Where now are the stories of “clos ­ ing down agiaries,” “fear of control over athravans ” and “envy and hosti- account of these contradictions. AET’s growing paranoia After depleting all their possible ex­ Concoctions and Contradictions cuses as to why their critics want to cri- Your support It appears that the trustees of the AET ticise them, the AET has now dismis- We appeal to the public to contribute have to concoct stories to conceal and sed all opposition as ‘^personal ” envy generously. The AET target is to col- confuse the real points at issue, and the and hostility. Let us point out that if lect one crore rupees, so that a reason- real cause of controversy and opposi- there have been any personal remarks able income will be generated for the tion. In his covering letter to the trust made at all in this fray, they have origi- successful implementation of our first deed dated July 23, 1985 Ranina states: nated from the AET protagonists and project. It is easy to criticize and often destroy the vision and work of others, but it is much more difficult to build sons who would like to see the day ranted and malicious allegations have and create new institutions for a better when agiaries in Bombay close down, been directed against us by some of tomorrow. Let us heal the wounds of They have told me so personally as be- AET’s trustees. Our criticisms were bitter controversy and re-unite in pur- ing the solution to the problem of dimi- and are against the functioning of the pose so that we may be able to continue nishing number of priests. They believe AET. our work with greater fortitude that there are too many agiaries in and courage. The trustees of AET Bombay and the land on which the Madressas and religious education are going to pave the way for a agiaries stand at present should either Regarding the “first project, ” the PP new generation of athravans. Help be sold off or used for construction of (p. 1) states: “...the two residential us to care for others with wis- houses. ” madressas have been training boys up- dom. On October 26, 1985, the same trus- to a navar/maratab level...” Edited text of AET position paper. tee at a meeting said that: “The critics Ranina is a trustee at the Dadar “As 1 had mentioned to you, those not from us. In fact, while we bear no who attacked us in the press are per- personal antagonism, totally unwar- houses. ” On October 26, 1985, the same trus ­ tee at a meeting said that: “The critics iSt .;K. - J '¦i'J 0^ 29. Parsiana January 1986I a- a I s <1 if f Athornan Boarding Madressa, and book to him, and he solely relies on the AET is therefore a non-starter and a Kotwal was a student, teacher and English translations made by European complete failure. principal at the M.F. Caiha Athornan and American scholars. Naturally, he Institute, Andheri, and they at least would find these present courses AET corpus now exceeds Rs 10 should therefore be aware that besides “dry.” lakhs...” navar/maratab training, other reli- The other trustees of the AET, not The trustees may well take pride in gious and secular subjects are also being conversant with the subject, are their ability to collect money but the taught to the students, enabling them ——— —..... ........................................ to appear for a regular SSC examina­ tion. Kotwal, in his capacity as prin­ cipal at the Andheri Institute, himself prepared a course of studies which is presently being implemented There. In the same matter, the PP (p. 1) fur- , ther states: “What is offered at theg' other institutes and at university level is a dry cours^in mainly linguistics. ” The vague and wrong use of the term judgement, and yet it appears that all manage to get “15 new entrants ” as “linguistics ” is significant in this con- the trustees unanimously denounce the blusteriiigly announced, or even one. text for the languages and scriptural difficult and essential studies of the Considering the unethical manner, studies of Zoroastrianism. Kotwal was Zoroastrian scriptures at university misguiding propaganda and wide pub- associated with the Andheri Institute level. licity on a commercial basis, the AET for more than two decades; with the Sir may amass vast fortunes but they could J. J. Zartoshti Madressa as a student First project not get a single new entrant. for a considerable number of years. He Suddenly, we are informed in the PP prosecuted the course of studies there, (pp. 1,2 passim) that the welfare and Nothing hidden? received the degrees of M.A., Ph.D., education of the athravans is merely The AET would have the public believe scholarships and prizes. He has pub- the “first project ” of the AET, and that all is above board and in the open lished books and articles in India and not their sole objective. What the other regarding their affairs. While we abroad and as the PP (p. 2) states has future projects are to be, is undecided; understand that it is not customary for also “taught at Harvard.” Are these they may or may not be concerned with a trust deed to be read out at an inau- the results of a “dry course ” which has the athravans at all. The first step of gural function, when subsequent que- enabled Dastur Dr Kotwal to accomp- this first project as envisaged by the ries were levelled at the AET trust lish all this? Does he have such scant AET (p. 1) is “to give the right motiva- deed, why did the trustees maintain respect for