May 1999

< Torts' Jimmy S 1 If ¦fc.! r ...... ’ft-.I EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel MANAGING EDITOR Arnavaz S. Mama EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz M. Gandhi SENIOR EDITORS Dina K. Mehta, Hilla P. Guzder ASSOCIATE EDITOR Roxana A. Driver DESIGN Kranti M. Shilotri, Nivedita S. Dhotre MARKETING DIRECTOR Veera Patel ADVERTISING MANAGER Jasmine D. Driver ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Susan Hadvaid FINANCE B. L. Arora DTP Bakhtavar R. Batliwalla, K. P. Ravi SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Khurshid Panthaki ASSISTANT SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Swarupa Bhagwat ACCOUNTANT Anagha Korde ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT Sampada S. Patwardhan ACCOUNTS ASSISTANTS Indu Pillai, Sreevidya P. Unni OFFICE ASSISTANTS Umesh Poojary, Selvan Mark, Sunil Sakhare, Govind Salgaonkar, Mahipat Jadhav May 1999 Volume 21 Number 10 2 Readers ’ Forum 10 Events and Personalities 18 Zoroastrians Abroad 23 BPP electoral scheme: More power to the people 24 Business 28 Capt Jimmy Sarbh: The challenging port-folio by Parinaz Gandhi 30 Kaizad Gustad: A seeker and a survivor by Shernaaz Engineer 35 Cinema. Bombay Boys 36 Sports 44 Books 46 Milestones 51 In Memoriam: Dr Darab Jussawalla & Dr Noshir Kapadia Cover: Photograph by Worldwide Parsiana is edited, published and printed by Jehangir R. Patel for Parsiana Publications Pvt Ltd at Kaiser-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Bombay 400001. Processing Comart Lithographers and Scana Color (India) Ltd. All rights reserved. ISSN: 0971-3786. Phone: 2078730, 2072624. Fax: 2074541. For editorial enquiries: 2078183. E-mail: parvo@giasbm01 .vsnl.net. in Parsiana@yahoo.com For subscription enquiries and payments: C/o Kaiser-E-Hind Pvt Ltd, 300 Perin Nariman St (Behind Reserve Bank of India), Bombay 400001. Phone: 2658619, 2665661. Fax: 2654585. Eleven issues of Parsiana are published in a year including a calendar supplement every December. Annual inland subscription for one year (11 issues) Rs 325; for two years (22 issues) Rs 625; for three years (33 issues) Rs 925. Foreign subscription rates: Seamail for one year Rs 575/ US $ 15/UK £ 9; for two years Rs 1,100/US $ 27/UK £ 17; for three years Rs 1,595/US $ 38/UK £ 23 (please allow six months or more for seamail delivery from the time of publication). Airmail for one year Rs 850/US $ 23/UK £ 15 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 650); for two years, Rs 1,600/US $ 43/UK £ 27 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 1,225); for three years Rs 2,400/US $ 60/UK £ 37 (for Pakistan, Indian Rs 1,825). For Indian upcountry cheques add Rs 20 for bank charges: for US cheques add $ 5; for UK cheques add £ 3. Cheques and drafts are to be drawn in favor of Parsiana.READERS’ EORUM INDIA 200 ,00 W G.P.O. Readers ’ views are welcome on any subject of interest to the community and should be sent to the Editor, Readers ’ Forum, Parsiana, G.P.O. Box 892, Bombay 400001. Letters are subject to editing for reasons of space and clarity. Unsigned letters or those without an address will not be published. “When Sam came to...” Arnavaz S. Mama ’s heartwarming re ­ port “When Sam came to Sanjan, ” pub­ lished in the January 1999 issue of Parsiana made one feel proud and happy to be a Zarathushti! While Marazban Patrawala ’s appeal to “dear Zoroastri- ans, never forsake your religion ” came as a refreshing reminder, the note at the very end of the fine function was appar ­ ently soured when compere Rati Wadia ’s call to sing Chhaiye Hanie Zarathashti wa.s overruled. As far as my knowledge and experi ­ ence go, wherever, and in whichever country Parsis have settled in they have proved loyal, and learnt and lustily sung the national anthems, usually preceded by Chhaiye Hanie Zarathoshti's inspir ­ ing words: “Gaojeri jaffa o hhaari to pun na chhorio dharani (despite tra ­ vails we have not forsaken our reli ­ gion). ” It made one very sad that this important tradition was blighted. 2 Parsiana May 1999 Could we, through the columns of your internationally read magazine, appeal to Zaralhushtis settled in known and les,s known corners of the world, to make it a rule and a tradition not only to sing the national anthems (as is usually alway.s done) but to always precede that by the inspiring chorus of Chhaiye Hanie scripts, as well as the most beautiful Zarathoshti...ko(>l jehan sathe dosti (friends with the whole world)? After all, usually our functions do commence with the recital of an Ashetn and/or a Yatha\ B. RUSTOM.li “The Zoroastrians of...” Your issue of January 1999 carries an article entitled “The Zoroastrians of Serendip ” to which I would like to add the following noteworthy features: Sohli Captain was conferred the title ‘Deshabandu ’ in the Presidential hon­ ors list of 1994 by the then President Mr withthehelpof Asha Gupta, Dr Shernaz D. B. Wijetu ngc. He has also been responsible for building and equipping a hospice named ’Shantha Sevana ’ for the Sri Lanka Cancer Society, in memory of his par ­ ents — the first of its kind for the terminally ill. Furthermore, he has made annual donations in order to maintain thi.s institution which has a bed strength of 34. M.S RATTY .ULLA .Sri Lanka Promote rich heritage I was delighted to read about the “Adopt a heritage book ” project (Readers ’ Fo­ rum, Parsiana. December 1998) under ­ taken by the Asiatic Society of Bombay under the guidance of its vice president, Dr Mani Kamerkar. I will happily send her a cheque. I was even more delighted to learn of the recently established World Zara ­ thushti Cultural Foundation with Dr Homi Dhalla a.s founder president, with A rare artefact at the Alpaiwalla Mltseiun Photo: Homyar Mistry pit I- . Nadir Modi and Dinshaw Tamboly as trustees, others to be inducted from Zoroastrian associations abroad. One institute is sadly neglected by the Parsis. I refer to the Alpaiwalla Museum at KhareghatColony, Bombay. It contains some rare books and manu- artefacts. Parsiana carried a picture of one such on the cover of one of its issues when doing a cover story on the exhibi ­ tion Parasika. May I suggest that the principals of all Parsi run schools in Bombay get together, visit the Museum and chalk out a program of visits by school children on a day-to-day basis? This would certainly encourage the for ­ lorn curator. Moreover, the Indira Gandhi Na ­ tional Centre for the Arts has compiled a bibliography on Zoroastrian studies Cama and myself. What i,s unique about this compilation is that it includes refer ­ ences to Zoroastrian literature in librar ­ ies and institutions in and around Delhi. May our tiny community grow in awareness of its rich heritage. PILOO N. JUNGALWALLA New Delhi “Reach the inner fire” This has reference to Ms Perin Divecha ’s letter “Reach the inner fire ” (Parsiana, December 1998). In the July-August 1998 issue of Parsiana, I had stated, “In my moment of prayer, the fire energies operating within myself, the spiritual energy of the consecrated fire and the divine en ­ ergies operating within the universe, all become one. ” Divecha questions, “Where or in what do they become one? ” There appears to be a hint* of mockery and sarcasm in her query. However, ignoring the same, if I were to respond in one word (regarding what I experience in my moment of prayer), it i.s “attunement. ” Divecha jests, “Let me say how for ­ tunate he i.s to experience spiritual ec ­ stasy — few human being,s can say this with so much confidence. ” Good lady, may I say every spiritual experience is a very personal experience. I lay no claims to being a mystic or one who has realized the ultimate Truth. However, I do see myself as a seeker of Truth. My spiritual ecstasy is a very personal ex-death of a kindhearted doctor standing below. It was something unbelievably tragic, leaving the doctor ’s poor pa ­ tients, his dear wife and children in severe shock (see “Life saving mis ­ sion, ” Events and Personalities, Par­ siana, February-March 1999). Dr Minoo Wadia ’s kind nature, his ever obliging attitude and willingness to help at all times; and above all, his absolute sincerity and openness were well-known to all his poor patients and to those who came in contact with him. Columnist Jehan Daruwalla in his column “Parsi Prakash ” in The Bombay Samachar wrote under the heading “Sevabhavi Doctor Wadia ”: “Having saved lives of many during his life, he saved the life of a child even at the time of his death. When life arises and when life ’s thread snaps is in the hands of Al ­ mighty God; but in his death his pa ­ tients have lost a noble and kind doctor. His family has (i.e. the energies)? ” Why, of course, Ahura Mazda! He i.s the source of all energies. He is the Creator supreme. The good lady asks, “What does he mean by ‘spiritual? ’” The Concise Ox- tual ” a.s “of or concerning the spirit as opposed to matter. Concerned with the soul or spirit, etc, not with external reality. ” To the question, “Who is the creator of things ‘spiritual? ” The answer, once again, is Ahura Mazda. The good lady says, “Mr Dadrawala and I will never see eye to eye where Mazdayasni Zoroastrianism is con­ cerned. ” I wonder why she says this with such an air of finality. A great master had once advised, “Choose your words with care. You may not know how many of them you may have to eat as time goes by.” In the words of Einstein, “The deeper we search, the more we find there i.s much to know and as long a.s human life exists, it will May I conclude with a verse from the Atash Nyaesh, "'Yasneincha. vahmemcha hubere- timcha/iishta-heretimcha. vanta-bere- tinicha, afrinanii,/tava Alarsh puthra lost a loving husband and a devoted Ahurahe Mazdao, yesnyo/ahi vahniyo, yesnyo buyao vahniyo/nmanahu mash- Wadia: saved lives father. Even when he used to be tired after a full day ’s hard work or even when he was unwell, if a patient called, he would invariably visit and help. Al ­ ways smiling and radiating cheer to his perience. It matters little to me whether others believe it or not. I do recognize that people seek Truth through different channels. Ultimately, it is a matter of choice and individual incli ­ nations. Some attempt to seek Truth /bAz/D/t7/«/m/v definestheterm “spiri- through the intellect. Others through faith. Personally, I prefer a modicum of both. In all spiritual quests, faith is important. Faith is not blind belief. It is, in fact, the aspiration of the spirit to gain wisdom. If faith is constant, it leads to the realization of wisdom. I have full faith in the tarikats (spiritual disciplines) of my religion, the manthravani(Avestan prayers) and spiri ­ tual institutions (i.e. the consecrated agiaries and atash behrams) and am con­ vinced that these are important channels for realizing divinity. If Divecha chooses to ignore these channels, the choice is hers. The lady questions, “Where do all these energies originate? ” All these en ­ ergies originate from that supreme real ­ ity we Zarathushtrians recognize as Ahura Mazda — the Creator of light always be so. ” and the Creator of life. Energy, in fact, may be defined as force, vigor or capac ­ ity for activity or action. Doctrinally, we believe that fire i.s the first of God ’.s manifested forms. Ignited matter or any other form of physical fire is, therefore, not merely physical in nature, but also has divine fire. It i.s this which gives fire yakanain ushta huyat/ahniainaire, yase- its purity and sacredness. Fire is an energy with the capacity to animate. When the fire energies operat ­ ing in our body are extinguished, we die and the body grows cold. When these energies are blocked or disturbed, we fall ill. According to the ancient science of yoga, there are seven occult centers of life and consciousness which enliven the physical and astral bodies of man. They are called chakras (wheels) that man who shall always worship thee because the concentrated energy in each one is like a hub from which radiate rays of life-giving light and energy. While Hindus activate these chakras with the aid of manthras (e.g. the chanting of the Oni), pranayani (‘prana ’ being life- breath or ‘lifetrons ’ a.s Paramahansa Yogananda put it), yoga, etc, a Zoroas- trian may activate these energy centers or chakras with the aid of spiritual ' nobility and strength of character of the got promoted as a clerk. The grateful tarikats like physical and mental purity late Dr Minoo Framroze Wadia who man still remembers the noble doctor and the aid ofsudreh-kusti,agiary, atash met with an untimely death in a freak with utmost respect and love! ” behrams, manthravani, and following the path of Asha (Righteousness), as also living in harmony with his/her environment. To the question, “Who created them thwa hadha/frayazaite, aesmo-zasto, haresnio-zasto/gao-zasto, havano-zasto “O fire, the purifier (of all things) patients, day and night he would will ­ pertaining to Ahura Mazda! I praise Thy worship, invocation, good health ­ giving and friendly gift. (O Fire), thou art worthy of worship and invocation, mayest thou be worthy of worship and invocation in the abodes of men! May his leg. The noble doctor was aroused there be greatness (or happiness) unto ingly give his service. He had a soft corner in his heart for the poor which the following story indicates. “Once a beggar was sitting near his dispensary with an infected wound on with pity and took the beggar into his clinic, gave the necessary treatment and dressed the wound. Not only that, but the kind doctor told the beggar to come again for follow-up treatment. The beggar got cured soon and the benevolent doctor went a step further — he got the beggar a job as a peon in one of his patient ’s offices. The man who was once a beggar, by dint of his hard work and night-study, soon with fuel, baresman, milk and mortar in hand. ” noshir h . dadrawala “Life saving mission” “Life i.s mostly froth and bubble. Only two things stand as solid a.s stone: Kindness in other ’.s trouble And courage in your own. ” The above lines indeed reflect the late Dr Minoo Framroze Wadia who met with an untimely death in a freak accident on New Year ’s day, this year. (Broad rendering from Gujarati) One could never have imagined that boy would fall from a height of three charitable and public organizations. In floors and would be saved with only minor injurie.s while causing the instant Dr Wadia was associated with many 1975 he joined the Parsi Ambulance Division as divisional surgeon. There- 4 Parsiana May 1999after he was appointed district surgeon in St John Ambulance Brigade. He had been working as an honorary lecturer at quoted here as also those of Rabin the Civil Defence College since 1977. He had also served as honorary physi ­ cian at the Bombay Native Dispensary, St John Brigade Medical Centre and Ozanam Medical Centre since that time. In June 1984, the Parsi Ambulance Di­ vision gave him an award for his no­ table services. In September of the same year, the Civil Defence Staff College also gave him the Invaluable Services Award. In January 1985 he was awarded the Dedicated and Outstanding Services Certificate by the St John Ambulance Brigade. In November 1986 St John Ambulance Brigade awarded him the Service Medal for his outstanding work. On January 26, 1994 he received the prestigious Civil Defence and Home Guards Medal from the President of India for his meritorious services. He was the first civilian to receive this award. mehertehmaspparekh tion “Parsi girl and non-Parsi groom = extinction. The words of Annie Besant of the Great Prophet Zarathushtra shall sweep again through His temples, fan­ ning the ashes — making the Iranian religion once more what it ought to be, a beacon of light for the souls of men, one of the greatest religions of the world. ” Tagore said, “Zoroaster was the great ­ est of all pioneer prophets who showed No cause for gloom Much i.s written about the extinction of Parsis and Zoroastrians due to inter ­ marriages. There is no need for the gloom and doom expressed by the equa- dranath Tagore should assure any Zo- roastrian that what has lasted over 5,000 years will not disappear. I am an In­ dian, a Parsi, but above all, I am a Zoroastrian and a time will come when my Prophet ’.s glory and Hi.s religion the path of freedom to man, the freedom will shine forth brighter than ever be ­ fore. To quote Annie Besant: “O my Parsi brothers! Your prophet is not dead. He is not perished: He is watching over the religion He I'ounded, ever seeking to raise it from its present degradation, to give it back its lost knowledge, its lost powers. What nobler work for the Zoro ­ astrian of today than to permeate his brethren with the ancient fire, to relight (Yasna 45.1). Zoroaster ’s voice is still a its blaze on the spiritual altar of their living voice, not a matter of academic hearts. What nobler work than to study his own scriptures and to go teach the ancient learning with the au ­ thority and power that can only be wielded by a man of the same faith, with those he addresses. The fire is not dead; it is only smoldering on its ancient altars: white-hot are the ashe,s ready to reburst into Hames. “And I drcam of a day when the breath of moral choice with the undoubted as ­ surance and hope of one who has got a direct vision of truth. He speaks to the world — ‘Hearken unto me ye who come from near and far! Listen for I shall speak forth now, ponder over all things, weigh my words with care and clear thoughts. Never shall the false teacher destroy the world for a second time for his tongue stands mute and His creed exposed ’ interest for historical scholars, nor merely forth and the guide of a small community of men in the daily details of their life. Rather of all teachers, Zarathushtra was the first who addressed His words to all humanity, regardless of distance of space or time. ” When such great souls have shown us their faith in this sublime religion, who are a few petty creatures to predict its end and extinction! Parsis do not With Best Wishes From Mr Rusy M. Shroff, M.B.E. and 6 Parsiana May 1999 Mrs Purviz R. Shroffhave a monopoly on Zoroastrianism, it ’s a universal religion. There are Zo­ roastrians in every continent and every corner of the world, and I know for certain that “the breath of the great prophet Zarathushtra shall sweep again through His temples... and Zarathushtra will be again a beacon of light for the souls of men! ” DHUN (CAMBATA) NARGOLWAI.A Soften your stand I am an upcountry Parsi settled in Kota, Rajasthan where there arc only two families in permanent residence. In olden times we used to get people in the Western Railway and in the army on temporary postings. My dad came here way back in the ’30s in Kota stale and had liquor contracts and other interests. My aunt, Ms Khurshid A. Lakde- walla, residing in Agra died at the age of 80. A postgraduate in English from Holker College, Indore, she also held a diploma from the Tata Institute of So­ cial Sciences, Bombay. During the Par ­ tition she was working in the ministry of rehabilitation and social welfare with temple with an attached dining hall like stalwarts from the Sarabhai family. She later joined the Scindia School, a public school in Gwalior and retired as the jote, lunch could be served at home to PRUDENTIAL SHIPPING AGENCIES PRIVATE LIMITED Shipping agents, cargo brokers and container operators 55A/63A, Walchand Hirachand Marg, Opp G.P.O., Mumbai 400001, India Tel: 2692787 (10 Lines), Fax; 2652841, Tlx: 11 82307 PSAB IN Website: www.mastergroups.com Internet: prudential. bom@gems.vsnl.net. in Registered Office: 77, Mint Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001, India Tel: 2694203, 2659055, 2658396 Branches Bombay — Nhava Sheva — Kandla — New Delhi — Ludhiana — Ahmedabad 8 Parsiana May 1999 principal of their boys ’ section. It is high lime that our religious strictures are softened and we live like they are between 43 and 54 years of other communities of the world if we age) were performed thus. In the evening and our