his alma maters which have tion to mobilize the boys to join the what they termed a “dignified/enfor- enabled him to receive this wealth of program and then sustain them in the ced silence?” As the Parsi Press has knowledge? priesthood. ” The original “first pro- already pointed out, it would be willing Further, the PP (p. .1-2) states: “Had ject, ” as defined in the second question to publish the AET view-point provi- the right type of education and incen- to the legal authorities (PP p. 6) reads; ded the clarification came from the fives existed for the priests, they would “...a restricted class of persons (name- office-bearers of the AET. not have been in the poor state of ly 15 new entrants into the Zoroastrian knowledge and neglect that today we priesthood) is chosen for the first pro- pears to be “misconception, serious find the majority of them in.” ject of the Querist... ”. allegations, misgivings” regarding the As far as priestly education is con ­ cerned, Dastur Dr Kotwal himself was mobilize these “15 new entrants ” and doubts which persist and will still per­ in charge of such education for a long so have resorted to duping the com- sist, the AET is ottiged to clarify pub­ time. Was he not imparting “the right munity by substituting already trained licly all important matters pertaining to type of education ” during all these and practicing “young athravans ” (PP the working of the Trust. In fact, all years? Or has wisdom dawned on him p. 8) for their educational program, important matters have been hidden: now on account of the AET? We reiterate that the need of the hour the trust deed itself, the first project, Since his appearance in Parsi public is a few new entrants to the priesthood implementation of the first project, life about eight years ago, Khojeste who could perform the higher liturgical names of the 15 new entrants and tea- Mistree has tried to convey the impres- ceremonies. At this stage the communi- chers, the place where the new entrants sion that scholarship in India is almost ty does not need teachers and/or prea- are trained, names of donors, Zoroas- non-existent and that the goddess of chers spreading un-Zoroastrian no- trians and non-Zoroastrians and scholarship resides only in the univer- tioqs — we need well-versed yozdathre- amount donated, how the monies are sities of Europe- and America. Since gars who can tend the sacred fires and to be spent — all these are either kept a Mistree has never prosecuted these thus keep alive the flame of Zoroas- closely guarded secret or explanations essential and difficult studies of an- trianism. Kotwal, our colleague, is and clarifications are being given at cient and middle Iranian languages in seized of this grave problem facing the get-togethers and tea parties. which the Zoroastrian scriptures are community, yet it perplexes us as to Our initial silence with regard to the composed, in any meaningful depth, why he has associated himself with this AET was due to lack of sufficient evi- the original scriptures are a sealed project. The “first project ” of the dence as well as faith in the critical dis- The other trustees of the AET, not 30 Parsiana January 1986 (0 N The PP (p. 8) further writes: “The The problems faced by the priests, according to the thesis, are those faced by all people living in Bombay. incapable of independent opinion or stark fact remains that they could not I The PP (p. 6) states that there ap- ject of the Querist... ”. Evidently, the AET has failed to AET. To allay the misgivings andi r only certain clauses of the trust deed and not .the whole trust deed. So far as the trust deed is concerned, the trust will have to make “other appeals to ef­ fectuate the other objects of the trust. ” Hence the conclusion is that the trust deed, considered as a whole, is at vari­ ance with the brochure, and the con ­ clusion drawn by the trustees in the PP (p. 6) is tendentious and wrong. cernment of some of its more eminent or have not voiced their opinion. The Moreover, the legal opinions shock ­ members. Jt now appears that our faith PP (p. 3) notes: ingly reveal for the first time that the as well as that of the community in “Ms Huzan Kharas has been ap- education and welfare of the athravans general, judging by the spate of mate- pointed as the managing trustee of the is only the first project of the AET. rial being published in the newspapers, trust with the unanimous approval of “But there will be advantages from the was misplaced. Men whom we consi ­ dered to be of promise and capability and K.P. Mistree. N.P. Godrej, who seem to have been led astray them ­ selves by fanciful schemes. There is a who continues to be a trustee, has also time and place for youth in the scheme endorsed her appointment. ” of things, but this scheme is certainly not one of them. It is not even their Evicting the AET youth that we object to; it is their basic If the trustees of the K.R. Cama only to Zoroastrians and not for lack of knowledge of the situation Oriental Institute have seen fit to file others, then according to the trust deed governing the lives and work of the notices of eviction against AET as well mobeds, and the kind of training that as Zoroastrian Studies (ZS) who are should be imparted to them. Psycho- currently occupying premises in the In- logy, sociology, public speaking and stitute, it has not been without valid the like are not going to provide us cause and provocation. The correspon- with yozdathregars who will tend our dence between the Cama Oriental Insti- sacred fires. tute, ZS and AET has already appear­ ed in the Press and those who have read that will be able to judge for the presence and apparent approval of two of the AET trustees, a protagonist On October 26, 1985, Ranina, in the defined AET in the following words: “It is cheating but not illegal.” If that is so, God save the Zoroastrian com- Jl, '>^0“ y •¦ t xW --------i .T-5.aMB^^Y -»¦- ^ . 4 J * ¦^. We should be the first... Jal Engineer recounts his pioneering efforts in the pro(ductlon of plastic molcdecJ luggage. Parinaz Toddywalia 99 I s % > E o I 2 o i w “I knew bigger planes were being used. 1 Tn\r • _ planes were being used, an investment of Rs 4,000- Rs 2 000 I f of P'^nes had managed to save fTmw sXv S and Rs 2,000 was was serving; and Rs 2,000 was - -—-1 my family. I held 80 percent of the shares.” For the first three years they If, JaveUing and subsequently a greater raised as loan from nAtnon/i 99 T_i * cater to the well-to-do class, Oscar is meant for the middle-class and Cham­ pion is for the Hnancially weaker class. Though undaunted by his present competitors, Blowplast and Safari, En­ gineer fears that by'hext May there will be in the market, products from* the B.D. Group of Gujarat which has re­ ceived collaboration frdm Samsonite, an American Tourist venture (“num­ ber two in the world ”). This would mean a loss in their sales because “VI?, Aristocrat and Safari together haven’t put in as much capital as they demand for bags.” Jal Sorabjee Engi­ neer, pioneer of the molded luggage in- presently chairman tinned on hand machines designed bv Universal Luggage Manufacturing Engineer In 1957 th^iSSSJ? Recovering from a bout of flu at his Napean Sea Road residence overlook ­ ing the huge expanse of sea on Novem- % ^r 18, 1985, Engineer had been work- ____ _ ing on export plans: “Only yesterday I included an aonrenHceshin with^va"^^ i.' "*“'•** «»P*«u as iney was working out the costs of a shippiig haU in T .''^5 - ?« ««? - SO sure they ’ll container carrying our goods to th? his“coS5^ recognition of take over a larger share of the market. United States, Europe and Australia. ” neer was amoni the firsr*’'”’"a planning in advance... Even I Juj. Engineer.donipanTirrheTum'h; Klotmenr - SfX'sZeSg two lu^age manufacturer in the coun- Continuing with his trail nf competition. ” try. Last year we would have had an on Blowplast with just a little entrepreneurs do have an annual turnover of Rs 51 crores but nostalgia/h^ cXS “1 d dn-t sel ‘"r “if . f'' '•'«> “">r- Blowplast. When I w^ abtMd fori they manufacture small sized luggage, fSfactory and sympa- few months, during my absence it was ‘5™’ BS ?= SrSs £SSr!"”"= -"sSsSZ of indiH^rr ?? J departments a single person. Mr Dilip Piramal took 11 H ~ and I was forced to Zdl ” .• u . 5^8e of travel requisites). chi-ediirntpH Pnnir....... .L ., lory company and blowing plastic is p_______ “I???; each pr^u’ct ’ser??i' con- ¦f. r 1 at Bombay, Satara, Paithan and Wa- and later witnessed a fresh surge of pansion with each passing year. “I am a practical engineer,” an­ nounced Engineer, proud to be a self- made man whose working experience ex- an- 'r Development. Continuing with his trail of thoughts on Blowplast with just a little bit of pany. As the board of directors could not manage, they decided to hand our the management to another The leader in the luggage manufac- which incidentally tory company and blowing plastic is Blowplast. I started the Company with In 1975 under the banner, of Univer- Engineer started another . - - . . J - —mC ma­ kers of Aristocrat, Oscar and Cham­ pion luggage. Engineer explained how - . -----la different mar­ ket. While Aristocrat is supposed to Upholding his decision of setting up factories in the villages. Engineer feels “If many industries would move there, ----------------- l-r**^***^ one, the poor in the villages could be well looked after. ” Referring to his factories at Satara, Paithan and Waluj which were established in the course of the last three-and-a-half years and In the remote areas ! except us. A familiar sight at these factories 35 Parsiana January 1906 employing over 1,500 villagers, Engi- neer explained, “In the remote areas there is absolutely nothing except us. We^e the only ones to employ them. ” vould be the unloading of truckload^r.' li I I of raw materials and simultaneous continued from page 9. (Moreover) interpreting in factories loading of the finished products which prize for excellent performance at Vel- can be tiring since one has to stand the are taken to distant markets. The letri. His recitals have also been broad- whole day and (shout above) the terri- laborers, who initially face problems cast on Italian radio and television, fic noise ’’all around. handling a hammer and screwdriver, A bachelor of arts in modern langua- Twenty-six-year-old Fatakia, who are given six months of training which ges, Vachha is “the holder of the gets her assignments mainly through gives them confidence to literally hit coveted performers ’ diploma, Licen- contacts, agencies, hotels and by word the nail on the head. Though initially date of the Royal School of Music of mouth, needs a few days to prepare the labor comes cheap, once they are (ERSM), London. He also teaches thesubject,especiallyifitisfortechni- trained, they