seniors want to increase our they were taken to Apollo Bunder, given community. Forty years ago we were in every field of endeavor in India. Now we are just on the periphery. Dr C. ANKLESARIA Ceremonial conduct The idea of a navjote is to make the child feel that he has become a follower of the Zoroastrian religion and it should be performed in a solemn manner, and not as a meeting for friends and rela ­ tions, with the hosting of costly dinners. To begin with, a child of seven and nine years should be taught the prayers and their meaning by an elderly priest of the navjote and in a very short time for about one to two hours every Sun­ day for two months. The navjote cer ­ emony should be between 9 and 10 a.m. when the sun is shining and not setting. As far as possible it should be on a Sunday or holiday. It should be perfonned in a fire- the Sethna Agiary, Fanaswadi Atash Behrain, Colaba Agiary. After the nav- close relatives and the child ’s friends. All my five children ’s navjotes (now a boat ride followed by ice-cream and cakes in an Irani hotel and brought home by 8.00 p.m. I did not have to borrow any money to pay for the costly band and decoration. All my five chil ­ dren continue to observe their religion as they should. Nowadays it has become a fashion even for middle-class families to have the navjote at 5.00 p.m., when only a few relatives are present. Others all come at dinnertime, give a present to the child and rush for dinner. The child has a very poor impression forgets the prayers and very rarely visits an agiary. That is why we find agiary and atash behram halls empty even on important razs. Now there is also the added risk of being looted in the night by goondas and taxi drivers. As for marriages, hotel halls are safer than any baugs and it could be carried out during the day time or after sunset depending on the conve- continued on page 52Events and Personalities Raised its masthead After a hiatus of nearly 10 years. The BPP Review, the bulletin of the Bombay gratitude for their munificence where- Parsi Punchayet (BPP), has raised its masthead in a new avatar with its spring 1999 issue. “In this the information age, good communications is fundamental to success, ” notes the front page edito ­ rial pointing out that “with changing — is cited under “Noble gestures; noble sentiments ” to express the Punchayet ’s astrian community as also those who had come from Bombay, Poona, Hyder ­ abad, Ahmedabad, Coonoor and even from the Punchayet will be richer by Dubai to witness the ceremony. Con- nearly seven crore rupees. “The BPP are the largest private landlords in Bombay by virtue of their kriya is said to benefit and bless not being owners of 480 buildings compris ­ ing 5,500 flats,' ’ states the Review. sidered the ultimate in the religious rituals of Zoroastrianism, the nirangdin times the BPP too must undergo a metamor ­ phosis...but old institu ­ tions can at best change slowly... “With the first issue of The BPP Review, we intend to keep you bet ­ ter informed about your Punchayet, its activi ­ ties, its performance and its main achieve ­ ments. The emphasis will now be on open truthful communications and an objec ­ tive analysis of how we are faring, our goals and values...It is the fond hope of the BPP that members of the commu ­ nity will interact in a positive and mean ­ ingful manner, and will not only realize but also appreciate the limitations within which your Punchayet has to function, ” continues the editorial. The 12-page newsletter introduces the Punchayet as probably one of the voking quotations on different pages oldest surviving and functioning public charitable trusts anywhere in the world with a history of over 300 years. They have opted to give an overview of the Punchayet ’s performance in the finan- Nirangdin in Nagpur cial year that ended on March 31, 1998 with some salient features of their on­ going activities in the field of welfare, education, housing, illustrated with 10 color photos. The largesse of the two sisters — the late Hirabai Bhagat and Putlamai Mody proximately 600-strong Nagpur Zoro- THE 3PP REVIEW j c u ? . » I'XTiMf AorVcjmwm-^ 10 Parsiana May 1999 only the person in whose name it is performed but the hallowed precincts of the agiary in which it takes place and all the congregation who absorb the vibrations created by it. The nirangdin which culminated on March 13, 1999 in Nagpur was in memory of the late Khushroo Edulji Considering that this publication is delivered to the doorstep of all the Punchayet-owned flats, the trustees have also cho­ sen to include here “A note of caution ” for the aged Doongaji, past president of the Nagpur Zoroastrian,s residing alone in the light of the increasing spate of mur ­ ders in the city. A warning is also sounded for those who in their keenness to sheer money and logistics involved and occupy Punchayet flats li- an even greater factor which is the Parsi Gymkhana. It was made possible through the piety and generosity of his wife Naju, sons Jehangir and Shiraz, and daughter Shernaz Sethna. The hold ­ ing of the kriya is a daunting task for the aise with people who depose as agents paucity of priests with the scholarship or brokers of the Punchayet. Those serving on the editorial com­ mittee of the Review are trustees Minoo Shroff, Dadi Engineer, RuslomTirandaz and Dinshaw Tamboly with adminis ­ trative assistance from Behram Dastur, Mehli Colah, Sheroo Master, Nergish recently laid marble floor of the agiary. Irani and Bakhtawar Tarapore. The news items are .interspersed with thought pro- and stamina required to undergo 18 rigorous days of prayer and ritual. While the rituals leading to the nirangdin lasted 18 days, the planning of it started 180 days earlier. A paavi (furrow) had to be made by chipping the Kitchens and quarters had to be made ready for the priests. The most daunting task was bringing the sacred varasiaji and an appeal for donations on the last (albino bull) from Nargol. page listing 23 projects for which the sums would be welcome. The last nirangdin kriya in Nagpur was 22 years ago. Not surprisingly, the one held in 1999, for only the second time in the l()4-year-old history of the Bai Hirabai Mulla Dar-e-Meher in Nagpur, evoked great enthusiasm from the ap- A car driven by Shahrukh Cassad and Hoshi Karbhari went to Bombay to bring back Ervads Adil Bhesania, Din- yar Vazifdar and Godrej Panthaki along with the alat (nirangdin requisites). Ervad Aspandiar Dadachanji who was once the popular panthaky of the N agpur agiary flew in the next day. In the meanwhile, a white milk-yielding goat and four other uncastrated bulls had been found from in and around Nagpur.HBr!| ^^y^milllllipii^r Priests who participated in the Jashaii with nienihers of the Dooiigaji family at whose behest the nirangdin was petforined; Tester (right) was brought from Nargol H awakening. In the course of the following month ¦ the community in Nagpur has been coming together on different occasions. To celebrate Navroz they had a talent £• contest followed by a contributory din ­ ner at the Dharamshala when the tradi ­ tional falooda was greatly relished. On (he Avan mah parav on March 29 they had a jashan followed by humbandagi on the verandah of the agiary overlook ­ ing Gandhi Sagar Lake after which some of the Zoroastrians went to offer dar ni poris, flowers and coconuts to the waters of the Lake in obeisance to Avan Yazad. More than 40 people lined up in queue for the Hepatitis-B vaccine which was administered by Dr Feroze Bharda on April 11. Three doses of -O Hepatitis-B give effective pro ­ tection against the disease which primarily affects the liver and can be fatal. Accept ­ ing Nergish Desai ’s invitation, Bharda agreed to administer the injections. Making it a com­ munity project brought down the price through simple economy of scale to R.s 250 1 per person per dose whilst pro- • viding an occasion to share ¦ camaraderie. To spice up the otherwise mundane business of queuing up for injections, tasty ke ­ babs were on sale! f On February 24. Dadachanji 5 and Bhesania had the iiahii I (bath) and went into nine days ’ S retreat during which time they I make no physical contact with I anyone, sleep on the hard ¦ ground and do not permit their outer body to contact water. The entire nine days arc meant to be spent in prayer, meditation and rcligiou.s dis ­ course to cleanse the soul. Thereafter both priests had another purifying bath, donned new clothes and started eight day.s of ijashne prayers within the paavi when the area i.s conse ­ crated, a.s also the hoaniu or water and the utensils in which the gaoniez or bull ’s urine would be collected during the final nirangdin ritual. Essential in the ijashne ceremony isjeevdni or goat ’s milk, pomegranate leaves and fronds of the date palm, all symbolic of fertility and prosperity. The eagerly awaited vcirasiaji ar ­ rived by truck on March 8. It had taken Nagpur agiary Ervad Bamansha Vazif- a great deal of patience and persever ­ ance on the part of Homi Acid walla, his keeper, and Muraribhai, his personal driver to get the irritable varasiaji. Tester, to alight from the truck. The starlit hours of March 13, around 1 a.m. saw a surge of traditionally clad Parsis make their way to the agiary for the culmination of the nirangdin. The silence of the night, the sonorous sound of Dadachanji ’s prayers, the fragrance of sukhad and loban, many days of people attending prayers and lectures by Dastur (Dr) Firoze Kotwal and Khojeste Mistrec combined to create IVIusical memories the beautiful vibrations that reverber ­ ated within the agiary. Kotwal presided over the nirangdin prayers which went on for a marathon nine hours while the congregation came and went. Thegar?- mez, mixed with that of the four other bulls, wa.s now consecrated and could being the golden jubilee show of YOU- bc used in the coming years for differ ­ ent religious rituals. Soon after the completion of the nirangdin, at 10 a.m. a thanksgiving jashan wa.s performed by 13 mobeds including Kotwal, the panthaky of the DilnavazE. Bhagwagar Performing in Bombay after a spell of 45 years, Vistasp Balsara enthralled the audience with his command of differ ­ ent musical instruments at the Youths ’ Own Union (YOU) program conducted on the night of February 6, 1999. This dar, Ervad Hormuzdiar Pavri and others. The nirangdin kriya was not without its detractors who said that the money and time could have been more effec ­ tively utilized to help deserving Parsis. But it needs to be remembered that man doe.s not live by bread alone, the indi ­ vidual and collective spirituality of our community nced.s sustenance too. The phone, mentions a press release. For 16 18 days of prayer and piety, dialog and years he was associated with the Bombay debate led to a much needed religious film industry as musician, arranger, as- On-Parade and YOU Music Circle (Balsara was the founder of the YOU Music Circle), the 77-year-old Indian classical music maestro was motivated to make the trip from Calcutta with his talented troupe to present “Musical Memories of 20th Century. ” The music director for 30 Bengali, five Hindi, four Nepalese and two Oriya films, Balsara, who has been playing the harmonium since the age of six and by the age of 16 was playing the piano for the film industry, demonstrated his prowess at these two instruments as also the bugle, clarionet and mello- 12 Parsiana May 1999» “I mimH ' il a A' Balsara (at the mike) with (from left) Jal Tata, Kalyanji, Coomie Tata and Chaina Photo; C. C. Gandevia stream and has since held a number of coveted field, instructional and staff appointments. He is a graduate from the Osmania University as also the College of Defence Management, Hyderabad, the National Defence College, New Delhi, and the Administrative Staff Col ­ lege of India. His experience includes two years of deputation to a foreign country and participation in the Indo ­ Pakistan conflicts of 1965 and 1971, notes his bio data. “Today ’s function is of special signifi ­ cance to me, ” declared Prof Rustam K. ig sistanl and music director and thereaf ­ ter for 40 years with the Bengal film industry. Even today he continues to work for films, Doordarshan, All India Radio and stage programs, entertaining his listeners and educating particularly the amateurs, adds the write-up. Through his experimentation with music, pre ­ senting Indian classical on the piano, he has carved a niche for himself. In his book. Western Chords in Indian Ragas, he explained the possibility of usin' chords without disturbing a raga. Among those who added charm to Balsara ’s performance in Bombay were Flying honors the musicians accompanying him from Calcutta, some of whom were second generation artistes, their fathers too having shared the stage with Balsara. The presence of famous singers Nitin Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor also took release issued by Capt Homi Dandi- the audience by surprise especially since both of them revered Balsara like a legend in their introductory words be ­ fore singing popular compositions un­ der his direction. Music director Kalyan ­ ji recalled the time when during record ­ ings, the absence of a singer was over ­ looked, but Balsara ’s absence meant the recording came to a halt. Well es ­ tablished tabla and bongo player Homi Mulla had also taken time off his busy schedule to accompany Balsara. The experimental number composed spe ­ cially for the golden jubilee event and Witn3,UUt)nour.s Madon- sung by Farzana Indorewala, the niece offlying to his credit displaying of the late Dhannawaz Indorewala, was Madon is also the courage well received by the audience too. . r., -.7 The YOU, which has completed 54 years of existence, “is perhaps the only India for displaying courage in the face Parsi organization which has some ac ­ tivity or the other every week during the entire year, ” pointed out its president Jal Tata in his remarks in the souvenir brought out on the occasion. Lectures by prominent speakers on religious. economic and cul ­ tural topics, debates, elocution competi ­ tions, symposia, film shows, whist drive, etc have been some of their regular ac- TcxtilC trainer tivities undertaken " since their early days under the guidance Mody when delivering his valedictory address at a function on March 19,1999 held under the joint auspices of the VJTI (former Victoria Jubilee Techni ­ cal Institute since renamed Veermata of the late Buijorji Bharucha and the late Jal Heerjibehedin, editor of Kaiser- E-Hind. Among the managing commit ­ tee members of YOU for the year 1998- 1999 are member-in-charge You-On- Jijabai Technological Institute) and the Parade Jehangir Chaina, member-in- charge YOU Music Circle Aloo Shroff, both of whom were felicitated for their 45 years of service to the organization. The other members are Aban Minbatti- walla, Adi Mulla, Rati Peer, Tchmina years (1959-74), the only Zoroastrian Peer, Adi Tavadia, Rati Nilgiriwalla and Banoo Dudha. VJTI Textile Past Students Association to commemorate the golden jubilee of the introduction of their textile degree program. Having been principal and secretary of the VJTI for a record 15 to hold the post of principal in the 112- year history of the Institute, and also serving as head of its textile department for 25 years, 80-year-old Mody an- For distinguished service of a high or- nounced that he had completed 50 years der Air Vice Marshal Manek Boman- shaw Madon was conferred the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of developing facilities for higher textile India on January 26, 1999, notes a press of service to the cause of technical cum textile education in India. Teaching and studies, fostering the spirit of enquiry through development of scientific re- walla, president of The Allahabad Parsee search and methodology, exposure to Zoroastrian Anjuman. textile production, planning, layout. Presently on his second posting in organization and costing have been of prime concern to him, noted Mody, whilst commending the dedication and commitment of scholarship and aca ­ demic excellence by generations of the VJTI textile teaching staff and students. Credit for VJTI’s establishment and growth in its formative years should go to several stalwarts of the Parsi commu- nity, stated Mody is his note on the Institute. He lauded the “vision and foresight and the spirit of philanthropy and secularism which characterized the driving force and motivation of the likes of Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, presi- Allahabad a,s senior officer-administra ­ tion, central air command headquarters of the Indian Air Force, 54-year-old Madon and his wife Yasmin are very ac ­ tive members of the Allahabad Anju- man, mentions Dan- diwalla. With 5,000 hours Kif Madon is also the recipient of the Va- yu Sena Medal from the President of dent of the Bombay Municipal Corpo ­ ration and vice chancellor of the Bombay of enemy in 1971 and the Bar in 1985 University who was on the board of for distinguished service and success- management of VJTI for 18 years, ” Sir ful command of a fighter squadron, Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, first baronet. Sir according to the write-up. Madon was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a pilot in the fighter Dinshaw Petit and Sir Dinshaw Vachha who all rendered yeoman service. Mody claims he was drawn in the 14 Parsiana May 1999'K't y Xavier ’s Mody: teaching direction of textiles by his father ’s elder brother Sir Homi Mody, adoyen among ­ st the chairmen of the Bombay Millow- ners ’ Association, whom he describes as ‘‘a close and earing relative. ” Hi.s father was Lt Commander Dr Kai- khushroo Mody ¦ and his mother ¦ Meherbai was I the niece of Sir I P h c r o z e s h a h I Mehta. After I completing his ¦ matriculation K from Bombay ’s St School, Mody and developing proceeded for facilities higher studies to the Victoria University of Manchester, UK from where he obtained his BSc Tech and MSc Tech in textile indus ­ tries. Besides hi.s involvement with the N YW.vViA -AvnYmus oS X'ncVmvcrsAy lA Manchester Institute of Science and Technology had served as chairman of the All India Board of Studies in Textile Technology. Mody was additionally member of the senate, academic coun­ cil and dean of the Bombay University ’s faculty of technology for different terms, notc.s his curriculum vitae. He was also associated with the universitie.s of Ma ­ dras, Baroda, IIT Delhi, the Birla Insti ­ tute of Technology...where he was ref ­ eree, paper setter and examiner. At the Universities of Leeds and Bradford loo he has served as visiting professor and senior Fellow. As honorary adviser, state and central ministry of education and sports, and as member of the Khadi and Cottage Industries Commission, Mody had served the government of India for a long term, according to the press release. Presently Mody is direc ­ tor and chief executive officer of the Patuck Polytechnic Trust where he has been trustee since 1958. Ill-fated end • Yet another aged Parsi lady, the third since February 1999, met an ill-fated help, without whom their physical end at her residence at Diamond Court on Napean Sea Road. Seventy-five- year-old Mehroo Sanga ’s murder came to light on the evening of Monday, April 12, 1999. Her neighbor, Sheroo Keshwala, concerned that there was no response to the repeated ringing of the doorbell and telephone, accessed the Hat with the duplicate key which had 17 Parsiana May 1999 been in her possession for years, ac ­ cording to a news report in The Indian £.v/?/’e.v.v of April 14. Sanga ’s body lay in the kitchen, with a pool of coagulated blood in the neck region. As per The Tinies of India report of the same day, the assailant had stran ­ gulated her with a nylon rope before slitting the neck with a kitchen knife. The cupboard had been ransacked. Two days later came the news that the Malabar Hill police had nabbed 18-year- old Umesh Mandal who had been in Sanga's employment for barely 24 hours. He is reported to have told the police that he strangulated Sanga because she abused him for breaking a dish during a party she had hosted on Saturday evening. Valu ­ ables, mostly silver crockery, stashed in a large green Samsonite suitcase were recovered from him, stated the Express Newsline of April 16. Formerly a public relations officer with the Bank of India, Sanga had re- Vaimed Vicr jo'ic be v'lvre.'^ceVend par ­ ties were regular at her residence just as visiting the Cricket Club of India was an established Sunday ritual, one of her neighbors was quoted in the Afternoon Despatch and Courier of April 15. Fol ­ lowing her husband ’s demise Sanga had been living alone in her 10th storey apartment as her only daughter Shenaz Rumi Shroff stayed at Dadar with her husband. Remarking on Sanga ’s murder, Sho- bha De commented in her column Savoir Faire in the Sunday Mid-Day of April 18, “I have lost count of the number of aged Parsi victims who have suffered a similar fate. It saddens and amazes me that a community that is a.s small, close-knit and as prosperous, is some ­ how helpless when it comes to protect ­ ing its own...What can we do to save these vulnerable lives? Most times it ’s an ‘internal ’ crime, committed by do ­ mestics and these days, increasingly by watchmen. The police say, we our- selve.s open the doors to criminals with ­ out verifying their antecedents. But the elderly arc often at the mercy of hired ex ­ istence becomc.s untenable. What hap ­ pens if a ‘faithful ’ servant suddenly quits? Chances are you grab the first person who rings the doorbell... ‘After all it ’s such a relief, ’ you tell yourself. ‘I’ll worry about verifications later. ’ Often, that ’s too late. ” as Compiled by Paiinaz M. Gandhi For Navjote & Wedding Receptions Children ’s Parties Ladies Lunches Social Gatherings Celebrate at Caravan A very central, convenient location Contact RESTAURANT at 65, Murzban Road, Fort, Mumbai-400 001. Tel: 2072492-2077513 • Fax: (91 22) 2076310 With best compliments from Tata Economic Consultancy Services The consultants for industrial projects Tata Economic Consultancy Services (A division of Tata Sons Limited) Orient House, Adi Marzban Path Mumbai 400001 Telephone 2617621 (5 lines) 2619819, 2617969, 2618890, 2613811 Fax (022) 2613810 Telegram TECSTATA E-Mail: tecs@giasbm01.vsnl.net. in Other TECS Offices in India: Delhi - Madras - Bangalore Hyderabad Resident representative in CalcuttaZOROASTRIANS ABROAD Awards and honors follow at lunchtime on day three with international celebri ­ ties in the community picked to receive communal appreciation for their achi ­ evements as also winners of the World Zarathushti Sports which precede the KhojesteMistree; Fereshteh Khatibi and Gordafrid Aresh for entertainment; Katie Irani in charge of medical care; Aban Rustomji and Roshan Rivetna for her 31 is envisaged as a splitting of the gathering into professional interest group.s like mobeds, educationists, the public relations; Roshan Sethna and business community, etc. Pervin Sagar in charge of operations; Similar to the gala lunches are two hospitality, Rustom Engineer and Dari- dinner specials on the first two days: the Zarathushti meets Zarathushti bonho­ mie climaxed with a musical extrava ­ ganza and dinner. The second night the dinner is preceded by a country and western musical review which is billed as the “Go Texan Night. ” Both these dinners are included in the cost of the registration. After a fallow Saturday night the December 31, 2000 event is billed as the Millennium Gala Ball and involves the buying of tickets sepa ­ rately. The mission statement of A Zarathus ­ hti Odyssey 2000 “is to learn about our religion, heritage and culture, and to expected to be the legacy projects which celebrate together as we launch our Zara ­ thushti odyssey into the new millen ­ nium. ” The guiding philosophy of the WZC 2000 executive envisages an “im­ mersion on each day on five program ­ matic themes namely, welcoming the Zarathushti world; culture and history through the millennia; anchoring reli ­ gion in a Zarathushti ’s life; preparin for the third millennium; passin torch lo the next generation... ” The executive now comprises chairs Dolly Dastoor and Homi Davier, FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America) presi ­ dent Framroze Patel, FEZANA Con­ gress liaison Jamshed Mistry and co­ vice chairs Sarosh Manekshaw and Farrokh Mistrec who arc the overall Directory and on Zarathushti demogra- program coordinators. Also on the com ­ mittee is Yasmin Pavri who is the Zoro ­ astrian Association of Houston ’,s (ZAH) World Congress 2000 “Creating a blueprint for the next 100 years ” is one of the many ambitious targets of the Seventh World Zoroas ­ trian Congress (WZC) as per version one of the Program Development Guide the age,s which is a ticketed event, e-mailed to Parsiana by Congress co- chair Homi Davier. The five-day Congress, to be held at the J. W. Marriott Hotel in Houston, USA, officially begins on December 28, 2000 and ends on January 1, 2001. Festivities however are due to be kicked Congress. Lunch on day four. Decern off on December 25, 2000 which will witnes,s world Zarathushti sports and a general swinging into the theme of the Congress — “A Zarathushti Odyssey 2000.” Starting with a jashan performed by the older generation of mobeds at 8.30 a.m. the theme for day one is “Welcom ­ ing the Zarathushti World. ” The open ­ ing ceremony is due to last from 10.30 to noon when they are hoping to have someone of the caliber of United Na ­ tions secretary general Kofi Annan or former US president George Bush as chief guest. After lunch is a Zarathushti convivium/mela/fair. The theme for the second day i,s a recapitulation of the first and second millennia of the Zarathushti world. Af­ ter about a one-and-a-half-hour ple ­ nary session followed by a half-hour break, the congregation is expected to split into eight parallel sessions. The subject of each session is yet to be spelt out but arguably they will deal with the day ’s theme. After lunch two batchc.s of parallel sessions — eight and 10, separated by a half-hour break would take the Congres.s working day to 5 p.m. Day three of the Congress, Decem ­ ber 30, has the overriding theme of “anchoring religion in a Zarathushti ’s life ” while day four deals with “prepar ­ ing for the third millennium ” and is followed by similar numbers of parallel sessions throughout both days. On the last day the “passing of the torch ” to the younger generation is followed by a jashan conducted by the second genera ­ tion mobeds and the closing ceremony. program coordinators. Also on the com- phy is New York ’s Noshir Langrana. Lunch each day is a special occa- mittce is Yasmin Pavri who is the Zoro- Other highlights may include choir on sion, one of the five being covered by astrian Association of Houston ’s (ZAH) Gatha by Meher Jansen Madan, Gujarati the registration fees, the last being borne president ’.s nominee on the board and garbas courtesy Homi Dhalla, president by the host anjuman and the other three WZC 2000 treasurer Sarosh Collector, of the World Zarathushti Cultural Foun- being ticketed events which entail addi- The committee ha.s also programmed dation, and other videos/films on and tional cost. pre and post Congress tours in the Getting to know you is the lunch neighborhood of Houston for interna- theme on the first day with the focus on oversea.s guests. On the second day the focus is on Zarathushti women through tional participants. A steering committee consists of the chairs of the various committees, viz Rohinton Rivetna for international re ­ lations; Cyrus Mehta as general coun­ sel; Yasmin Ghadiali for fund-raising; Dinshaw Joshi for awards; program track leaders Kaemerz Dotiwala and Pallan Ichaporia; international advisor ush Vafadari; sports, Rustom Khosra- vian and Niaz Kasravi; and secretaries Arnavaz Sethna and Behroze Daru- walla. The opening “getting to know you” envisages an exchange of gifts and short talks on happenings in the various com­ munities while the convivium is a curtain raiser on a variety of exhibits and table top displays, the chief among which is a unity quilt composed of the logos of Zarathushti organizations around the world, that is currently being crafted by Khurshid Bamboat in England under the supervision of Dastoor. A major draw is are scheduled to include a time capsule, the establishment of the International Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce, the world body, etc. Other attractions are skits and panel discussions on youth re ­ lated issues like education, marriage and parenting. An international Zarathushti orchestra being mobilized by Cyrus Mehta and Piroozi Cooper is of major interest. The Atash Dance Group of Vancouver is choreographing an event. A number of books are expected to be launched including a book co-edited by Pheroza Godrej and Firoza Punthakey- Mistrec, Zoroastrianism — Its Religion, History and Culture, and Farrokh Mistree ’s A Zarathushti’s Guide to the Gat has. At work on a World Zarathushti ‘g the g CO- WZC 2()(){) treasurer Sarosh Collector. The committee ha.s also programmed 18 Parsiana May 1999time, it has been used as a medium of attack on our ancient religion, Zoroas ­ trianism, one of the world ’s earliest seriously upset the religious feelings of a large number of Zoroastrians who are resident in India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, England, and the USA itself. ” Havewalla ’s litany of Khosraviani ’s misdemeanors claims that Ali Jafarey Conflict on the Internet Our habitually controverting commu ­ nity has created its first open furore on the Internet, confounding its American and loftiest religions. Such attacks have operators. Currently at the receiving end is Mchrdad Khosraviani, an engi ­ neer in the Sun Computer Corporation who had designed and Boated the Zoro ­ astrian Mailing List (whose Internet address was zoroastrians©least.eng. sun.com ). The addres.s facilitated an exchange of view.s from the full spec- (the scholar founder of the Los Angeles trum of Zoroastrian theological con- based Zarathushtrian Assembly) has had access to the List. Havewalla has al ­ leged that Jafarey made irreverent com ­ ments on Meher Yazad, the Hormuzd Yasht and the Vendidad. He has also alleged that there have been references to prostitutes in fire-temples in ancient times and that a Zoroastrian homosexual club has been formed on the Zoroas ­ trian Mailing List. Havewalla quotes a petition from from the extremely radical to the con­ servative for about six years, according to an e-mail missive from Yezdi Rustomji of Houston, USA. The main antagonist in the affair is Poru.s Havewalla of Sydney, Australia who runs his own Traditional Zara- thushthris Mailing List (TZML) on the Internet. He has been aided by Zenobia Patel who calks herself a “distressed Bombay “signed by more than 30 Parsi Zoroastrian lady from India ” and is a member of Havewalla ’s mailing list. The Sun Corporation has asked Khosraviani to take the List off the Internet. Rustomji ’.s anger is centered on the fact that while Khosraviani allowed all shade.s of opinion on the Zoroastrian net including Havewalla ’s ultra conser ­ vative viewpoint, Havewalla ’s TZML i.s a restricted site where only the tradi ­ tionalists can have their say. Rustomji about the community. One of the objectives is to create an atmosphere in the hotel reminiscent of Zarathushti mohallas, presumably with tableaux of a village in Y azd, the Sanjan landfall, arrivals in New York/Toronto, a map of the world showing concentra ­ tions of Zarathushti populations, etc. A video docudrama on our Parsi heroes is also said to be underway. Simultaneous events may include a Zarathushti field service program and jashans around the world. While a bureaucratic setup is already cepts in a spirit of “agreed to disagree ” functioning with a strict code of ethics as per the lines of the development program with monthly updates and the introduction of new themes and propos ­ als up to January 2000, no names of speakers or other participants have yet been announced. The Congress has its own website: http://www.fezana.org/ WZC2000. At the J. W. Marriott Hotel, the orga ­ nizers have obtained a concessional Zoroastrian lady from India ” and is a Zoroastrians... ‘We Parsi Zoroastrian room rate for delegates at $ 79 a night member of Havewalla ’s mailing list, ladies ofBandra, feel after reading your with sharing of up to four persons per The Sun Corporation has asked article in the Jam-e-Jamshed Weekly of room. Through their various fund rais- Khosraviani to take the List off the October 8 about the Jewish lady and her ers, aimed at raising $600,000 the orga- Internet. Muslim mentor, desecrating our holy nizers also hope to keep the registration Rustomji ’.s anger is centered on the Vendidad. It is blasphemy and we con- costs low but these have not been an- fact that while Khosraviani allowed all demn such utterances. ’ nounced in the current literature. shade.s of opinion on the Zoroastrian “We the most peace loving and most The WZC 2000executive, mandated net including Havewalla ’s ultra conser- venerated community are deeply hurt by FEZANA and ZAH to host the Con- vative viewpoint, Havewalla ’s TZML and grieved by such utterances. gress has the overall finance, organiza- i.s a restricted site where only the tradi- “Beforeinterferinginotherreligions, tion and program responsibility. The tionalists can have their say. Rustomji to look into their own faith and be program coordinators function at their portends Havewalla as “the mulla guided rightly is our advice to them. ” request to coordinate the track chairs who are involved in the development, management and implementation of Corporation which almost reads like a the various events. Each track ha.s its litany. own team referred to as task force. The team members have been appointed in public relations officer Loraine Golden, consultation with the program coordi ­ nators. The responsibilities and dutie.s at all levels have been spelt out in substantial detail as also the program of “milestones ” by which dates certain events are expected to fall into the pattern e.g. May 31, 1999 is the cutoff date for the first review of the open in; and closing ceremonies, of the plenary speakers, luncheons, dinners, interna ­ tional participation and “macro pro ­ gram updated based on input from the tracks and placed on internal web. ” At each milestone the calendar of events i.s expected to be updated. The monthly meetings which began in February 1999 will continue until December 31, 2000 when “we have welcomed the world. ” among Zarathushtis, ” and has repro ­ duced Havewalla ’s letter to the Sun Another petition of protest reads; “As religious Parsi-Irani Zoroastrians from Bombay, we the undersigned pro ­ test the heretical views and blasphe ­ mous writings often to be found on the Internet ’s Zoroastrian Mailing List. Some misguided Zoroastrians and med ­ dling outsiders roam unchecked on this Addressed to Sun Microcomputers ’ Havewalla begins by noting “formal protest on behalf of 559 of my core ­ ligionists and 30 ladies in two separate Mailing List and slander our lofty signed petitions against a mailing list prayers, scriptures, principles and prac- named after our ancient religion of Zo- tises through ignorance, self interest or roastrianism, started on one of your design. company computers by Mr Mehrdad K, one of your Sun engineers in the USA. The mailing list is called the ‘Zoroas- has been spared from cheap attack and trians mailing list ’ and the Internet address is zoroastrians@least. eng.sun. com where ‘Zoroastrians ’ stands for endorsement of homosexuality, lesbi- our religion, ‘eng ’ stands for Engineer ­ ing, and ‘sun.com ’ stands for your com ­ pany. “Mehrdad ’s ‘Zoroastrians ’ mailing list carrie,s 750+ members and has been in operation on your company com ­ puter for over six years. During that “Almost nothing that is sacred to us, including our holy fires and temples. ‘g ridicule. Even the hallowed name of our Prophet has been desecrated for the anism and bisexuality. If such sacri ­ leges continue, this Mailing List should be closed down or at least the noble term ‘Zoroastrian ’ should be struck out from its name. “As the Internet becomes more dis ­ ciplined, and controlled, we may have 20 Parsiana May 1999postscripts: “There is only one path — righteousness! All other paths are false! time past against the Follow the path of righteousness only! ” J Writing from CaliforniaMehranSe- 'S to take all this up with the authorities concerned. Insulting a great living reli ­ gion and wounding the feelings of its thousands of faithful followers world ­ wide is a very grave matter indeed. ” Havewalla also quotes the covering let- that has been flying around there. ” ter addressed to him: “We, the under ­ signed, very much appreciate the single- handed crusade you have been carrying on since some t ’ vicious and blasphemous attacks being made against our exalted daena and its pehri, secretary of the Federation of principles and practises on the Internet ’s Zoroastrian Mailing List by some of our misguided coreligionists and meddlin^ outsiders residing in the western coun­ tries led by the self-styled ‘Ratu! ’” Further down the line Havewalla notes: “Fellow Zarathushtris, this is a tremendous demonstration of solidar ­ ity by the Parsi/Irani/Zarathushtris of Bombay, who have stood up a.s one for the religion. I humbly bow my head to these people, on whose shoulders the religion is supported. While there are men and women such as these in our motherland India, with so much faith and pride in their religion, our religion will successfully oppose and defeat all that modern liberalism has to throw against it. This is the stock of the Kayani Kings — and love for our religion beats in our breasts, and will never die down, passing on to our sons and daughters down the ages. “I salute these people, who have dared to stand up to the forces of mon ­ eyed liberalism afoot in the West, for the sake of their precious mother — the Mazdayasni Zarathushtri daena. I sa ­ lute these stalwarts. Let their voice make certainly a mission which makes for a the religion-baiting liberals tremble in their ivory towers, for it is the voice of Righteousness. ” What seemed to clinch the matter where the Sun Corporation was con­ cerned is said to be a letter addressed by Patel to the chief executive officer of Sun Microsystems: “I write to you, because in spite of u.s having repeatedly requested the closure . of the notorious mailing list maintained place in the world... Has anyone ever met this person? Talked to him or any of his followers? ” In her e-mail to Khosraviani former FEZANA president Dolly Dastoor formed Parsiana that the Zoroastrian writes, “It was (with) great sorrow that I learnt of the new home for the Alias, and the sorrow got deeper when I read your second letter giving the reason ils employees. As a respectable lady, I have done since 1988 in bringing the request you to step forward and ensure “ this mailing list is shut at the earliest. Our plea is genuine as you will only understand it after reading the thrash Zarathushti community in North America and later the world in touch with each other. “Through the alias you have sensi ­ tized us to each other ’s views and ide- Patel s letter has three self-righteous ologies, you have helped us to reach out to the community, in good times and in times of need, you have helped us to realize the potential of the com­ munity, you have helped bring young couples together which have resulted in marriages. “Mehrdad, you opened up a whole new world for Zarathushtis via the alias and you did it with grace and humility. The community applauds you for this. “Yes the alias will go on, in another form, a changed form, an evolved form, as all life must go on. But we have you to thank for being the catalyst to bring Jhis alias to life in the first place. ” In an e-mail from Tehran, Jamshid Varza notes: “During the month of Feb ­ ruary 