demand much higher pay. ^ano as the principal subject, at the cal interpretation. She also receives a Engineer’s only regret is that there is Institute, E. Mattei, in Rome, adds the briefing from her employers. Accord- no place for women in his industries, as write-up. ing to Fatakia, an interpreter he^le- the nature of work in a luggage manu- F ’ „ factoring unit requires handling of with music institutes in heavy goods. Though Engineer does not consider his presence at the factories to be indis­ pensable, it is important for him to se­ lect his own board of directors amon ­ gst whom he can distribute the mana­ gerial responsibilities. Out of a total of 11 members on his board of directors, six, including himself,are Parsis. Kersi Marfatia is export director, Nozer Nowroji, marketing director, Minoo Abadan, finance director, and his sons- in-law, Sarosh Bharucha and Nozer Irani looking after the business in Bombay. His son, Firoze was due to France, and gives private tuitions in Rs 20 to 30 per hundred words trans ­ join a.s full-time director, beginning both theory and practice, Vachha plans lated. December 1985. to visit Europe, USA and India on a Fatakia spends a lot of time perfect- Engineef gave due credit to his credi- concert tour this year, notes the press ing languages and notes that “though tors — Canara Bank and the State In- release. it certainly takes a lot of time and per- dustrial and Investment Corporation , , sistence and will to speak a language of Maharashtra (SICOM) for advanc- WOFKing 111 languages well... I really feel that all the hours of ing the funds he needed to set up hi.s “The people who come here don ’t studying the conjugation of verbs and factories in the underdeveloped areas: speak a word of English and totally grammar and vocabulary pay off, “Canara Bank gave me an overdraft of depend upon (interpreters) even to or- when finally you experience the joy Rs 5,000; today they are earning five der lunch!’’ Translator-interpreter Ms and thrill of speaking a language flu­ crore rupees,” he said. Pleased with the returns of his facto- the inflow of foreign technicians into ries in the remoter areas, Engineer ad- the country due to increasing industrial mined, “1 like to employ villagers.” collaborations. Fatakia, who, apart Dr Aspy Phiroze Rana, professor and He was equally emphatic to add, “1 try from English, speaks French, Italian, head of the department of political sci- to employ Parsis. 1 would definitely Spanish and German, says there is wide ence, and dean, faculty of arts at the give them preference but at the lower scope in the field for linguists capable Maharaja Sayajirao University of Ba- levels where do you find Parsis?” of translations and interpretations. roda was invited by the International The day-to-day affairs of the Com ­ pany are supervised by the managing translation work at the installation of sent a paper at the Association ’s XIII director. Retd Gen U.C. Chopra,who an aluminium foil plant, the commis- World Congress which was held in Pa­ has a professional team to assist him, sioning of a mango-pulp concentration ris between July 15 to 20, notes a press leaving Engineer free time to plan new plant, interpretation for a well-known release. designs. “Every day we think whether film director for the Film Festival of Rana was also requested to partici- A bachelor of arts in modern langua- Even though he has a professorship vel can earn anything between Rs 150 to Italy and 400 per day while translators charge Fatakia (far left): "thrill of speaking ” Rana.studying inter­ national relations Bakhtavar Fatakia was talking about ently. ” Rana for Paris of translations and interpretations. “My assignments have included Political Science Association to pre- ¦j 1 f I ? ................. — - - ~ ~ Rana was also requested to partici- anything new can be introduced. The 1984, and for an Italian healer who pate in the University of Southamp ­ market is so big that till we reach our wanted to visit the Sai Baba Ashram ton ’s Ford Foundation Project on installed capacity, we’ll not diversify, near Bangalore, ’’ notes Fatakia in a North-South Security Issues, and to Later we will have to think of some- press release. “One meets a lot of inter- visit the Centre for the Analysis of thing else — in plastics. .............................esting people, but it is not really a gla- Conflict at the University of Kent in “In the Indian environment, ups and morous job, as some people seem to U.K., adds the release. downs are inevitable, ’’cautioned Fngi- think, ’’qualifies Fatakia. “At times. At present, Rana is director of the neer. “Difficulty in business is always plants are set up in very distant places. University Grants Commission Special there but we have to face it and think away from the city. There are no goc>d Assistance Program in International of the problems in advance.” hotels, restaurants or decent toilets. .. Relations Studies. At present, Rana is director of the plants are set up in very distant places, University Grants Commission Special 37 Parsiana January 198b .