1999 I had several conversations with Mehrdad and agreed that Vohuman .Org will become the new home... Vohu Team and Mehrdad agreed to continue with Mehrdad ’s tradition of openness and fairness for all... “I hired a new ISP (Internet ser ­ vice provider) which offered exten ­ sive services needed for our expan ­ sion — programmability, server side Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) notes, “The emo ­ tions, anger and sorrow can wait, but we need to find a solution not to let our alias (the composite address of a num­ ber of individuals) expire, for the sake of youth. Letting this communication medium go down is like letting an agiary — atash behram die. “As the new home from Vohuman. org may be weeks away, knowing Mr Varza i,s in Iran now, a few of us are working on a temporary home for a rep ­ lica of Mehrdad ’.s alias for the interim. ” Kurosh Kamkar (from kamkar@ pacbell.net ) remarks of Havewalla: “He seems to think he has a mission which is not clear to me. 1 tried to see where he is coming from when I first read him (a lew years back). Somehow it never aligned with my take on Zarthusht teach ­ ings. He certainly has convinced a few followers (can we verify that?); I think scripting, performance enhancement we should consult with a few mobeds first; because he feels he is close to the teachings we need to do our homework and verify that. He seems to have a lot of time and resources on his hand and tools and database nodes were all acquired Vohuman. org has ample financial sponsorship and develop ­ ment tools to deliver on its promises. The development efforts started right after. Our plan was to enter a test very powerful person. period by April 30 and full operation “I think it is an excellent idea to move by May 30. We are on schedule. “Per my communication with Mehr ­ dad, I wrote a letter to Sun (via Mehrdad) the alias to Vohuman ’s site. It may rem ­ edy the situation lor long to come. Also consider that he may have had something and explained our efforts and the sched- against Mehrdad K. and this was the last ule. I also explained our full assumption against Mehrdad K. and this was the last i ' ’ ' ....................... ' of him. Or we can choose to continue of responsibilities during the transition period. It all looked fine till Zenobia ’s letter showed up.” He also writes of his visits and is excited with some historical material he has unearthed. While negotiations with Vohuman .org are still underway, Khosraviani in- clearing our name and start a big mess in the western world since he has no shame and sense of name of Zarthusht and its by your employee Mr Mehrdad Khos- raviani, our request has gone unheeded. Sir, our religion has been sufficiently abused and our priests verbal ly attac ked by non-Zoroastrians who play an active role on that Mailing List. I have also been victimized by their harassment. I am certain your company which is held in high esteem and has a market name why. However this should not take will never support unsociable antics of Alias has been temporarily moved to listbot.com . Those interested in being part of it may contact zoroastrians. subscribe@listbot.com . away the tact that what a super job you Compiled by Arnavaz S. Mama I 22 Parsiana May 1999POLITICS AND POLICY More power to the people The trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet propose reforms in the archaic electoral scheme I 'o 2000 from the E Register, the AC num­ bers would swell to around 2,100, said Shroff. Thi.s mean.s a voter would have to vote for around 1,050 elected repre ­ sentatives! Voter turnout at trusteeship elec- tion.s varies from 22 percent as when Shroff contested for his second term to around 50 to 70 percent in the more a 1 I Taking a leaf from the British House of donors ’ list (the F Register) and an Lords, six of the seven trustee.s of the equal number to be elected in March Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) are con­ sidering reducing the voting strength of the donors as versus the elected repre ­ sentatives. Addressing a gathering of around 60 selected invitees brainstorming the ar ­ chaic election scheme laid down by the Bombay High Court in 1909, BPP chair ­ man Jamshed Guzder spoke about need for change. ” Rather than be asked keenly contested elections. “The par- to call a meeting, the trustee.s decided “to call for one ourselves. ” Guzder told the gathering at the In­ dian Merchants Chamber ’s Walchand Hirachand Hall on April 22, 1999 that they can serve or the age of the candi- there was a section of the community that was in favor of adult franchise and others who wanted less drastic changes. As the Anjuman Committee (AC) elec ­ tions were to be held in March 2000, this was the “right time to debate the reforms, ” said Guzder. The AC, which consists of an equal with erstwhile BPP trustee Jamsheed number of donors and elected represen ­ tatives, elects trustees to the BPP board as and when vacancie.s arise. Since 1909 several amendments have been made to the scheme but the end result has been an unwieldy AC consisting of around 1,600 members, around half of whom show up to vote at an election of a trustee. “Twenty years ago some of us got together to look at the scheme, ” stated BPP trustee Minoo Shroff. “I was not even a voter ” at the time. Only around 7,000 of the 40,000 eligible members of the community had registered. The Any person who gives a donation of Rs . efforts of the CER (which then stood for the Committee for Electoral Rights and subsequently for the Committee for Economic Revival) coupled with those of the CUZ (Committee of I — United Zoroastrians) pushed up the registration figures to 16,500, noted Shroff. Since then the number of reg ­ istered voters has increased to' 19,600, an increase of around 3,000 in the last 19 years! With around 1,038 voters on the Engineer noted that one of the six trustees Rustom Tirandaz firmly be ­ lieved that trustees should be elected by universal adult franchise. Engineer re ­ minded the audience that they were talking about election to a trust and that a Bombay High Court Judge H. Suresh had noted when the scheme was put before him for amendment in 1991 that universal franchise “may not be a suit ­ able ” approach for a trust. Six of the seven trustees were in­ clined to agree with the judge, said trust... the life of a trust depends on donations, ’’ the six trustees believed. They were therefore not in favor of eliminating donors from the AC. They preferred instead giving weightage to the elected members over the donors in the ratio of one to two. Thus the elected representatives would have double the number of votes compared to the do- “It ’s not a perfect solution to all saw administrative problems in imple ­ menting the reforms. Either the AC amongst themselves a certain number and then the elected representatives would be double that number. The six trustees also favored restrict ­ ing the number of terms a trustee can serve to three and putting an upper age limit of 75. If a trustee were to cross the age of 75 once in office he or she could serve out his/her term but would not be eligible to seek reelection. Engineer said the trustees wanted to gauge the thoughts of “a cross section of the leading members of the commu- preference for one of the following three options; leaving the scheme as it is, universal adult franchise or the sys- continued on page 45 ticipation has not been what is required, ” moaned Shroff. The present scheme Engineer. “Donors are essential to a allows for a seven-year term for trustees with no limit on the number of terms dates. “There must be some upper limit, ” said Shroff, “we must apply a certain ceiling on ourselves... 75 appears to be a right kind of age... a person should be effective within a time span... serve your lime and go." BPP trustee Dadi Engineer, along nors. Engineer noted that even in the British Parliament steps were being ini- Kanga, had been part of a Punchayet tiated to reduce the voting strength of election reform committee in the late hereditary seats. 1970s when, disillusioned with the ob­ stinacy of the then autocratic president problems, ” admitted Engineer. He fore- of the BPP B. K. Boman-Behram, he had formed the CER. Engineer stated the salient features ofthe present scheme would have to be expanded to 3,000 or and the proposed amendments. Any the donors would have to elect from Parsi Zoroastrian male or female over the age of 21 has to give five rupees and register a.s a voter. Any registered voter of 30 years of age and above whose nomination form is signed by two other voters can stand for election to the AC. 15,000 or more is entitled to be regis ­ tered on the donors ’ list of the AC and can vote directly for a trustee depend ­ ing on when he or she gave the donation and the lime lapse till the next election. This clause was inserted in.the scheme to prevent any candidate packing the nity...a think tank, ” so to speak. The donors ’register and upsetting the parity gathering therefore had to state their between the donors and the elected representatives. The present scheme “recognizes parity, ” explained Engi ­ neer. 23 Parsiana May 1999BUSINESS TELCO received none of the protection HM (Hindustan Motors) and PAL (Pre ­ mier Automobiles Limited) enjoyed in I their early days, nor the favors and preferential treatment Maruti was ear ­ lier privy to. And with the economy in a slump and TELCO’s bread-and-but ­ ter commercial vehicle segment in the doldrums, it has been a tough ride for the company. To come out with the Indica in these conditions is a remark ­ able achievement and incredibly gutsy, ” wrote Sorabjee in his editorial. With a 98 percent indigenous com ­ ponent, only the styling of the car has been done at the design studio I.DE.A in Italy, considered to be the Mecca of automobile designing. “I am not for a moment trying to tell you that every ­ thing is fine, ” Tata is reported to have told the magazine. “Until you enter the end of December 1998, with the first market you do not know what problems Indicas rolling out of the factory in Feb- I ruary. The 1.4 litre engine, five-door I hatchback, competitively priced at Rs TCI’s tally I 2,63,300 (ex showroom Bombay) for Achieving the distinction for a record the petrol model, Rs 2,90,400 for the standard diesel, Rs 3,00,800 for the diesel with air conditioning and Rs 3,99,800 for the fully-loaded diesel, has triggered off a price war, with market leader Maruti Suzuki slashing prices for the first time in its 15-year history, release. Accepting the award from reports Auto India (January 1999). “We musn ’t forget that the Indica was developed in an environment that Jehangir Katgara said; “Winning the has been traditionally hostile to the auto industry... Passenger car makers in In­ dia have been kicked, beaten and TELCO’s indigenous Indica India ’s first indigenously built car at the iSij-S you will face. ” Creating a car “TELCO (Tata Engineering and Loco­ motive Company Limited) would not have undertaken this if I did not have the confidence that we could do it... We spumed a lot of suitors for joint ventures strangled by the policy makers... and I’m the one who put our name on the line... ” TELCO chairman Ratan Tata told Hormazd Sorabjee, editor of Auto India at the TELCO guest house in Poona during a press preview of Tata ’s new Indica, reports Business India (Decem ­ ber 28, ’98 — January 10, ’99). The driving force behind the Rs 1,700 crore project, Tata had promised the Indian people a small car that would be the size of a Maruti Zen, have the internal dimen ­ sions of an Ambassador and the price of a Maruti 800 (sub three lakh rupees). Traversing a bumpy road from the drawing board to the production line in a scant 31 months, TELCO launched *7 Vajpayee (second from left) presenting award to Katgara 24 Parsiana May 1999 13th time, Travel Corporation (India) Ltd (TCI) has won the Government of India national tourism award for “excel ­ lence in the travel industry ” and for maximum foreign exchange earnings in category I for ’97-’98, states a press India ’s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vaj ­ payee on January 25, ’99, TCI director national tourism award year after year makes TCI the undisputed leader in the tourism industry in India. ” With 27 offices in India and 11 sales SHR! AfAi 8IHARJ va, ,1 MEN > 1 •s’ ¦'5^ * .i** ¦ At the inauguration: (from left) Mantri, S. Doongaji, Irani and J. Doongaji oflices abroad, the privately-owned TCI handle.s the tour arrangement.s in India for over 1,000 tour operators worldwide. It i,s also the GS A (general sales agent) for Eurail, Greyhound, Amtrak, etc and i.s the preferred agent in India for Star Cruises, P&O, Carnival and Royal Olym ­ pic Cruises, states the release. Emerging enterprise Undeterred by day temperatures of 95°P, d huge and enthusiastic gathering ol developed countries for reinforcement invitees turned up for the inaugural of Handy Wires Private Limited at the hand.s of Dr Jamshed J. Irani, managing director of the Tata Iron and Steel Company Limited (TISCO) in the morning of Feb ­ ruary 26, ’99. Situated at the Uppalwadi Industrial Estate in Nagpur, Handy Wire.s is a sister concern of the already estab ­ lished Stewols and Company and Spick ’N SpanSteelwools Private Limited owned and managed by the Doongaji brothers, Jehangir and Shiraz. After go ­ ing through an exhaustive list of Irani ’s degrce.s and achievements, Monica Bhagwagar, who ably compered the func- was I Jehangir R. J. Cania (right) ehainnan and managing director of Ahmedahad’s Cama Hotels Limited with Anil Madhok, managing director ofSarovar Park Plaza Hotels and Resorts and Mehroo Cama. director of Cama Hotels, at a signing ceremony held at the Cania Hotel recently. The hotel, currently undergoing renova­ tion and upgradation, is to he man­ aged and marketed by the Sarovar Park Plaza Hotels (SPPH) a.s the Cania Park Plaza and will he the SPPH’s 10th operational hotel. t ! ¦ .3g' K i 21 Parsiana May 1999 ¦4^1’ « enhanced when he saw the great strides in progress being made by young Parsis. Lauding the work of the Doongajis, Irani said, “When things prosper and go well, people call it luck. According to me, when good planning and hard work meet with opportunity, that is luck. ” Irani assured the Doongaji brothers of TISCO’s full cooperation in material availability, quality and price. “We value old customers and long-term part ­ nerships, ” said Irani, recalling the long supplier-purchaser relationship with Stewols and Company. Hemant Nerul- kar, TISCO’s general manager, mar ­ keting, asserted that there was a mis ­ conception among industry that TISCO was too big a company to be interested in smalltime purchasers. “This is not at all true. Even a customer buying 100 tons is our valued customer, ” he stres ­ sed. Ramesh Mantri, the chairman of tion said, “As far as wc arc concerned. Dr Irani ’s best qualification is that he is a Nagpur boy, aapro JJ In giving a brief background of the company that was started by their father Khushroo and uncle Byram, Jchangir Doongaji said that Stcwols and Spick Nagpur Nagrik Sahakari Bank said he ’N SpanSteelwools made steel wool was happy to be associated with this and steel wool powder, used both in the project and would be available in the domestic and industrial sector. He noted with pride that 90 percent of all auto- mobile.s manufactured in India used that product for making brake liners and brake pads. They also regularly export corrugated wire pins, used in of cement concrete. Jehangir Doongaji stated that the new plant was a step in upstream diversifica ­ tion. With raw material purchased from TISCO, it would draw the wire to make the steel wool and also supply wire prod ­ ucts to the wire nail and welding elec ­ trode industry. The new plant would enable them to meet the high quality of steel required at a reduced cost. In his address, Irani said it was al- way.s a pleasure for him to visit his hometown, Nagpur. The pleasure future for any further. The inauguration ceremony of Handy Wires began with a prayer by Ervad Hormuzdiar Pavri and Ervad Dinyar Vazifdar, invoking Ahura Mazda ’s blessings upon the new venture. Seated on stage with Irani was Naju Khushroo Doongaji, the mother whose sons and family had done her proud, not just in terms of the money they earned but more importantly by the respect and affection they commanded in the com­ munity and outside of it. A gesture that touched every person in the gathering that morning was the introduction and recognition of Ratan Salve, Jehangir and Shiraz Doongaji ’s old school ­ teacher. Unable now to see clearly, hear well or walk without assistance. Salve continued on page 44 ¦> 11 1 f. h s I s 1: !!PROFESSIONS________________ COVER STORY The challenging port-folio Developing India ’s first private container terminal has been a rewarding experience for Capt Jimmy Sarbh Parinaz M. Gandhi joint venture partners were Konsortium On the steps leading to the Gateway of India many passengers are patiently Perkapalan Berhad (KPB), Malaysia . . ¦ • • • w-x. II I ___ _ • .xx Lx > Ti Ti I' ’ patience, ” states Sarbh referring to his major breakthrough in convincing the port authorities to accept private opera ­ tors who were viewed as competitors. For them, “it is a major paradigm shift; controls. It ’s difficult for them, so they make it difficult for you,” he analyzes. “Dealing with the government is diffi ­ cult, ” he puts it mildly. “It is a process which requires understanding issues culturally, putting them in the correct awaiting their boat ride. Down walks well groomed gentleman, engrossed in conversation on his Mobile, makes his way through the boat which is along ­ side the steps, hands over his lolders to the attendant on the speedboat, climb.s into it himself, and already the eight- seater NSICT 1, reportedly the fastest in the Bombay harbor, is heading for the Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT), India ’s first private terminal which is being developed at company founded in 1837 which has the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) across the Bombay harbor. “For the first time in India shipping lines will have a choice of calling at a privately managed terminal, ” announces Capt Jimmy Sarbh, NSICT managing director, happy that the US $ 200 mil ­ lion project is moving over 15 months ahead of schedule, “a record for India, ’ resulting in a cost saving of US $ 35 million. The first 300 m quay length was opened for operation on March 21, and DBC Group, Bombay. P&O Ports ’ original equity holding of 49 percent is now increased to 95, mentions Sarbh, _ the balance three percent being held by they have to slowly let go of their Jakari Holdings Private Limited whose director Khushrooh Byramjee is also a director of NSICT, and two percent by CMM Limited (a Mauritius based com ­ pany). P&O Australia Ports is a divi ­ sion of The Peninsular and Oriental . . _ Steam Navigation Company, a British perspective and working through them. One has to be very focussed. You have to set yourself specific goals within time frames and achieve them. ” While NSICT is viewed by Sarbh as his “first baby which I have worked on since its inception and will always be very dear to me, ” he has the additional onus of other projects too. P&O Ports has also won their second project in India: at the Kandla port in Gujarat which will be financed at a cost of US $ 1 on a build-operate-lransfer (BOT) agreement. (At NSICT too the understanding is that after 30 years, when all the infrastructure is laid out such that the exchequer of the govern ­ ment would not be burdened, P&O will surrender their hold to the government.) In Madras, P&O Ports are waiting for the financial bids to be opened but are quite confident of winning the large project. They are one of the seven com­ panies shortlisted by the Cochin Port Trust to operate the Rajiv Gandhi Con­ tainer Terminal and develop the Vallar- padanam Load Center. Outside India, in April they bid for the Jeddah Container Terminal in Saudi Arabia and were declared second. At Sri Lanka they are in the process of Parsis applied? ” he counters. “They taking over the South Asia Gateway only want jobs at the Central Bank ” ’ "" ' ‘ ...Khushroo Kiash who is engineering manager was brought from Australia ” on Sarbh ’s recommendation. “India teaches you persistence and who convinced him to accept the Bom ­ bay posting while he was yet a project manager in Australia. It was Sarbh ’s responsibility as regional representa ­ tive to start an office which he did with just one secretary and a peon at Nariman Point. Subsequently, as regional man ­ ager and then regional director, his as ­ signments increased and so did his work force. Today he has more than 200 working at the NSICT terminal and around 15 at P&O Ports ’ Darabshaw House office at Ballard Estate, the re ­ gional headquarters for South Asia and Middle East. Are there Zoroastrians in his employment? “Where have any grown from its origins in shipping to become a major, diversilied, interna ­ tional company with more than 250 subsidiaries involved in cruises and fer ­ ries, service businesses, construction and house building, property invest ­ ment and development, employing over 45,000 people in some 40 countries, as per their company profile. As managing director ol NSICT 45- year-old Sarbh says it was Capt Richard 50 million Setchell, the ex-chairman and manag- 1999. The first mainline vessel Sealand ing director of P&O Australia Ports, Motivator was given a warm welcome on the night of April 4 although a fog in Dubai had delayed her much awaited arrival. Efforts are on to complete and commission the 600 m terminal by Janu ­ ary 21,2000 making NSICT “the most modern container terminal in South Asia and India with state of the art equip ­ ment for efficient cargo handling, com ­ puterized ship planning and yard man ­ agement systems, ” notes a press re ­ lease. Sarbh, who is also the regional direc ­ tor, South Asia and Middle East of P&O Australia Ports, says he came from Aus ­ tralia to India “with the specific pur ­ pose of getting the tender Boated for the JNP, working on the bid, winning it, constructing it and starting operations. Five major consortiums bid for it, ” he specifies. The P&O Ports-led consor ­ tium won the project in 1997. The other Terminal. They are also evaluating the privatization of container terminals in Mauritius and in Bunder Abbas in Iran. The Qasim International Container Ter- continued on page 40 28 Parsiana May 1999s. 29 Parsiana May 1999CINEMA ---------—--------------------------------------------------- - ----------- - A seeker and a survivor The success of the movie Bombay Boys has reinforced Kaizad Gustad ’s need to continue his quest Shernaaz Engineer Some irony this! Kaizad Gustad is him- fide one at any rate, what with his vai ied jaunts across seems U----------- . the eponymous Bombay Boys, a quirky , biting individualistic, unusual film that generated I quite some interest | when it was released in the Indian market a tew months ago. The film received mixed responses. The critics almost unani ­ mously ripped it. The audiences, almost down to the last hip yuppie, unilaterally relished it. Either way, reactions to the film were extreme. Much of the same can be said for its maker . self not a ‘Bombay boy.’ Not a bona the world. And yet, he to have done fairly well making ipremely self-confident, almost bull ­ prospects which he believed were pretty splendid, give or take a little time. Seriously, there was none c. — ---- nervousness c------------- supremely sen-coniiucin, ish and a little brash about his future Gustad is regarded by Gustad: sense o f adventure some as a major new photo: AmeetMallapur talent, by others as a madcap maverick. Those who root lor him do so in the belief that he has what it takes to translate his wildest dreams into fruition, and since this takes quite some doing, his vision, gumption and gritare unarguably admirable. But those who ridicule him assert that he is quite mediocre, really, so what ’s the fuss about anyway? I belong to neither camp. When I went to meet him, I was neither gunning for him, nor interested in gushing over him. I was merely curious about a col ­ league of sorts in the media with long, unkempt hair and enough energy to fire an atomic explosion with his I can attitude and high voltage verve for life! — ? of the nail- of a newcomer who was charting a relatively risky trail in commercial cinema with virtually no ¦ backing. 1 As we spoke, it be- I came clear that he was intrinsically and unequi ­ vocally his own person, unhinged, unafraid, and uninhibited in the pur ­ suit of his life ’s only mis ­ sion; doing things his way. This is his mission statement, and every thing in his life appears to center around it. At 18, he left home. “I had to, ” he says. Whatever for? “Well, 1 had to make a man of myself at some stage, and that seemed the best time to make a start. There was this great restlessness inside &• who ridicule him assert that he is quite me. I wanted to travel around the world, I wanted to see where I fitted in.” His folks had migrated to Australia when he was 16. Before that, they all lived in Wadi, a small district in Karnataka where his grandfather ran a cinema hall. He schooled at St. Paul s, DaijccFuig, and had a natural preco ­ ciousness that he thought was precious. and had a natural preco- atomic explosion with his We met one evening before the film ’s release at his production office on War ­ den Road. Bombay Boys was having trouble finding buyers, and he was more or less reconciled to a long and frustrat ­ ing wait. But that didn ’t seem to dampen his spirits very much. He was upbeat. of Bombay Boys, where Gustad himself puts in a cameo appearance as a black marketeer outside a theater. Several other such bizarre escapades followed. In fact, all of his life up to this point has been a montage of images so incredulous to people with less adventur ­ ous sensibilities, that you could forgive his critics for thinking he ’s over-the-top. After he left home at 18, he spent 10 years wandering the world. He has lived in countless countries, and has done all manner of odd jobs in order to eke out a living and buy his next meal. “On last count I had done 28 different kinds of jobs, ” he revealed. He has worked in McDonald ’s, been a bartender in Hong Kong, transported things across the bor ­ der into China (“smuggling! ” he wick ­ edly winked), been a farmer in a New York suburban estate packing apples into crates, and later turned into a crou ­ pier in a Big Apple nightclub. What on earth could have made him want to do all of these? “A sense of adventure. An unquenchable thrill for danger, ” he answered flatly. He wasn ’t talking for effect as he continued, “I was constantly hunting down different ex ­ periences at that stage. I still am. I think you have only one life. I want to pack in as much as I can into it. So I went ahead and lived in different countries, did dif ­ ferent things. I had no money and noth ­ ing to tie me down, so I guess this was easy for me to do. When you have noth ­ ing, you are never insecure. You take each day as it comes, and look forward to the next. ” Yet, there was a method in his mad ­ ness. “At no point in my life was I unfocussed, ” he asserted, “it wasn ’t as though I was running around the world for the heck of it. I wasn ’t clueless about ing to tie me down, so I guess this was ing^ you are never insecure. You take Darjeeling, So he went full throttle after pranks of all kinds. “When I was 14, and in Bombay for a brief stay, I started selling tickets in black outside Liberty cinema. No jokes, my friend Bugs and I were fc; hiisilin^ ’f tickets in black when the cops - - . r- caught us and gave us a thrashing. The my ultimate purpose. From very early in J , subsequently discovered, the day set out a was because we were undercutting the ‘ established black marketeers and this was just not on!” he recalled. The epi ­ sode i.s enshrined in the closing scenes reason, we This is what I really wanted to do. So for four years I studied film at the New York University. It was a good film school and has produced the likes of 30 Parsiana May 1999I The Bombay Boys star cast: (top) Shah and Deshpande and (alongside, from left) Andrews, Bose and Gifford ries were all contemporary, and slightly on the edge, ” Gustad con­ ceded. “It was brash literature, writ ­ ten from the point of view of a young guy as he sees the world. Oliver Stone, Martin Scoreese and W ««' rietionalized accounts SpikeLee, ”Gustadsaidwithpride. ofwhatlsaw.feltandex^nenced “It was a wonderful experience, ” — ¦ “-hen' MveW tnound. The que - he reminisced, “and I had a great H I ‘ T time. After I left, I started working I how much of the book ts ftction in cinema and worked my way up I «>" “V ' 11 f kzw,; i«,r^i T ¦ can t answer that. At one level, virtual^ from spot boy level. I . ing is fiction. At another worked with film units m vanous Iw ¦ j ® • r \in,onttnii countries: India, America, Austra- K I J™ lia. I was passionate about two I sit to wnte, the hues between fact things —writingandmakingfilms. K________________ _________________ I and fiction blur. Insist you and a That's all I ever wanted to do." . * blankp,eceofpaper.Theonlyth,ng And that ’s exactly what he's ended years later and there, before his very that restricts you is your imaginatio . up doing. As he traveled the world eyes, fiction emerged from tacts. He There are no other constramts. In that doing odd jobs, he stoked his creative decided that he had material for several sense, writing is a far purer creative fires by writing compulsively. Almost short stories, and got into the act of form than filmmaking. As a filmmaker obsessively. Each city he lived in, each strange job he undertook, offered him invaluable experience. He wrote all this down in a diary, to look back at it a few years later and there, before his very eyes, fiction emerged from facts. He decided that he had material for several writing his first book titled Of No Fixed you have to cope with many hassles and ¦ . constraints. ” Just how many he discovered when he started filming Bombay Boys almost Address, deeply reminiscent of his no­ madic days. It was published by HarperCollins two years ago. “The sto- 32 Parsiana May 1999did not necessarily have to belong to the commercial Hindi film circuit, or Bolly ­ wood bandwagon, as it were. To some, it appeared as though he “When you have nothing, you are never insecure” were an with his lucky (though in parts lacklus ­ ter) first film. To Gustad himself, it appeared like having finally arrived at his destination after traversing a very long road. “Remember, ” he cautioned, “that the film didn ’t happen to me over ­ night. It has been more than lO years since I left home and struggled for it to happen. Finally, it has. ” It i.s the culmination of a long cher ­ ished dream. One that began when, as a little boy, he sat in hi.s grandfather ’,s four years ago. He had his script ready success of independent filmmakers who learnt there. It was there that I dreamed (he naturally wrote it himself), and he did not necessarily have to belong to the that I would one day set up my own film had an enviable roll call of actons itch- commercial Hindi film circuit, or Bolly- company and call it Kismet Talkies. ” ing to get started. They comprised Na- wood bandwagon, as it were. Yes, Bombay Boys was a Kismet seeruddin Shah, Roshan Seth, Naveen To some, it appeared as though he Talkies presentation! Andrews, Rahul Bose, Alexander Gif­ ford and Tara Deshpande. Everything was in order, other than the finances. He struggled for one full year to raise the resources for his film. “The trouble with Bombay Boys," he later reckoned, “was that it didn ’t fit into a slot. As I saw it, it was a contemporary Indian film with both critical and commercial vi­ abilities. I saw it as an international film, but raising money for it was tough. Even when the money came, it never came all at once. It came in fits and starts, so I was alway.s on tenterhooks throughout, until the film got made. ” And after that, there were no dis ­ tributors willing to take it. Finally, Bombay ’s famous diamond merchant and film distributor, Bharat Shah, stepped in, and the rest was a rollicking picnic for Gustad. He was predictably cinema hall in Wadi and saw fascinating riding high after the film ’s initial eu ­ phoric reception at the box office. He saw it as a victory for his personal belief in striking out and doing his own thing. And he saw it as a positive signal for the He is wary of letting success go to his head. One of his internal anti-ego de ­ vices is not to allow himslf to get at ­ tached to things, places, people. He doesn ’t want anything to change that. “I want to stay ‘of no fixed address, ”’ he smiled. “I own nothing, no house, not upstart who had made good even a television set. Tomorrow, if my rented premises burned down, I wouldn ’t give a damn. I’d just move on to some place else. I think it ’s necessary for an artist to remain lean, hungry, taut. That ’s how it works best for me. The day I become fat and complacent...I ’m fin­ ished. ” I left Kaizad Gustad thinking how true that was. How choc-a-bloc the world is with fat, complacent, finished people. For all his hype, hysteria and idiosyn ­ crasies, he is alive to life, to its infinite possibilities, and his own insatiable long ­ ing to experience it fully, fearlessly, and head-on. He defies definition, and will not allow himself to be slotted. But he is a seeker. And a survivor. In that, more than anything, lies his success. films in the dark. He used to sit through all the movies. He recalled those days fondly: “The cinema was called Kismet Talkies, and that was my classroom. My first lessons in filmmaking were With Best Compliments From TM Guniting, Civil & Painting Contractors Specialists in renovation of multi-storied buildings SINCE 1974 1st Floor, 7, Cassinath Building, Cassinath Street, Tardeo, Mumbai 400034 Phones: 4923560/4938949 Fax: 4925601 Gram: VELDCOATS 34 Parsiana May 1999CINEMA k' Kaizad ’s ‘fill uni There was much hype and hysteria that contributed to Bombay Boys' success Shernaaz Engineer The first time I saw Kaizad Gustad ’s for characters, and a fairly shallow un- Bonibay Boys was on premier night at derstanding of what makes India ’s pre- "" ~ megapolis tick. The film i,s predominantly about three young men of Indian origin, brought up abroad. They come back to search for their roots, and strike up a friendship in the cab ride out ot Bombay ’s Sahar pub. Shroff, overcome by remorse, is _ . J- shown lamenting the fact that homosexu- the Eros theater in Bombay. It was a high energy evening, the hall packed to the gills with friends and family (in­ cluding parents from Australia) of the celebrated young film director, script writer and smalltime actor. At the end ot Bombay Boys, one sees his little Airport. This slightly contrived bring ­ ing together of their divergent paths ality is still illegal in India, enables Gustad to look at the city from their eye.s and do a take-off or spoof on almost everything from the exorbitant flat rentals, to the Hindi movie industry contemporary media (cinema and writ- and its murky machinations, to Bom- bay ’.s neon nightlife and never-say-die spirit, to the dissipated youth scene — high on rock music and drug-induced nirvana. cameo, selling ticket.s in black outside a cinema hall — something he claims he actually did as a young lad for a lark (see “A seeker and a survivor, ” page 30)! I could not help liking Bombay Boys that evening. It would have been im­ possible not to. It was a film full of fun, tunkiness and an engagingly whimsical point of view. Besides, I had been suf ­ ficiently softened up by the auditorium full of determinedly appreciative co­ viewers, all of whom were out to like the film if nothing else then for Gustad ’.s sake. 1 too succumbed to the feel-good lull of the evening, eager to gloss over the film ’s flaws, and exult instead over its unusual and quirky touches. But there were so many ‘Parsi ’ ele ­ ments in Bombay Boys, starting with one of the chief protagonists being a half-Parsi boy (Xerxe.s Mistry, played by London-based Alexander Gifford), that 1 decided — for the purpose of this review and my own objective analysis — to see the film again. This time I saw it a few days before it bid adieu to the big screen. The the ­ ater was running almost empty, and I was disappointed that a dispassionate second viewing took much of the Her magic away. The film appeared more like what the critics had almost unanimously held it guilty of being: a somewhat forced and facile parody of life in Bombay, complete with exaggerated caricatures ear- Gustad sharing a light moment with Deshpande (above) Photo; Ramakant Munderznr/ a poster of the film 35 Parsiana May 1999 5 tor characters, and a fairly shallow un- II js/a^ * ' 3. ft I* ’’ IS3a ij a ’ But it was his portrayal of the Parsis that I looked at closely; and was pretty much disappointed with. Take his depic ­ tion of Mistry, one of his three central characters, as a sitting-on-the-fence ho­ mosexual, who finally succumbs to his alternate sexual orientation by the end of the film, culminating in a rather disturb ­ ing cliche. This was heightened by the fact that Mistry ’s mentor and landlord Pesi Shroff (played by the award-win ­ ning actor Roshan Seth) was shown as being aggressively gay. His advances towards the confused Mistry are far from subtle, and at one point when Mistry gets arrested by the police for a romantic dalliance with another young boy in a Homosexuality and the Parsi male is a theme that has been surfacing with increasing and alarming frequency in ing), but in the absence of any attempt to put it in some sort of socio-emotional perspective, it appeared overdone and unnecessary in Bombay Boys. Much the same could be said of the other charac ­ ters like Dolly the moll (Tara Desh ­ pande) or Mastana the film producer (a superb Naseeruddin Shah) who were more “types ” than real people. But then the film is an edgy, over- the-top take on Bombay and its bizarre kaleidoscope of distorted and dizzy images. To be fair, Gustad himself calls it a “fillum ” in his opening titles, thereby setting the tone for the manic montage of the not necessarily sensible or logical images that follow. The story plays hopscotch with the strange music track and the characters appear and disappear at the director ’s whim, leaving one un­ sure of exactly what was happening — and with far too many unanswered ques ­ tions. 