-i r 4 ir » “Nuts ”over acting Shernaz Patel talks of her recent 9 * . ¦- V f taste of fame and I her future'^lans. Niloofer J. Madon t “It started as a fun thing to do, not . something to work at or take serious ­ ly, ’ remarked Shernaz Patel of her launch into acting. Clad in a red T-shirt over stone washed jeans, with her short hair tied back in a pony tail, Patel did not look anything near her 22 years, let alone the budding TV per­ sonality and film actress Currenlly acting in .he popular TV .Zg -Zs'Si ' serial Khandaan which deals with the r ’ ’ successful busineS°family lnd7tl com^- petitors, Patel was selected to act op ­ posite matinee idol Kumar Gaurav in a new tele-film titled Janam, the story of “.h'liS™^:,T SaSr ‘pS Of "hHe'herdZ Kumar’S girl frkncL ¦— She is also acting in Nuts, a play pro ­ duced by her father, noted theater sonality Burjor Patel, which has /^5l- b ' X Photo:Sherwin Crasto Courtesy body movement — - new found fame has , ------- — d p-»e Padamsees into. the German director Wol- spelhng says Patel) who conducted ? (. CJ should be a daily theater like in the Marathi theater, which is constantly travelling all over Maha­ rashtra. In the English theater every­ one IS working and travel is problema- them. ” And so “unless you where it is today. Also, “In plays there IS no money-, I cannot make c carcv out of It. .. Even if you get Rs 100 ; show and do five shows a month Ri 500 is not much.” Patel says there are ample theater houses in which to perform* but “may­ be one or two (more) might help. As tar as noncommercial theater goes vacuum). The aad Chabildas. (But) I feel Patel started her acting career in school (Convent of Jesus and Marv Fort) where she took a career a L*: houses in which to perform; but “mav- nA nriA z-k». z____ V . - noncommercial theater Is Prithvi were still in college, and tioZ-'Tte; ‘ were SO dedicated, constantly experi- ” ’’y the example of All____ ? ''5?i '4 'M } >-v i ' '1 a part in many Dumb Wife ,, - ------ - -¦••’W.wrw mog?, all Padamsee. Lata-, at play called Hitch-hiker inter-collegiate competition *hen went to the'palrayre rri __ ;___.1 ¦ _____ * workshop in May 1985, is coining back Sa 3 P'ays including ProZu/ » do a play for the National Centre for ZZil r ' P”™’ has pfCtisroM, Baug aadAMk ^.eTS'Sia^ro^i; niS aid - and -will concentrate a lot on of the EnXh~r‘ ? Parsiana January 1986 ofCusrow Baug and Anticlockwise the St Xavier’s College, Patel a play to be a in Bombay: for an i which proved to be “an absolute disas- ^he Palmyre High School, Pennsylvania, USA. on a I? ^4,. I _ __ A a ' „ : program. Rotarian students exchange i k b 'W' 1, > lUr I 1 A .! ¦¦ where a play in which she took part hers but that of Rita Rani Kaur, and notes, “In a way, TV is better. (The made the local TV as part of a news- asks, “Why didn’t they try me? It audience) gets to see the person fully, clip. Back in Bombay, Patel graduated bothers me... Some scenes 1 felt with expression, as against the stage in psychology, sociology and German, should have been quite different. 1 felt where (the finer elements) are some- from Elphinstone College, at which there was a certain softness in the time she acted in It‘s Not Funny ------- Janaab, Antigone and Diary of Anne NnleSS ''VOU deVOlOD Frank. While acting in Antigone, she was offered a small role in actress Simi Garewal’s TV serial, It’s a Woman’s World, in which she did a small skit on infidelity with film director Mahesh Bhatt. The director, impressed by her acting, offered her a role in his new tele-film Janam. Patel obtained Iier role in Khandaan, voice, needless at some points (though) is checking out whether a video tape of through her friend Vivek Vaswani who not always,” she added. her acting will suffice for an audition, also acts in the serial. Says Patel of her “I won ’t say (my Hindi) is still good Patel ’s future plans are somewhat experience in TV, “When I first started (enough), but compared to the first confused and overlapping. “I ideally off with Khandaan, it was very wierd. I episode there is a drastic improvement, still cannot get over it. You have to I’m getting capable of changing senten- look at a spot or a shoulder when ac- ces and being grammatically correct! ” tually you are supposed to be looking says Patel, at the person. You are supposed to look into the camera frame so that Patel, for as she says, “the scenes were the theater. You can teach any subject your face is seen by the TV audience.” mostly long shots, so that we could go through it. .. I want to get into TV However, Patel is unhappy that despite through the whole scene without realis- great efforts at improving her Hindi ing that the camera was there. ” diction, they chose to dub her voice. Asked to compare The voice in Khandaan is therefore not mediums in which she has acted, Patel an audience, English theater will be just where it is today. Z f “I won ’t say (my Hindi) is still good Acting in Janam was easier for Asked I I I times lost. ” Patel wants to go to England this year, “but it ’s not working out. ” Ap­ plications for the three-year acting course are not entertained unless ac­ companied by an audition, her air tic ­ ket for which would be an unnecessary expense, if she were not chosen. But Patel adds, “If someone can give me a 70 percent guarantee of scholarship, then I’ll go. ” In the meanwhile, Patel want to work with children. In Europe there is this new method (of teaching): Theater in education, which deals with all age-groups (up to) the teens, and which discovers their abilities through serials in production; something to do with communications. 