1^^ ISPORTS Success in the sea On the occasion of Children ’s Day last year, three Zoroastrian children aged between eight to 12 years swam in the sea for over three hours to complete the I 1 km distance between Uran and the Gateway of India in Bombay. The first to come out of the water after 3 hr 10 min was 12-ycar-old Aresh Daruwalla who covered a longer distance of 13 km because of the strong currents. Ten- year-old Kaiwan Shroff, for whom this wa,s a maiden sea swim, arrived second, six minutes later. Aresh ’.s eight-year- old sister Shazneen (see “Splashing Suc­ cess, ” Parsiana, July-August ’97), one of the youngest participants who wa.s taking part in a sea swim for the first time, came in sixth taking ,3 hr 57 min to reach the jetty at the Gateway, states a write-up forwarded to Parsiana. Accompanying each child wa.s small guide boat, with an observer from the M.S.A.A.A. (Maharashtra State AmateurAquatic Association ) on board. Touching the boat in any way, even while accepting drinks or a chocolate, meant instant disqualification for the swimmer. Intensive training for one and a half months under Rakesh Tiwari, coach of the Bombay YMCA swim team, ensured that all the 10 children who participated from different Bombay schools completed the swim organized on November 14. “This was my first expe ­ rience in the sea and I en ­ joyed it. I was a little afraid a Alongside: Shroff Below: Aresh, mother Pervin and Shazneen (right) and in the water with guide boat 36 Parsiana May 1999 at first, but not once I started swim ­ ming, ” said Kaiwan, adding that he “felt very proud ” when his feat was applauded at the end of it all. “I was a little nervous before the drop of water, swim, but my Mummy told me to have faith in prayer. I felt very exhausted but also very good afterwards and I would do it again, ” declared Shaz- necn. Remarked Aresh; “1 was confident that I would complete the distance and felt happy that all my hard work had been rewarded. ” Planning to swim the 38 km distance from Dharam- tar to the Gateway of India next, Aresh says he has set his hopes and his sights on the ultimate dream, the En­ glish Channel. a Karate kid “Training for a black bell involved, among other things, being at Priyadar- shini Park at five o’clock in the morning, running 35- Nadirshaw: building 40 laps of the track. Hector strength and stamina started with acouple of laps, but by the time the examination arrived he wa.s so totally in practice that he outran all the other 34 aspiring junior black belts over a distance of 14 kms, without any rest, ” states Goolshun Nadirshaw, mother of 10-year-old Hec ­ tor who earned his junior black belt at the 44th (win ­ ter) camp of the All-India Gojukai Karate-do held at the .Sardar Dastur Schools, Poona. The rigorous exami ­ nation consisted of physical stamina, but also my concentration and st ¦r k stamina tests in Bombay on December 20, ’98 which included 500 push-ups, somersaults, bunny hop, duck walk, etc, all to be done without drinking a This was followed by a difficult schedule of katas, shiai, multiple kumite, bunkai and yaksuku-kumite at Poona from December 26-30. Ex­ plains Goolshun, “An as­ piring black belt has to take punches in the stomach, arms and legs from the other boys, and while Hec ­ tor was doing his examina ­ tion I was sitting outside, a complete nervous wreck! Though others do suffer injuries. Hector defended himself beautifully. ” Adds her son, “When I was handed my black belt, I felt very emotional. I re ­ membered my five years of hard work and felt a great sense of achieve ­ ment. ” After attending one more (summer) camp in May, Hector will receive his certificate from Japan at the end of the year. Subsequent continuous prac ­ tice will sec him attain senior black belt level. Hector started karate at the age of six with Shihan Vispy Kapadia, 6th dan black belt. “Hector was an exception ­ ally shy child when he started, but ka ­ rate has changed him completely. Even older boys, who used to at one time harass him particularly in the school bus, now treat him with admiration and respect, ” laughs his mother. “Karate has developed not only my strength and 4 ¦ I 1All-rounder Irani Photos: Clive Tarling Photography discipline. It has given me a sense of security and I would certainly like to continue with karate, ” observe.s Hector. A student of Bombay ’s Campion School, Hector maintains his position in the top 10 of his class, states his bio data. He has won or ranked in intra and inter school elocution competitions both in English and Hindi. Under the guid ­ ance of Meher and Noshirwan Jchangir, Hector passed with distinction the Grade Two examination in speech and drama conducted by Trinity College, London. Leisure activities include watching car- toon.s and the Discovery channel on television. .The English cricketer All-rounder Ronnie Irani wa.s the first Zoroastrian to play test cricket for En­ gland, writes Behram Udvadekar, lon^ time UK resident and cricket enthusiast according to the Internet (www. cricinfo. from Wolverhampton. In abriet resume com). Though currently a “forgotten man ” for England, newspapers are tipping him to soon be a part of the England team, believe,s Udvadekar. Ig- of Irani ’s achievements, Udvadekar states that Irani ’s test debut was against India at Edgbaston in 1996, where he made a quickfire 34 and took a wicket in his first over which was also a maiden. 39 Parsiana May 1999 In the second test at Lords, Irani made 41 runs and helped save En­ gland from defeat, but was dropped for the third test. His ODI (one- day international) debut was also against India at the Oval in the Texaco Trophy series. He was selected to tour New Zealand and Zimbabwe in ’96- ’97 and has repre ­ sented England in 10 ODLs and two tests so far. Son of league I cricketer Jimmy Irani and Anne, Ronnie was 16 when he signed on to play for Lan ­ cashire, the county where he was born (see “Into the big league, ” Zoroas- trians Abroad, Parsiana, January ’89). He moved to Essex in 1994 and has played in the Sun­ day league and one day championships, with his county Essex winning the NatWest Cup final and the Benson and Hedges Cup in different seasons. “Few Parsis have come to see me at matches and chat with me, ” Irani is said to have told Udvadekar in a post-match tete-a- tete last year. The only child of his parents, Irani ha,s been to Zoroastrian House twice on Navroz and shows in­ terest in his roots, particularly how, when and why the Zoroastrians landed in India, writes Udvadekar. In 1998, the six-foot four-inch right hand bat and right arm medium bowler scored 1,001 runs in first class matches, at an average of 32.29 and took 41 wickets, his best figures being five wick ­ ets for 47 runs. His county champion ­ ship tally for 1998 stands at 968 runs, with a highest score of 127 not out. With best wishes from Farah & Tanya Compiled by Hilla P. GiizdeiTHE CHALLENGING PORT-FOLIO continued from page 28 minal at Karachi ’s Port Muhammad- Bi’n-Qasim also comes within their pur ­ view. “Victory is always sweet, ” an ­ nounces Sarbh whose present contract with P&O Ports expires in December 2000 after which he would like to return to Australia. But before that he looks forward to winning more projects for P&O “who have been in India for 155 years, are in India and will be in India, ” he states confidently. There is no ambi ­ guity as to where Sarbh ’s loyalties lie. On any given day a necktie would form a part of his formal attire. But on March I Force who keep a vigil over the entire zone, requiring every visitor and auto ­ mobile to carry a pass. The contract for the supply of cranes " “Heavy congestion, berthing delays was awarded to Preussag Noell of Ger- and long ship turnaround time are com ­ mon features of India ’s ports, ” accord ­ ing to an article quoted in The Eco- 21, 1999 when NSICT was officially noniic Tinies of April 8, 1999 support- inaugurated Sarbh chose to wear a T- shirt sporting the P&O logo. When Parsiana was shooting a photograph of 40 Parsiana May 1999 him at their container yard, he made sure there was a P&O container in the background! ------------------- o Both importers and exporters will into use when the containers have to be gain from P&O’s presence in this coun­ try, Sarbh i.s sanguine. “There is scope for growth in containerization in India ...Shipping services look for quality monitored by the Central India Securky and guaranteed service. A ship is ex ­ pensive. Time lost is money lost. India nced.s its seaports to be efficiently man ­ aged, ” he reiterates. ing Sarbh ’s stand. “The turnaround time for a ship at Cochin which is ratified as being less inefficient, is more than four P&O Containers handling Jervis Bay berthed in Singapore Photo courtesy: P&O Worldwide days while the situation elsewhere is even worse, ” it adds. Presently the 11 main ports handle nearly 90 percent of India ’s cargo traffic, the balance being handled by 139 intermediate and minor ports controlled by state governments, according to the newspaper. “Problems are likely to increase with the growth of cargo traffic from 251 m tonnes in 1998 to 415 m tonnes by 2002...” Sealand Motivator which is 260 m in length exchanged 2976 teu (twenty equivalent units approximating 60,000 tons) when it berthed at the NSICT and the staff were confident of turning the ship in 48 hours as against the minimum 72 hours which would have been the case in any other terminal in India, points out Sarbh. The NSICT is built to accommodate two ships of 290 m or three ships of 190 m with a terminal capacity of 600,000-650,000 teu (ap ­ proximately 12 million tons). The ter ­ minal when fully ready will be equipped with six rail mounted gantry quay cranes, 15 rubber tyred gantry cranes and three rail mounted gantry cranes, plus 48 internal transport vehicles, as per their fact sheet. Although Parsiana had been sup ­ plied this relevant theoretical data in advance, a visit to the Terminal and an introduction to their various equipment helped us understand that the quay cranes on the wharf are used for loading and unloading the ship and are said to be capable of handling 40 containers per hour. The rubber tyred gantry cranes are the noisy ones which are constantly on the move in the container yards and the rail mounted gantry cranes are called loaded on rail wagons, the nearest rail ­ siding being Panvel. The passage of internal transport vehicles is constantly many; Bovis Construction (a P&O Group company) with experience in mega projects like the Atlanta Olym ­ pics have been appointed project man ­ agers for NSICT; with the Terminal being designed by Cullen Grummit and Roe, a Queensland based engineeringI company. The contract for the wharf and approach bridges was awarded to Trafalgar House India Limited and for the reclamation of 28 hectare.s of land on which stands the NSICT to Pathare Real Estate and Developers. The opera ­ tions center, amenities block, work ­ shop and canteen are being constructed by Holzmann Videocon Engineering Limited. As per their original under ­ standing, the 150 m south extension wharf and approach bridge built by NSICT were handed over to JNPT in exchange for 150 m of existing north wharf and seven hectares of container yard, thus leaving one continuous stretch of land and quay line to be managed by in negotiations, understand people, deal the private terminal. Even now the boundary lines between the two sectors is so thin that at the NSICT they have opted for cranes of bright blue and yellow color combinations to permit world class terminal — is very satisfy- locating them from a distance. Having been at sea for nearly 18 years, first as cadet, then as second officer, chief officer and master, Sarbh acknowledges, “My sailing experience has considerably helped me to under ­ stand the business: ships, ports, con­ tainers. By travelling to different parts “I grew up in India. I believe I must give back to India what it gave me. Giving India NSICT is very satisfying ” of the world you understand people, ment. Considering that NSICT was reg ­ their values, their culture. ” Similarly istered as an Indian company on March his two years a.s manager of a real estate 21, 1997, that the terminal was opened agency in Sydney before he rejoined for operations on March 21, 1999, does the spring equinox or Navroz hold a special significance for Sarbh? He re ­ plies in the affirmative but does not elaborate on that. What he does feel strongly about is the fact that “the Parsi community is dying; that we are be ­ coming a collector ’s item ” and yet chil ­ dren of a woman who has married out of the Zoroastrian fold are not accepted. “This nonsensical, high-handed policy ” which discriminates against a woman “is completely wrong, ” he asserts. Con­ version to the Zoroastrian faith should be open to the non-Parsi spouses of Zoroastrians and those who have stud ­ ied the religion, he opines. “There is nothing wrong as long as it is con­ trolled, ” believes Sarbh who wears the sudreh-kusti at all times, insisting on P&O Ports “helped me polish my skills with them, ” he adds. “Although I am now an Australian, I grew up in India. I believe I must give back to India what it gave me. Giving India NSICT — a ing, ” declares the managing director. With a phenomenal memory for dates showing us the sudreh donned by him. Sarbh is able to recount the progress of the Terminal as also his personal career chart. On the day of the interview with Parsiana, March 26, 1999, it had been four years, eight days since he had returned to India on his current assign- “Let every individual have a choice. I’m all for choice, ” points out Sarbh who has observed that the community both in Bombay where he was born and schooled (first at St Mary ’s and then at St Peter ’s) as also in Australia (where MASTER MARINE SERVICES Surveyors Licence No: SLA 19207 Surveyors and Consultants Ship, Cargo and Marine Surveyors, Loss Assessors, Technical Consultants, Container Terminal Superintendents and General Contractors, Container Repairers Reefer Cargo/Container Surveyors 22/D, S.A. Brelvi Road, Fort, Mumbai 400001 Phone: 2873567/2832145/2870716/2886642/43 • Cable: ‘MOORINGS’ Telex: 118-2119 MMSB IN • Fax: 91-22-2870139 • Email: g=mms/s=bom/p=gems/a=vsnl/c=in Internet: mms.bom@gems.vsnl.net.in Branches Ahmedabad -- Calcutta -- Jaipur -- Kandla -- Ludhiana - Nhava Sheva - New Delhi -- Surat 42 Parsiana May 1999he has taken up citizenship) “is too caught up in the bureaucratic tangles. We argue more than we deliver. ” The Bombay Parsi Punchayet, he feels, “should be more helpful in propagating the religion. It should be restructured with younger, forward thinking, dynamic personalities getting onto the board and running the institution like a corporation. Some young lawyers should take it upon themselves to work on those trusts and unlock the fund.s which can be used to assist the community. Unfortunately, no one has the time. ” Instead of building small flats like at Godrej Baug, the ex ­ ample of Cusrow Baug should be fol ­ lowed. “There are funds and companies who would assist in the right way pro ­ vided the system is easy, fair, ” he ex ­ pressed his views. “People in Sydney are more com ­ mitted towards their religion, ” he notes while also commenting that “they don ’t like to listen to the younger generation. Set in their old views, they need a paradigm shift for the 21st century... Each institution should stand alone and be self supporting, ” he says, referring to the AZA (Australian Zoroastrian Asso ­ ciation) House. “Constantly seckiii handouts from people who are doing from another. 'a well is too stressful. The AZA should be run as a company on corporate lines. ” Sarbh ’s parents Homai and Homi continue to have their base in Bombay. His wile Laie, a physiotherapist by training who has accommodated her schedule to facilitate her husband ’s career moves, as also their two children who are Australian citizens are pres ­ ently in Bombay. To his young chil ­ dren, 1 I-year-old Jim who studies at the Bombay International School and seven-year-old Simoneil who is at The J. B. Petit High School for Girls, Sarbh constantly emphasizes the need “to be good Zoroastrians, have values above material and financial considerations; to respect every individual and not discriminate between religion, caste and color. ” The color of an individual may not matter to Sarbh but the color of the sea sure perturbs him especially when the Arabian Sea which he has to cross ever so often turns grey with pollution in­ stead of blue. The sea and the port continue to be Sarbh ’s mainstay: when he was captain in command of a vessel, he had to look at them from one side, now from the shore, he has to view them We never take our guests and Matheran 410102 Matheran Telephone 021483-0228 Fax 021483-0595' Bombay telephone 3867776 43 Parsiana May 1999 GLOBE THEATRES Pvt Ltd Established April 3, 1915 Pioneers of Show Business in India for the last 82 years We rededicate ourselves to the ideals we have cherished and practised all along - namely to show NOTHING BUT THE BEST to our ever increasing number of Patrons Controlling: REGAL BOMBAY CAPITOL BOMBAY GLOBE CALCUTTA All the above Cinemas have now been equipped with nri lOOtBV STEREO I Sound SystemWanted Computer-savvy person to head travel related web site merchandising activities. Person would have to liaise with manufacturers/distributors of travel related products such as books, maps, luggage, etc and ensure delivery of goods to parties. Knowledge of airlines and hotel reservations preferred. Write to: The Advertiser (Web) GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 BUSINESS continued from page 27 was nonetheles.s a proud man, remem ­ bered and honored by his old students. After unveiling a plaque, Irani switched on the first machine, amidst the traditional achu niichu and lighting of a divo. Speaking informally with the audience later on, Irani said the topic weighing most heavily on his mind was the budget. He was critical of some of the government's policies. “By popu­ list measures like free electricity and heavy subsidie.s they are short selling our country ’s future ” he opined. Diliiavaz E. Bhagwagar The Top Ten “Lives of great men all remind us...” Who were the greats? Who are the greats? Zoroastrians talk proudly of the community’s achievements in the past and present. Names are mentioned randomly but collectively no in­ In momentum ternational list has been com- Adman Jamshed Vakeel has joined Mo- piled of the moSt outstanding mentum Creative Private Limited, a ParsiS Or ZoroaSthanS. PSTSidna Bombay-based advertising strategy and opens it COlumnS tO suggestions from readers as to who they con­ sider to be the 10 most outstand­ ing Zoroastrians globally in the 19th and 20th centuries (10 in g each century). The nominees could be from any field ’ of en­ deavor, from politics to poetry and science to soldiering. The purpose of the exercise is to cre­ ate a greater awareness of the community’s past and present Wanted Manager for Parsee catering establishment near Tardeo. Maximum age, sixty-five. Must be experienced in catering and handling staff. Good references, essential. Write to: design consul ­ tancy firm, as managing direc ­ tor. Momen ­ tum is India ’s first advertising agency to work on a fee basis only, instead of the usual 15 percent agency commission system, accord- achievements and to put these ing to a press re ­ lease. “It ’s high time we dragged the stone-agers kicking and screaming into the 21 st century. I challenge them to explain any relationship whatsoever be ­ tween the decrepit old 15 percent agency commission on anything and the value of the goods and services a client receives ..........