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G‘' rto'1 I M I “I 1 r. i < 1 1 i i r J •j. I. 1 .1; I, I . ^4 p*’ a ing under the ^mfoay •iiS. {' formed Attidesaria. Work on the construdScm of new buildings has been making dow but Finding themselves in a none loo happy steady progress. Forty-three flats out situation as landlords of old buildings of a total of 60 have been booked at Drugs charging low rentals and yet being un- the Khareghat Colony Development To counter the problem of drug addic- able to evict defaulting tenants, the Scheme (Gibbs Road ownership flats) tion afflicting Parsi youth, the BPP is BPP has made a representation to the ai^ Rs 52 lakhs collected so far; the considering joining hands with Russell Pinto ’s Seva Dhan (an institution with established infrastructure to treat drug addicts). The cost of Pinto ’s new pro ­ ject, approximately six lakh rupees, is to be borne by Caritas India, an Indo ­ German funding agency, but they have requested the BPP to contribute one lakh rupees towards the capital cost of investment in land. The BPP has requested principals of colleges in Bombay to include Parsi professors and/or students on their anti-drug programs. Such committees, exemption from the application of the walla. formed at the behest of the vice-chan- Rent Act and the Land Acquisition Bill After the occupation of 110 flats in cellor of Bombay University, are ex- (proposed to amend the Maharashtra buildings A, B, C and D in Godrej pected to suggest and implement effec- Housing and Area Development Act Baug, commencement certificates for tive programs to solve the problem of by inserting a clause whereby a land- eight new buildings (proposed 378 drug addiction. So far five to six prin- lord would be forced to convert his flats) have be^ received and the res- cipals have affirmed the presence of building to a cooperative housing pective donors approached for giving Parsis on their joint committees. society on the willingness of tenants to their promised donations. In'addition Prof Khurshed Sheriar, vice-princi- pay, as lump sum, a specified multiple to the three buildings donated by pal of Jiai Hind College, has reportedly of their regular rents). Homi J.H. Shai^orji Pallonji, Ms Variava and sent circular letters to his students ’ ~ - • - - ¦ guardians with a view to increasing awareness < . _ abuse. This prompted Kanga to com- authorities regarding removal of hard- ment on the increase of drug peddlars ships faced by the Trust, around the prestigious schools of Bom- '— bay and the launching of a government may compel the trustees to increase the Against an estimated cost of Rs 25 program to curb the activities of ped- low rents charged to the old tenants lakhs, a sum of Rs 1,51,981 has been dlars. Anklesaria stressed the need for of BPP properties. Golwalla informed, collected as donation^for the construc- preventive programs instead of cura­ tive ones. pl; ' Continued from page the interview/personality tests, Gol- Act. walla noted, “We are prepared to spend any amount (on coaching) be- Housing cause we want more administrators. ” T IWic Tri J ’• ' .A. I I* iiianmaaai-iilj - ift- To counter the problem of drug addic- able to evict defaulting tenants, the Scheme (Gibbs Road ownership flats) ----- - -------- - . . . » . « . « . .V J BPP is anxiously awaiting buyers for the remaining flats. Construction work has reached the third floor level in the south wing of the building. With the decision to demolish the All our 293 properties are well looked after. So far only the Kashinath Building in Fort has collapsed. / t ghat Colony, “the additional FSI of 14,000 square feet would provide an ideal site for an ownership building which could follow the policy of the Gibbs Road Scheme (where the surplus income generated would be utilized for residential constructions for the lower joint committees which will monitor Government of Maharashtra seeking income categories), ” informed Gol- After the occupation of 110 flats in ! ! '\ k' pected to suggest and implement effee- Housing and Area Development Act Baug, commencement certificates for drug addiction. So far five to six prin- lord would be forced to convert his flats) have be^ received and the res- society on the willingness of tenants to their promised donations. In'addition pay, as lump sum, a specified multiple to the three buildings donated by Taleyarkhan, presently member of the the Ranina family trust, two will be Minorities Commission has consented financed by the Godrej Foundation i., of the problem of drug to take up the matter with the higher and three from the BPP funds. ¦ “ ¦ Formalities for the proposed con- _____ struction to house mobeds working at The increasing maintenance costs Doongerwadi are being looked into. Ll • i ii I !i 11. ll “All our 293 properties are well looked tion of 16 flats. At Contractor Baug, after. So far only the Kashinath Build- Mahim “one building might come up, ing in Fort has collapsed. ” While some depending on the cooperation of the Trust Advisory Service buildings are being repaired after present Parsi and non-Parsi tenants, ” The Trust Advisory Service project en- obtaining a No Objection Certificate explained GolwallSr. Then referring to trusted to the Zoroastrian Community (NOC) from the Repairs Board, the the four flats kept reserved as transit Development Institute (ZCDI) will response from some of the tenants is camps in a building on plot F at Con- continue its activities for another year not quite satisfactory, thereby delaying tractor Baug, Golwalla revealed, “Pro- atacostof Rs 63,000 per annum, notes the repair work. Vimadalal was expli- viding transit accommodation is now the press release. The first Quarterly cit, “Admittedly all can’t afford (to posing serious problems. Normally Bulletin of the ZCDI for the period contribute towards repairs) but there transit accommodation is provided for ending September 30, 1985 contains are some who can and don ’t want to. ” four months with a maximum of six useful information about some of the Referring to his statistics, Anklesaria months. But one individual has refused latest judgments in the field of taxation law pertaining to public trusts and on the investment opportunities available 1986, Rs 24 lakhs will be spent on signing an agreement. We are wonder- to different categories of trusts to en- maintenance, assessment and Repairs ing whether to build further transit sure maximum returns. Board cess. Though usually the BPP camps.” As Ranina noted, “Their de- The ZCDI are in the process of expends six to seven lakhs for repairs mand for alternative accommodation working on a booklet on the rights and every year, recently “five lakhs were amounts to blackmail,” to which Desai duties of trustees of public trusts fall- spent on the repairs of just one build- added, “Our standards are coming pointed out that from the Rs 26 lakhs to move out and seeing his example, expected as income by way of rent in three others have followed suit despite 42 Parsiana January 1906 - I I' »I; 15 down and so also our morals. ” This prompted Golwalla to read out a letter from a 79-year-oId lady add­ ressed to the Wadia Trust. A resident BPP J______ of Cusrow Baug since 1956, in 1959 she Kapadia?'Ranina elaboTated," “He*has allowed a couple to stay with her, per- j "ft his, and it may be auctioned people don ’t want tomove * out** ’*’ chen at a "^^al fee of Rs 50 per by the income tax authorities to clear lamented Golwalla. The flats have S nav Rs S sizes" of 3^0 luS petition we have appealed for a stay square feet and 500 square feet. “If at ------- ------------- least 1(X) families come forward to join jected by the court and who has now „„„ „ been deb^red by a court order from hard to meet the demand for trusts and others who are trying so ------ ------ -- ----- -- .V.' acCom- encroaching on the property, noted modation in Greater Bombay, ” notes “Though we had advertised first. assistant secretary Hormusji the press release ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦, t.u.v.uhvu ium , gone to the extent of saying that our there is no adequate response. I think i plained of “mental agony ” and of of auction, ” mentioned Vimadalal being assaulted on three < ‘ _ - when she tried to oppose their high­ handedness. “1 have relatives as old as against Kapadia.” I and no one to turn to, ” she wrote. Ranina said, “Y«u often hear grievan­ ces that the old are staying alone in ______vmih jcicu large flats, but hearing (of such inci- by May° 1986. ThrSombay MuniSpal dences) no one is willing to accommo- Corporation approval has been ob- datei the young. ’ Adi Marzban, Editor tained for the revised layout plans for of Jam-e-Jamshed, pointed out, “You 160 ownership flats and 16 rental flats don t know the other side of the pic- . T, . .. Residential units at Sanjan jau, anu cimnsn meaium sn Work at Panthaki Baug (Andheri) A BPP scheme for the construction of colleges cinema houses etc for construction of 274 flats has not 96 ownership flats at Sanjan (at a dis- " ’ ’ reached beyond the stage of construct- tance of three hours drive from Bom- mg the compound wall because of pro- bay) hones to induce retired memherc ceedincs aeairKst P n tiiu mauce retireo members a., muusny ai aai^an, Kanga empha- ceeaings against P.D Jilla (who is of the community to settle outside sized, “It may take time for the Bom- claiming ownership rights at Panthaki Bombay. The scheme is an attempt to bay boys to adjust to going to other Baug) whose motion of notice was re- alleviate “the burden of housing on ar^s but once tl,;^ pJoWem of^^accorS- . - . . « --------------- '^¦w***^* *VV tMiaiAAAVO VV/IIIV IMlWaiU UV lUlli informed that Jilla has this scheme, the plans will be submitted even filed criminal nroceedins^ tn thp annrnnriato fz»- tion...comfortable small flats can be given on ownership basis from Rs notes the press release. Kanga and Ranina felt that even the younger generation should grasp this opportunity since Vapi, which has one of the largest industrial complexes in Asia, is only 23 kms away from San­ jan, and English medium schools and ' , are easily accessible. While Ranina revealed that Mazda Leasing will be the first to start an industry at Sarian, Kanga empha- filed^ criminal proceedings to the appropriate authorities for At Bharucha Baug (Andheri) con- ___ ___ ,^5 struction of four flats on Aimai Doctor 75,000 to rI i *,00^000 approx/mately"^ ’ Building is expected to be completed notes the press release. Residentiai units at Sanjan I ob- reached beyond the stage of construct- tance of three hours drive from Bom- 43 Parsiana January 19SH -'J SERSON Electrolytic Capacitors For All Electronic Api^icatlons From 12 VIX: To 350 VI>C MmwfacturwK Serson Industries Pvt. Ltd. Plmpri FJePeOe, Poona-lS. Cable: EtaMoft Peona-ia. nioee: «379 I ft • f '¦ X ¦ jfI rii t{ ii modation reaches an impds there will be no option... ’’ Ifewge, ml A vesta ba-Maehe. ,4 *'0, LW A' in^ the computers at the International !< 'i1 '1' •it j I a L J' j 4 I I f ’I 11' 11 it ¦I Institute of Population Sciences, was Matrimonial bureau offered to experts interested in availing Mobed amelioration Two get-togethers and a picnic orga- of the information. It was on the basis To give a boost to the Mobed Amelio- nized by the matrimonial bureau have of this data that Dr Malini Karkal had ration Scheme, “the trustees have re- “stimulated a lot of interest, much worked on a study of Parsi demogra- solved to contribute Rs 75,000 every more than across the table match- phic patterns. Printed copies of the year for a period of three years. A mat- making,’’ noted Anklesaria whilst report are now available at the BPP ching contribution is expected from referring to the BPP’s sanction of office. other cooperating trusts (M.F. Cama Rs 36,000 a year towards the bureau’s Athornan Institute, N.M. Charities, Iranian Zoroastrian Anju­ man, Zoroastrian Association and C.M. Banaji Charity Trust), the press release. A sub-committee consisting of with the bureau. The 10 marriages alleviating the unrecognized problem Eruch Desai, Jal Vimadalal, Dastur arranged by the bureau so far, made of the increasing strength of the aged K.M. Jam^spAsa, Farrokh Sidhwa, Anklesaria comment, “Ten is not a big population in the community, Gol- Zal Eranee, mobed Rustom Panthaki, number in a year and a half. Parsis are walla referred to the beds available at Ms Arnavaz Chubb and Peshotan Nar- found to be choosy and rightly so. ’’ “ - -- golwala as honorary secretary held its first meeting on December 23, 1985. Initially 40 deserving mobeds will be the age range was from 24 to 50 years. Parsee General Hospital, helped. A sum of Rs 5,000 will be con- Except in one case, both husband and tributed towards a marriage in the wife were working. In the case of committee of the Parsee General Hos- ,, family of a full-time practicing mobed, males, the income ranged from Rs. pital, explained that overhauling the and Rs 2,000 towards the navjote ex- 1,400 to 4,000 per month and in the chronic ward would entail an expendi- penses of a full-time practicing mo- case of females from Rs 750 to 3,0(X). bed’s child. In all cases accommodation was Ervad R.R. Motafram ’s three vol- available which made Anklesaria point able only to those who are in a reason- umes on Elements and Salient Features out, “The salient fact which emerges is ably active condition, Vimadalal en- of Zoroastrianism, published by the that girls do want security of accom- quired, “What happens to the bedrid- BPP, recorded a further sale of 71 sets modation and we should reconsider den?’’It was Kanga who summed up, from (April to November 1985. Alto- whether our present policy of allotting “Let ’s admit that the focus so far has. gether 500 sets of cassettes (two cas- 30 percent of flats to engaged couples been on the youth. ’’ settes per set) of Zoroastrian Daily could be further increased.’’But Vima- — - - Prayers recited by Dr Peshotan Peer dalal insisted, “the still more needy the press conference by trustees Gol- and recorded by Sarosh Bhabha were category is the roofless. ’’ Golwalla walla, Desai, Vimadalal, Maneckji sold at a subsidized rate of Rs 55 per clarified, “There have been sugges- Hodiwala, Ranina and Godrej, chief set. As the stock got exhausted, it was tions that if marriages are arranged by executive Anklesaria, joint secretary decided to get 100 more sets taped. En- the BPP then we should give them prio- --- -- couraged by the interest shown in reli- rity for housing allotments. But we’ve gious literature, the trustees have com- stuck to our merit rating system. ” missioned for printing the translation and transliteration into Englfsh of the Community data late Ervad Kavasji E. Kanga’s Khordeh Substantial data on the community, siana. Kanga enquired of the Press repre- Wadia social activities. “Bringing people toget- sentatives if they could suggest any her is also an achievement, ’’ he added, worthy cause to which the BPP may To date, 279 males and 221 females, consider contributing. When a Press notes a total of 500, of which 146 are non- representative suggested that some part residents of Bombay, have registered of the BPP’s funds be utilized towards " ¦ ¦ ' J the Parukh Dharamshalla at Hughes Anklesaria observed that in the case Road and the chronic ward (in a dis- of marriages arranged by the bureau, repaired state) lying vacant at the Ranina,who is also on the managing ture of Rs 20 lakhs. Since the facilities at the Parukh Dharamshalla are avail- The Punchayet was represented at Ms Gool Tata and assistant secretary, Kapadia. The Press was represented by The Bombay Samachar, Jam-e-J am- shed, Hamazor (a World Zoroastrian Organization publication) and Par- it ’ if't ki B J ii! > I The Friendly Gift Shop for handicrafts, festive gifts and Zoroastrian artefacts Bombay Swadeshi Stores Ltd Sir P.M. Road, Bombay 400 (X)I Tel: 253443 & 252730 1______________________ |Slii«i|g| Old Wrist Watches Wanted Advertiser wishes to buy OLD wrist watches of Pre-1950 period of well- known makes such as Rolex, Patek-Philippe, Cartier etc. Please send detailed list with expected prices to The Advertiser, (OLD) C/o Parsiana, H.L. Rochat & Co., Navsari Chambers, 39 A.K. Nayak Marg, Fort, Bombay 400 001. 44 Parsiana January J986