- ------------------- ----- — - - _ Our fee system provides clients with a tury for which thsy are being nomi- decision-making system... at a price that nated. is seen to be logically fair. ’’ Oxford-educated Vakeel has over IS years of experience in the advertis ­ ing field, having worked earlier with Ogilvy and Mather, London; HKR, Geneva, Mudra in Ahmedabad, etc. His professional experience includes mar ­ keting and advertising for clients such as t , Corporation, Christian Dior, Hewlett- Vakeel: leadiiii^ India's first fee­ based ad ageney in perspective. Readers should send in their sug­ gestions stating the full name of the individual, his or her field of endeavor, the reason why they feel the person is deserving of this classification and the cen- 'S The Advertiser (Catering) GPO Box 892, Bombay 400007 The reason for choosing the two centuries together is to allow for the overlapping of many signifi ­ cant lives. The reader can de­ cide in which century he or she _______ ___ wishes to identify the individual ’s the Ritz Hotel (Paris), Swiss Bank Contribution. Personages should , ~ • "• " ¦ - be nominated according to the Packard, etc. The multi-faceted Vakeel century in which they made their has also been an Egon Ronay guide major contribution tO humanity, restaurant inspector and an accom ­ plished cook, with published work tQ Send your entries to The Editor, his credit. Parsiana (Greats), GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001. Compiled by Hilla P Giizder 44 Parsiana May 1999It was “difficult to find 800 people who could understand the scheme and were willing to stand for election...Where will you get 2,000 informed, socially conscious people? ” he asked. He felt the AC was “virtually defunct ” and felt the body “should have a greater role to maybe around 100 with 50 percent rep ­ resentation from donors and 50 percent from the community at large. Educationist Prof Khurshed Sheriar felt “more number of people should think of reducing ” the AC, he said. Perviz Dotiwalla who also contested unsuccessfully for trusteeship spoke of the old sau ni manclli (group of 100) representatives from the various regis ­ ters who in turn elected the trustees. The other alternative was to permit everyone to vote. Hector Mehta, another unsuccessful candidate for trusteeship, felt that the system of parity was “functioning very well. ” He was in favor of two consecu ­ tive terms for trusteeship and an upper age limit of 70. Social activist Phiroze Amroliwalla believed “the question of an age limit is not necessary...voters can reject ” a can ­ didate if they felt the.age was a hin­ drance. He believed that experience and expertise should be the criteria for MORE POWER TO THE PEOPLE continued from page 23 tern, suggested by the six trustees for increased weightage to the elected rep ­ resentatives, the limit on the number of terms and the restriction on age. Tirandaz dismissed the fear that scrapping of the donors ’ register would play ” He advocated a small AC of stop the inflow of funds. If even 1,000 Parsis were to give Rs 15,000 each the amount would total only one and a half crore rupees. What was this in compari ­ son to “one donor who has given four and a half crores in one shot? ” If the take part ” in thcelection process. “Don’t Supreme Court could uphold the scrap ­ ping of the privy purses of the former princes and maharajas of India despite constitutional guarantees to the con­ trary, what was so sacred about the which comprised 100 donors and elected vested rights of donors, he asked. The BPP trustees adopted a policy of put ­ ting their heads in the sand whenever they were faced with major problems, a alleged Tirandaz. Parsis wished to par ­ ticipate in the decision making process of the community. “Why sell our rights to persons whose only qualification is money? ” he asserted. The discussion was then thrown open to the audience. Marazban Patrawala, a member of the National Minorities Commission, said: “There was a need for change but not absolute change...all members of the House of Lords cannot vote...say 25 percent of the donors will be voters and two to three times (that judging a candidate and not his age. number) will be the elected voters. ” He felt the amount of the donation given to be eligible to vote should be raised to one lakh rupees. “Let donors come to ­ gether and select who amongst them eeship is honesty and someone who one will be the voters. ” Kanga felt that “the general Parsi population should be given preponder ­ ance. ” He suggested a 25 percent to 75 percent weightage in favor of elected representatives. Kanga believed the AC was necessary a,s it served as a link between the trustees and the community. He was in favor of the Punchayet chair ­ man being elected by his fellow trustees •iind not by seniority. Phiroze Lam of Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited felt concluded with Guzder stating that the that adult franchise was the only solu ­ tion and that the necessary qualifica- tion.s in a candidate standing for trustee ­ ship elections should be spelt out. Kersi Limathwalla who had con­ tested unsuccessfully for a BPP trustee ­ ship seat said, “The basic deficiency in thinking of the house, only “fine tun- the scheme ” was that it was unwieldy. Amroliwalla ’s sentiments were re ­ inforced by social worker Homai Modi. “People can be senile at 50 also, ” she noted. “The basic qualification fortrust ­ can look up to. ” Community activist Noshir Dadra- wala pointed out that the BPP is gov ­ erned by the Bombay Public Trusts Act and unless specifically required under the deed of settlement of trust, elections were not mandatory. Ina show of hand.s taken at the end of the discussion only around five of those present voted in favor of universal adult franchise. The two-and-a-half-hour meeting trustees would look into the views ex ­ pressed by the participants and then decide. Engineer clarified that the deci ­ sion would be taken by a majority vote of the trustees. Both Shroff and he reit ­ erated that having got a feel for the ing ” would be required. For hand embroidered Gara Sarees Contact Hilla Mazda 14 Main Street Thirumurthy Nagar Madras 600034 Tel: (044) 8259195/8272645 Website: www.thehorizons.com Look in Craft Basket section Personal sale of Authentic Parsi garas, silver, gold and jari borders Contact: 2833078, 2873373 MATRIMONIAL Alliance invited by a bachelor aged 41, B.A., tall, pleasant looking, working in a software company as an executive and earning a decent salary, from a good-looking, happy natured smart and domestically trained Zoroastrian lady from a respectable family. Write to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (May/12-99)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. MATRIMONIAL Parents of pretty, outgoing 21 -year-old Parsi girl, English Hons./ Computer Dip. from a well-to-do and well connected family, seek matrimonial alliance from well-settled Parsi boy in the age group of 25 to 28 years, preferably settled in India. Please reply with photograph (returnable) and bio data with family details to: The Advertiser Parsiana, Matrimonial (May/13-99)* GPO Box 892, Bombay 400001 ‘Please make sure the reply envelope bears the reference number cited here. 45 Parsiana May 1999MILESTONES of March. Heart disease took a toll of 30 victims of whom 1 1 were 80 -e. The other major killer was pneumonia/lung dis­ ease claiming 14 lives. Seven patients fell prey to cancer and five to diabetes. Bronchitis and high blood pressure felled three patients each. Two deaths each were accounted to brain dis­ ease, paraplegia (paralysis of the lower limb.s usually includ­ ing the bladder and rectum), septicemia, hypertension and myeloma (a primary malignant tumor of bone marrow). Iso­ lated cases registered for March were: tuberculosis, Alzheimer’s disease, malaria, quadraplcgia marriage precedes a religious R. Noshir Nanporia and R. (paralysis of all four limbs), liver disease, injury to vital or­ gans, multiple organ failure, (as listed in this issue) ranged head injury, kidney failure, between 23 and 36 years, the arithmetic mean (the total num­ ber of individual ages divided by ked by enlargement of the the total number of brides) being lymph nodes, spleen and liver). 27 years. The corresponding fig­ ures for the grooms were 25 and 43 years, averaging at 31 years. There were 84 deaths com­ pared to 17 births in the month This issue of Parsiana publishes intercommunity marriages reg­ istered both at the Old Customs House as well as at the MH ADA office in Bandra (East) for the five-month period of December 1998 to April 1999. However, names that could not be con­ firmed as Zoroastrian have been omitted from the list. The Old Customs House reg­ istered 46 intercommunity mar­ riages plus eight civil marriages, whereas the figures of the MHADA office were 23 and three respectively. A scanning of the Chandan- wadi crematorium registers re­ vealed the names of 10 Zoroas­ trians between April 1998 and March 1999. The age of Zoroastrian brides BARODA BORN A boy, Danesh, to Khurshid and Kemas Wadia on January 5, 1999 Twins to Jasmin and Harvesp Elavia; March 18 MARRIED Parizad Mirza, daughter of Pervin and Homi, and Firdos Chinoy, son of Hutokshi and Keki; March 4 DIED Ketyinai Eruchsha Patel (89): December 2, 1998 Sorahji Dhanjishaw Harad- walla (85); January 14, 1999 Navroz.e Sorabji Contractor (53); March 20 Kersasj) Kekhashru Poonawalla (74); March 25 BOMBAY BORN A boy, Ai'zan, to Meher and Farhad Engineer, brother to Meherab; December 6, 1998 A boy to Dinaz and Gev Engineer, March 3, 1999 A girl to Peiyin and Yezdi Driver, March 4 46 Parsiana May 1999 asthma and Hodgkin’s disease (a sometimes fatal cancer mar- The Zoroastrian life expectancy at birth for March, in Bombay, was 76 years. The data on births, marriages and deaths has been compiled with us. A girl to Tanaz and Rustoni Irani', March 6 Twins (girl and hoy) to Benaifer and Naozer Bachanw, March 9 A girl to Anahita and Xerxis Daruwalla', March 9 A girl to Tinaaz and Minoo Mody, March 11 A boy to Rashna and Shahrukh Sholapurwala', March 16 A girl, Anisa, to Anahita and Samir Uheroi', March 18 A girl to Kamal and Marazban Doctor', March 25 A girl. Kyra, to Maharukh and Vispi Marshall', March 25 A girl to Nilufer and Sanjay Prakash'. March 25 A boy to Avan and Kayomar.s Doomasia', March 27 A boy, Zelieus, to Pretti and Firdos Namirian', March 27 A boy to Nargish and Rohinton Mistry, March 28 A boy to Kaizeen and Farzad Palia', March 29 A boy to Chitan and Ardeshir Bonshahi', March 30 MARRIED Shireen Cawas Pavri and from information supplied by December 14 various newsletters and anju- mans in India and abroad, courts and hospitals. This information is not always complete or con­ sistent: we are unable to carry data from areas where the anju- mans do not furnish the particu ­ lars; the birth figures for Bom­ bay are supplied by four hospi­ tals — births in suburban hospi­ tals and private nursing homes are not included unless indi ­ viduals send us information to­ gether with a copy of the birth certificate. There may be an in­ advertent repetition of names in the marriage list when a civil In the break-up of Cyrus Dadachanji' December 20 Farzana Nadir Muncherjee and Kunal Shobhan Thakore; December 23 Hemali Jayant Modi and Pervez Shapoor Mehta', December 25 Zenohia Bakhtyar Italia and Parvez Cyrus Siganporia', December 25 Benaifer R. Canteenwalla and Hushidar Eruch Bhathena', December 29 Christina Patrick D’Souza and Farhad E. Pardiwalla', December 29 Sarvar Kothavala and Ashwin Pejawar, January 2, 1999 Yasmin K. Wadia and Satyendra S. Shenoy, January 4 Arlene Nazareth and Meherwan H. Karanjia', January 5 Farida Daruvala and Ashish Sehgal', January 7 Nirmala Khandas Vakar and Meheryar Farhad Khambatta', January 8 Deepika Bipin Maini and Cyrus S. Lalkaka', January 8 Avan Banaji and Girish Gupta; January 14 Roshni Pesi Maloo and Savio Anthony D’Souza; iamiacy 15 Anjali Ramesh Sarin and Hufrid Rashid Poonawala', January 19 Payal A. Arya and Neville H. Shroff, January 19 Meher F. Unwalla and Girish Nair, January 22 Rashna Keki Mehta and Abdeali Saifee Mamaji', January 23 Nandini Rajeswar Vasisht and ceremony, deaths according to illnesses, especially of the elderly, death is often due to a combination of several diseases. If readers have any births/ marriages/deaths they would like published, some proof to ensure the veracity of the report would be required. We are sure our readers would appreciate this requirement and cooperate Ahhijeet Shyam Chavan', December 1, 1998 Dinaz Eruch Elavia and Ashutosh Dattatraya Mahajan', December 1 Kuneesha Tinoo Bhansali and Adil Viraf Mirzam, December 1 Sherie Meher Homji and Nikhil Nirvan Khattaw, December 2 Himanshu Rai and Peeran Dinshaw Mukadanv, December 4 Ferzyn Pervez Nanavati and Tushar P. Nemadc, December 5 Aaliya Sheikh and Darius Rana', December 7 Niloiijer R. Sarkari and Sachindra Devindra Pathak', December 10 Katy Keki Variava and Amar Dinesh Thacker, December 10 Feruza Firdosh Vajifdar and Shrikant Karani', December 11 Leena Popatji Gohil and Neville Kekihhai Sathvavwala', December 11 Nancy N. Zaveri and Ashish Nitin Parikh', December 13 Laleh Ardeshir Duhash and Robin Rathmell Ogle', Nina Darius Anklesaria and Maulik Jhaverv. December 15 Rea Bomi Zaiwalla and Shaunak Dileep Mehta', December 15 Pushpa K. Hodar and Minoo F. Nava', December 15 Aneesha Chopra and Rustom Farrokh Mistri', December 16 Nazneen H. Parakh and Nazmuddina Sutarwalw, December 16 Saker Maneck Engineer and Biju Thomas', December 17 Sharmila Label E. Gonsalves and Navroz Nariman Postwala; December 1817 Sarosli Dara Patel', January 25 Ashwini Shrikant Joshi and Jehaiigir Jimmy Virji', January 25 Nazneen P. Ravji and Huseini G. Barodawala', January 27 Archana R. Agarwal and Chirag B. Patel', January 27 Ainmi Maru and Arzan Sigani>oria', January 27 Amhika Sharma and Khushru J. Divecha', February 5 Shreya Nitin Mehta and Hanoze Dinyar Udachia', February 5 Nawaz Nadir Modi and Gautam Hari Siiighania'. February J Yasmiaz Homi Bhagalia and Jimmy Phiroz.e Vestmu', February 8 Nina A. Sagar and Bomi P. Dinshaw', February 12 Vahhiz Faramarz Doomasia and Hariharaprasad Narayaiv lyei", February 12 Tanaz Dara Colahawalla and Chesley Charles Choudhury, February 15 Elizabeth D’Criiz and Yezdi Hosang Doctor, February 16 Kamalpreet Kaur and Rastom Minocher Mody, February Shaheen MullaFeroze and Gurpreet Singh Sahani', February 17 Kermin Patel and Sean Colaco', February 19 Farah Dalal and Rahul Badhwai", February 20 Sunitha Narayanan Nair and Adil Cawas Daruwalla', February 20 Havovy Master and Pancham Gul Hariramani', February 25 Huffish Ferdoon Mistiy and Rayomand Rustom Davar, March 5 Jasmin Soli Ravtewalla and Kurush Ne'i>ille Gandhi', March 5 Arnavaz Cawas Navder of Vashi and Neville Minoo Mis try, March 5 Anahita Aspi Patel and Amit Harishankar Mantri', March 6 Vahhiz. Kersy Mehta and Jamsheed Pheroz Vachha; March 6 Taira Cyrus Noble and Mehernosh Tehmurasp Khamhatta', March 7 Armin Darahshaw Munshi and Cussrow Noshir Patel', March 7 Khushnoor Minoo Wadia and Shahrukh Navroz Patel', March 7 48 Parsiana May 1999 Khushnum Dhunjishaw Fanihanda and Neville Robert Crasto; March 8 Binifer Darius Ranina and Cyrus Dossil Paymaster', March 9 Navaz Kersi Dadinatha and Percy Jehangir Lentiiv, March 11 Firuza Navroz Patel and Hos'hang Homi Karww, March i2 Binaifer Pervez Sutaria and Eruch Jamasp Mehta', March 12 Parvaneh Ardashir Muharaki of Boisar and Zarir Firoze Dastoor', March 1.3 Pouruchisty Rohinton Khadiwala and Shahzad Shahpur Bhagwagai". March 14 Monaz. Navroz. Siganporia and Hormuzd Minoo Karkaria', March 14 Shirin Aspi Damania of Daman and Feroze Aspi Tamna', March 14 Ranjanu K. Shinde and Adil Dara Mohedji', March 18 Shirin Sam Pochkhanawala and Manoj Vasant Pradhaw. March 18 Benaifer Firoz. Gaz.der and Marzhan Burjor Daruwala', March 19 Husna Begam Badshan Miyan and Homi Adi Karanjia', March 20 Binaifer Bomansha Daruwala and Darayus Dinshawji Golla', March 21' Zenohia Jal Buhariwala and Zarir Adi Ichhaporia', March 21 Parivaz Noshir Irani and Godrej Baji Mistry, March 21 Kainaz Nazim Pate! and Kaizad Kersy Mis try, March 21 Nandila Alul Sheth and Homi Farrok Mulla', March 27 Shuhha Gokhale and Rustom K. Engineer, March 28 Zareen Nariman Godha and Hoshang Rusi Nallasetlr, March 28 Ayesha Firoze Damania and Burzin Jal Somandy, March 28 Ddkhush Nariman Fatakia and Burges.'! Sam Cooper; March 29 Nancy Jamshed Adajania and Ranjit Raghuvir Hoskote', March 31 Phiroza Bomi Italia and Sohel Faruk Chimhaiwala', April 6 Vecna Sashant Sahoo and Rohinton Shapoor Irani', April 7 Nalini Maria Lobo and Cyrus Jehangir Dadachanji', April 8 Annina Ram Java and Fready Aspi Irani', April 9 Sharon Fstba D’Costa and Kaizad Soli Shroff', April 9 Vahbiz A. Elavia and Kamal H. Joshi', April 19 Minaz Mondegarian and Farokh Edulji Katrak', April 19 Jennifer R. Shroff and Piruz N. Taraporevala', April 23 Namrata Sanwarprasad Jalan and Neville Rustom Tata', April 23 Dilnaz Jehangir Khamhatta and Zubin Rusy Mory, April 25 Shirley Melita Raymond Almeida and Sharookh Adi Joshi', April 29 Avani Harshad Shah and Pervez Jehangir Goiporia', April 30 Michelle Reed and Dinshah Sanjana', April 30 DIED Perin Farrokh Bhesania (75), residing at 10, Asha Mill, Navroji Gamadia Rd, 400006; June 23, 1998 (cremated) Banoo Jahangir Maneckji d)5}, J, Rajab Mhl, 144, M. Karvc Rd, 400020; July J (cremated) Jamshed Burjor Aga (82), Rusi Hse, Darabsha Lane, Napean Sea Rd, 400036; August 8 (cremated) Homai Framroze Bode (87), 11, Heera Meher, Wodehouse Rd, 400005; August 11 (cremated) Behram Daruwalla (79), 598/A, Wadia Bldg, J. S. S. Rd, 400002; August 31 (cremated) Adi Dady Katrak (52), Spenta, Little Gibbs Rd, Malabar Hill, 400006; October 20 (cremated) Dinshaw Pesi Wadia (45), 1, Heera Meher, Wodehouse Rd, 400005; October 30 (cremated) Tehmina Tehmurasp Daras ha (92), C/o P. M. Lakdawala, 657, Firdausi Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; January 23, 1999 (cremated) Meherwan Rustom Irani (80), 15, Contractor Bldg, Viju Kotak Marg, Fort, 400001; February 11 (cremated) Aloo Ardeshir Shroff (fiO), 9, Old Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; March 1 Jamshed Nasserwanji Lilaoowala (83), 602/B, Captain Hse, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Matunga, 400019; March 2 Adil Dadi Mistiy (32), G, Bhiwandiwalla Ter, Princes.s St, Dhobitalao, 400002; March 2 Jamshed Hormus Vakharia (80), 20, Alexandra Rd, Gamdevi, 400007; March 2 Gool Erachshaw Gimi (79), 3, Gladhurst, Perry Cross Rd, Bandra, 400050; March 3 Villa Ardesar Kalwachwala (78), 2A/5, Blue Arch, Convent Ave, Four Bglw Rd, Andheri (W), 400053; March 3 Dinamai Edulji Katrak CIS'), 815, Engineer Bldg, Jame Jamshed Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 4 Rohinton Parvez Chinoy (49), 646, Gai Bldg, Khareghat Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 40001 March 5 Darra Sorabji Framji (92), A/1, Empire Ter, Lamington Cross Rd, N. Petit St, 400007; March 5 Furokh Bomanji Gotla (68), 9, Lotus Court, J. Tata Rd, Churchgate, 400020; March 5 Phirozeshah Pestonji Umrigar (92), D/3, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; March 5 Sheroo Pesi Guzder (57), 764/D, M. J. Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 6 Mani Marazban Arsiwalla (87), A/228, Shirin Mans, Tardeo Rd, 400007; March 7 Perin Jehangir Gandhi (80), F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; March 7 Dhun Manaji Kasad (75), 9, Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; March 7 Tehmina Firoze Khan (83), G/10, Captain Clny, Tardeo Rd, 400034; March 7 Pheroze Framroze Lally (94), D/43, Cusrow Baug, S. B. Rd, 400039; March 7 Mani Bomi Mistry (66), Burjor Bldg, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; March 7 Eruch Cawasji Mullanfiroze (90), 12/5, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; March 7Rusi (Rustomji) Ruttonshaw Toddywalla (76), Nusserwanji Hse, 13-15, Dhuswadi, Dhobitalao, 400002; March 7 Cooverji Ardeshir Wadia (76), Kashinath Bldg no 1, Kashinath Rd, Tardeo, 400034; March 7 Firozc Sheriar Irani (47), A, Tapia Bldg, Jalbhai St, 400004; March 8 Keki Maneksha Wadia (60), 1/9, Patel Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; March 8 Dhunjisha Khurshedji Sethna G9),'4n, Tata Bldg, Tata Clny, Tardeo, 400034; March 9 Gool Sheriar Vaid (77), 7, Harbour Lights, 17/D, Caesar Rd, Amboli, Andheri (W), 400058; March 9 Sorahji Nusserwanji Mistry (78), 64, Janmabhoomi Marg, Fort, 400001; March 10 Sorahji Mancherji Sholapurwalla (95), 14/9, Rustom Baug, Victoria Rd, Byculla, 400027; March 10 Banoohai Merwanji Battiwalla (86), 764/B, Naval Hse, Dr Ghanti Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March II Alla Sorahji Nadodwalla (80), 24, Station Ter, Sleater Rd, 400007; March 11 Banoo Minoo Bhumgara (80), 307, Kerawala Bldg, Nana Chowk, 400007; March 12 Ratan Merwanji Captain (95), Soona Mans, Tardeo Rd, 400007; March 12 Keki J ehang irshaw Pardiwalia (74), 729, J, Viinadadal Rd, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 12 Noshir Homi Engineer (50), 5/4, Petit Block, Balaram St, Grant Rd, 400007; March 13 Homi Cooverji Homavazir (73) 9/9, Patel Bldg, Gamadia Clny, Tardeo, 400007; March 13 Shiroy Aspi Mehta (50), • 12-A/3, B. S. Panthaky Baug, Andheri Kurla Rd, Andheri (W), 400069; March 13 Minoo Ralanji Sarkari (93), Naju Villa, Vakola Bridge, Santacruz (E), 400055; March 13 Homai Jehangir Shrojff (78), 36, Adi Marzban Path, 400038; March 13 Minoo Dhanjishaw Bharucha (73), Room no 5, Bhagat 49 Parsiana May 1999 Mans, Sahar Village, Parsiwada, Andheri (E), 400069; March 14 Alamai Ardeshar Mistry (97), 816, Mistry Widows’ Chawl, Jame Jamshed Rd. Dadar, 400014; March 14 Homi Behramji Mistiy (78), 275/D, Soona Bldg, Chikalwadi, Grant Rd, 400007; March 14 Hilla Noshir Sukhadwalla (74), Talati Hse, 512, Girgaum Rd, 400002; March 14 Pesi Kekhushroo Buhariwalla (61), West View, Uranwalla St, Grant Rd, 400007; March 15 Mani Boman Fitter (84), United Chmbs, 5/A, Grant Rd, 400007; March 15 Hilla Framji Major (83), 673, Rd no 14, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 15 Farrokh Darahsha Mullan (56), C-5/B-206, Hari Om Apts, Opp Shastri Ngr, S. V. Rd, Borivli (W), 400092; March 15 Nargis Nusserwanji Readymaney {JJ), 66-E, Next to Parsi Agiary, Gowalia Tank, 400036; March 15 Adil Jehan Batliwalla (52), 84/C, Dastur Blocks, Naigaon Cross Rd, Dadar, 400014; March 16 Tehmina Dorahji Gora (87), 1-11, Old Khareghat Clny, Hughes Rd, 400007; March 16 Dhunmai Darahsha Kolah (83), J/6, Tarachand Bldg, Captain Clny, Tardeo, 400034; March 16 Mani Noshir Randelia (70), 621, Sajid Towers, S. V. Rd, Amboli, Andheri (W), 400101; March 16 Jamshedji Hormusji Sagar (78), Room no 65, 189, Petit Bldg, Grant Rd, 400007; March 16 Bapai Kaikhesroo Daruvala (86), 739, Cama Bldg, Rd no 5, Parsi Clny, Dadar, 400014; March 17 Parvez Kaikhushru Misiry (62), Q/l, Godrej Baug, Off Napean Sea Rd, 400036; March 17 Villoo Rustoniji Patel (54), C/12, Shapur Baug, V. P. Rd, 400004; March 17 Ketty Dara Shroff (66], 7-B/3, Tata Clny, Tardeo, 400034; March 17 Pesi Munchershaw Antia (72), 7, Kanga Bldg, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Opp Hindmata Cinema, Dadar, 400014; March 18 Ardeshir Pohchaji Munsijf (80), A/2, Motta Mans, Bai Dinbai Marg, Tardeo Rd, 400007; March 18 Mehroo Noshir Unwalla (72), 132, Bora Bazaar St, Fort, 400001; March 18 Meher Dosabhoy Engineer (S6), Jehangir Baug, Jussa- wala Sanatorium Compd, Juhu Tara Rd, 400049; March 19 Aspi Merwan Irani (74), Heera Meher, 108, Wodehouse Rd, Colaba, 400005; March 19 Pilloo Phirozsha Mubaraki (82), Manashni Baug, Golvad, 401702; March 19 Nariman Faramji Daruwalla (79), 15/8, Sir Ratan Tata Bldg, Tata Clny, Tardeo, 400007; March 20 Coomi Jehangirji Pochkhanawalla (65), 3, 3rd Marine St, 400002; March 21 Dinshaw Kaikhusru Engineer 14, Jamshedji Tata Bldg, Tata Clny, S. V. Rd, Bandra, 400050; March 22 Godrej Behramji Desai (87), V, Dalal Est, Opp Bombay Central Stn, 400008; March 23 Tehmi Homi Pavri (70), Talaty Bldg, 194, Khetwadi Back Rd, 400004; March 23 Kekaus Ardeshir Joshi (80), 290-B/l, Joshi Apts, S. V. Rd, Bandra, 400050; March 24 Mithoo Homi Lali (89), Jer Mans, Gowalia Tank, 400036; March 24 Eruchshah Tehmurasp Printer (75), B. D. Petit Parsee Sanatorium, Kemp’s Corner, 400036; March 24 Hormusji Dinshaji Bhathena (95), Room no 55, Firoza Mans, Tardeo Rd, 400034; March 25 Ratan Rustomji Dandiwalla (80), Wassiamul Bldg, Grant Rd, 400007; March 25 Shera Ruslom Master (92), 394, Omer Mans, Grant Rd, 400007; March 25 Behram A. Meher-Homji (85), Saher Bldg, 51/D, Warden Rd, 400026; March 26 (cremated) Keki Jehangir Palia (83), Sterling Apts, Peddar Rd, 400026; March 26 Tehmina Barjorji Ankleshwa- ria (90), F-1/49, Godrej Hill­ side Clny, L. B. S. Marg, Vi- khroli (W), 400079; March 27 Pali Rustomji Nava Room no 35, Mishra Bhavan, Wadia St, Tardeo, 400034; March 27 Kaikhushru Hormusji Hodivala (94), A, Yusuf Mans, Khetwadi Back Rd, 400004; March 28 Keki Sorabji Buhariwalla (75), M/26, Cusrow Bang, S. B. Rd, 400039; March 29 Mani Adi Engineer (81), 315, S. B. Rd, Fort, 400001; March 29 Gool Jamshed Dalal (85), F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla, Hughes Rd, 400007; March 30 Behram Allayar Irani (65), Room no 4, Batliwalla Agiary Compd, 162/A, Tardeo, 400034; March 30 Gover Jal Irani (82), 1, Khan Rd, Poona, 411001; March 30 Dhun Fredoonji Tarapore (73), 14/9, Sir Ratan Tata Clny, Ratan Tata Marg, Tardeo, 400034; March 30 Yasmin Savakshaw Variava (55), Queens Chmbs, Marine Lines, 400020; March 31 Dowlat Nanoo Watchmaker (85), 1/11, Somerset Hse, 61/E, Off B. Desai Rd, 400026; March 31 CALCUTTA DIED Rati Homi Nusserwanji, mother of Darius and late Cyrus; February 1 Rustom Cawashji Dastur, husband of Meher and brother of late Homi, Jason and Keki; March 7 NAVSARI MARRIED Hilla Soonawalla, daughter of Dolly and Bahadur, and Percy Kodia, son of Jaloo and Pesi; February 7 OOTY DIED Noshir Hormusji Vajifdar (88), husband of late Freany; January 14 POONA DIED Gustad Rutonji Dalal (87), Jamasp Bldg, Ma-Perviz Rd, 411002; February 4 Maneck Gayomard Sinor (60), Survey no 223/5B, Hadapsar, 411028; February 4Coomi Jivanji Tarajrorewala (81), 1, New Parsharam Soc, Vimannagar; February 7 Khushroo Faredoon Kajian 112), 2Q1, Alpaiwalla Bldg, Dr C. H. St, Dhobitalao, Bombay, 400002; February 8 Homi Kaikooshru Jamshed (53), 42, Tulsidas Apts, D. M. Rd, 411001; February 12 Sam Rashid Irani (58), Vaishally Heights, Hadapsar, Gadi Tai, 411028; March 6 Nazneen Khushru Bhathena (16), C-10/23, Kubera Park, Lullanagar, 411040; March 9 Minoo Faramroz Madon (84), A/6, Ashoka Co-op Hsg Soc, 3, Naylor Rd, 411001; March 10 Frain Minocher Dodhi (79), Villoo Hse, 616/A, Sachapir St, 411001; March 11 Piran Jehangir Irani iJ), 255, Datta Soc, Nangargaon, Lonavla, 410401; March 13 Mani Jamshedji Masalawalla 03}, Homi Hse, 1956, Dr Saldanha St, 411001; March 25 Daulat Fall Mehta (64), Konark Court, Deccan College Rd, 411006; March 28 BIRTHS Boys Girls MARRIAGES Parsi INTERCOMMUNAL Males married out Females married out DEATHS CONSIGNED Males Females CREMATED Males Females FIGURES AT A GLANCE* Bombay India This issue 1998* 1999'^ This issue 1998* 1999^^ 9 9 22 35 34 43 41 6 4 World This issue 1998* 1999*^ 116 92 262 63 56 481 513 11 7 25 21 99 9 14 118 121 2 1 2 1 2 16 8 3 5 3 2 2 49 34 2 1 15 4 1 18 1 1 1 2 9 1 125 114 38 23 54 47 5 3 ?Running totals for 1998 (January 1998--May 1999 issues) ?Running totals for 1999 (January 1999--May 1999 issues) Overseas deaths are listed in the consigned column as Parsiana does not have a break-up of those cremated. *These figures pertain to information provided to or collected by Parsiana. They do not represent the total number of births, marriages and deaths in the Zoroastrian community in India and abroad. SURAT DIED Daulathaitoo Dhanjishaw Patvi (78), Kadiyawad, Saiyedpura, Kavinast, 395003; March 2 Baby hoy of Zubin Dumasia (4 mths). Wadi St, Rustompura, 395002; March 13 Kersi Maneckji Doctor (63), Parsiwad, Siganpore; March 20 Khorshedbai Jebangirji Kolei (80), Nariman Home and Infirmary, Shahpore, 395003; March 27 Minoo Behramshaw Mistrv (63), Bejonji Kotwal St, Nanpura, 395003; March 27 AUSTRALIA New South Wales BOR.N A boy, Kamran, to Farnaz. and Viraf Hathiranr, Decembers. 1998 A boy, Cyrus, to Christine and Adil Vaghaiwala at Alice Springs; January 21, 1999 MARRIED Marina Batliwalla and Behram Burjor Vaghaiwalla at Sydney; March 20 Compiled by Roxana A. Driver The number of Zoroastrians in Bombay who married out ofthe community in 1998 rose to 119. A.s versus 96 Zoroastrian.s who had contracted intercommunity marriages in 1997, thi.s year’.s figure of 119 saw 63 males and 56 female.s opting for non-Zo- roastrian spouses. The percent­ age of intercommunity mar ­ riages thus works out to 31 in 1998 as versus 26 in 1997 if calculated a.s a ratio of inter­ community marriages to the to­ tal number of marriages (119:381). If calculated as a ra­ tio of intercommunity marriages to community marriages (119:262) the percentage hikes to 45 a.s compared to 35 the preceding year. About a decade ago the figure was around 20 and 30 percent. Altogether 643 Zoroastrian.s tied the matrimonial knot last year as compared to 646 the previous year, registering a de­ cline of three. Community mar- riage.s which numbered 275 in 1997 fell to 262 in 1998, show­ ing a decline of 13. Since every new arrival in the Zoroastrian community is 492 males (481 consigned; 11 cremated) it means that the 50 Parsiana May 1999 of com munity Bombay: The Telling Figures Intercommunity marriages increase to 31 percent welcome news, the fact that the births registered an increase of three over the 1997 total of 205 strength of the female species is is itself heartening. The birth dwindling more rapidly, there count of 208, 116 boys and 92 being 28 more female deaths girls, includes children bom of intercommunity marriages. Last year loo there were more boys (104) than girls (101) born in the community. Our informa ­ tion on births being accessed from only four hospitals in south and central Bombay, we pre­ sume that Parsiana accounts for around 50 percent of the births in the community in Bombay. But while the births in­ creased by three, the number of death.s increased by 74 in 1998 giving a total count of 1,012. There were 994 Zoroastrians consigned at Bombay’s Tower by Parsiana. of Silence as compared to 925 in 1997, an increase of 69. The number of cremations rose by Boys 116, Girls 92 five over the previous year’s count of 13 to show a total of 18. Only the data of those cremated at the Chandanwadi cremato­ rium is known to us. Considering that 520females died in 1998 (513 consigned; seven cremated) as compared to and 24 less female births. From the details of those consigned at the Doongerwadi sent to us by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, we were able to cal­ culate the Life Expectancy at Birth (LEB) as 75 years, the same as in the preceding two years. However, the highest LEB, 82, was in the month of December, and the lowest, 74, in the month.s of March, June and September 1998. Listed below are the 1998 figures pertaining to the com­ munity in Bombay as collected Born: 208 Marriages: 381 Parsi 262, Intercommunal 119 Died: 1,012 Consigned: 994 Males 481, Females 513 Cremated: 18 Males 11, Females 7IN MEMORIAM Cancer crusader Parinaz M. Gandhi Died: Dr Darab Jehangir Jussawalla, 83, founder secretary and managing trustee of the Indian Cancer Society who was known for establishing the country ’ s first cancer chemotherapy and cytology departments, on January 29, 1999 following kidney failure at Bombay ’s Breach Candy Hospital. “Very few cancer expert.s had the vision like Dr Jussawalla, ” noted a condolence letter from the Indian Council of Medical Research acknowl ­ edging that their one-time governing council member “wa.s the first to initiate projects on cancer registra ­ tion in India...Under his lead ­ ership the Indian Cancer So­ ciety became a household name in India. ” “Dr Jussawalla ’s name is and a visionary synonymous with cancer and the Tata Memorial Hospital, ” said the present director Dr Ketayun Dinshaw. “He was a man ahead of hi.s time.s — a pioneer and a visionary. We who had the privilege of working with him will always remember the legacy he has left behind, ” she added. One of the pioneer cancer surgeon.s of India, he enjoyed the distinction of being the only surgeon in the history of played in their trying moments. Cancer, the Tata Memorial Centre (the largest cancer hospital and research institute in Asia) who was granted extension of service until he reached 71 year.s of age, the prescribed retirement age being 60, or 65 when an extension was permitted, recalled P. S. Suryanarayanan who was his personal assistant from I960. For seven years he wa.s director of the Tata Memorial Centre during which time he introduced regional specialization in surgical oncology and undertook ex ­ pansion work of the Centre, noted a pres.s release. For the last nearly 15 year.s he had been serving a.s director of the Lady Ratan Tata Medical and Research Centre which he established in Bombay ’s Cooperage area in 1984. Until a fortnight prior to hi.s demise when he took ill and had to be immedi- based International Society of Surgery for nearly four decades, was honorary founder secretary of the Ad-Hoc Com ­ mittee of the International Association of Cancer Registries established in To- Society of Medicine, London, the Ameri ­ can College of Surgeons, Chicago and the National Academy of Medical Sci­ ences, New Delhi. His appointment as Corresponding Fellow of the Associa ­ tion of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland was a signal honor reserved for only 50 surgeons throughout the world, according to his curriculum vitae. Additionally he had served as mem ­ ber of some 23 associations/societies/ councils including the WHO (World Health Organization) Expert Commit ­ tee on Cancer, and presided over many national and international medical semi ­ nars and conferences on cancer. Whilst ately hospitalized after attending to a appointed by the International Cancer patient at the Breach Candy, he was Union — Geneva, was the Indian del- active at the Centre and continued with egate on the board of the Bruxelles his surgical practice too. Neither did he take leave nor would he like others to take leave, reminisced Suryanarayanan. Jussawallahasalso been credited with establishing the first Cancer Rehabilita ­ tion Department in Asia and the first kyo. He was made Fellow of seven re ­ cancer detection unit in a puted institutions including the Royal general hospital in India, organizing the first All In­ dia Cancer Conference in 1961 where he was elected its president, starting the In­ dian Journal of Cancer and serving a.s its editor, laying the foundations for the In­ dian Association of Oncolo- gist.s where he served as its Jnssawalla: a pioneer first president... “Hi.s scllles.s service and contribution to the Society and humanity shall be remembered for ­ ever. ” declared Dr Arun Singh, honor ­ ary secretary of the Indian Cancer Soci­ ety. Different branches of the Indian furthering his own knowledge, he also Cancer Society which he nurtured for nearly 45 year.s acknowledged Jussa ­ walla ’s contribution. The Karnataka, Calcutta and Delhi branche.s of the So­ ciety remembered the leading role he oncology at the Bombay University, Jussawalla had given his guidance to many upcoming surgeons. His own education started in Bombay. After completing his schooling at the age of 14, he studied science for two years at St Xavier ’s College and then proceeded to the Grant Medical College to graduate in medicine. On earning his master ’s degree in surgery he was ap ­ pointed resident (surgical registrar) at the Tata Memorial Hospital and after was made time to share his expertise with others, authoring over 100 papers which have been published in national and international journals. As professor of for him, wa.s not only an occupation but also a hobby, stated Jussawalla ’s wife Gertrud. Honorary surgeon to the President of India as also to the governor of Maha ­ rashtra, Jussawalla was governing coun­ cil member of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He served as advisor to innumerable cancer hospi- tals throughout India and as chairman of different committees appointed by obtaining his FRCS diploma he the Government of India including the appointed surgeon. Nuclear Medicine Committee and the Biomedical Group Board of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. Among the noteworthy recognitions earned by him were the Padma Bhushan and the Dhan- vantari Award. He was founder member of the Inter ­ national Cancer Control Commission the creation of multiple facilities includ- “In spite of his remarkable achieve ­ ments he remained most humble, ” was the experience of those who worked for him. “He was most soft-spoken, very humane to all and particularly kind to the underprivileged patients. ” His con­ cern for those suffering manifested in 51 Parsiana May 1999Drona-nagri that he made it his home; and so enamored were the people of the valley with him that he soon became one of them as if he had always belonged to ing free food, shelter and medicine. Being a voracious reader, Jussawalla believed in keeping himself abreast of the latest developments in all fields, impressing upon his personal assistant the place. ” that it was not sufficient for him to only have knowledge of cancer. He retained his interest in western classical music although he did not get time to play the violin which he did in his younger days. Neither he nor his wife who is an Austrian tried to influence each other ’.s religious beliefs. And though he believed in God, he was not a ritualist who felt the need towearasudreh-kustiat Tehniina and Nosliir all times, says Gertrud. Kapadia: imparted dignity He did, however, in­ volve himself in the affairs of the com ­ munity and at the Fourth World Zoroas ­ trian Congres.s in Bombay in 1985 he had presented a paper on “Difference.s observed in the incidence of cancer among Parsis and other communitie.s in Bombay. ” Cancer continued to be hi.s preoccu ­ pation and as noted in a condolence message from Cancer Crusaders Com ­ bine, a voluntary organization based in Nagpur, Jussawalla “remained in the front a,s a commandant-in-chief of can ­ cer crusaders. ” The respected oncologist i.s survived by his wife Gertrud. 'e' Until his retirement from the medical profession 10 years ago he operated from his clinic in Dehra Dun. His distant location notwithstand ­ ing, he continued to make a mark on the na ­ tional and international dental scene with his “strict adherence to ethi ­ cal values which are tra ­ ditionally and ideally at ­ tached to the medical profession. ” He served as president of the All- India Dental Associa ­ tion, was made a mem- berof the executivecom ­ mittee of the Dental Council of India, a body constituted by the Government of India to control the working of dental college.s and to regulate dental educa ­ tion in the country. He also had the honorof being made Fellow ofthe Inter ­ national College of Dentistry ofthe USA, a.s listed in hi.s achievements. Born in Bharuch, Kapadia was edu ­ cated at St Stephen ’s School and St Stephen ’s College in Delhi after which he graduated from the Calcutta Dental College and completed his training from the Ecolc Dentair de Pari.s in France. A good hockey player, he was a member of the first eleven of St Stephen ’s Col ­ lege who bagged the Delhi University Vice-Chancellor ’s Cup in 1928. Even whilst pursuing his medical profession he continued to evince a keen interest in sports, organi/in “Pride of Doon” Died: Dr Noshir Nowroji Kapadia, 92, a founder member of the Al 1-India Dental Association and erstwhile president of sports, organizing the annual sports the Dchra Dun Parsi Anjuman for nearly meets in Dehra Dun and serving as chief four decades, on October 8, 1998. "He was one of those rare human beings who imparted decency and dig ­ nity to everything that they did. His life was a saga of sei Hess service and adher ­ ence to the highest standards in profes ­ sional ethics, ” wrote Lt Gen Faridoon Bilimoria, the present president of the Dehra Dun Anjuman in his tribute to his predecessor. Just a few months prior to hi.s demise Kapadia had been conferred the presti ­ gious Pride of Doon award by the Doon Citizens Council. “Dr Kapadia ’.s ser ­ vices to the people of Dehra will never be forgotten, ” mentions the tribute re ­ calling how since his visit to the valley in 1933 he was “so charmed...by the 'S' Il­ 'g track judge for many years, reminisce old residents of the valley. He became president of the Dehra Dun Anjuman in the mid 195()s, the post being earlier held by hi.s father-in-law Pestonjee Bomanjee Guzdar. His own father, Nowroji, was the founder ofthe Delhi Parsi Anjuman after whom the Parsi cemetery in Delhi, Navroze Baug was named, notes the write-up. Some of the other institutions with which Kapadia was associated were the Rotary International, Freemasonry and the St John’s Ambulance Association, earning a certificate of honor from the then viceroy of India, Lord Wavell. Kapadia is survived by his wife Tehmina. p.m .g. READERS’ FORUM continued from page 8 nience of both the families butjewellery should not be worn openly. I was a delegate of the Parsi Matri ­ monial Court for about 10 years when I found that many marriages break up owing to wives insisting on staying separately from the husband ’s parents against the man ’s wishes. The second reason was suspicion of extra-marital affairs with non-Parsis. TEHMURAS PESTONJI SETHNA A spinster teacher (For the late Prof Mehroo Jussawalla who was murdered in Bombay on Feb ­ ruary 17, 1999) The staircase would humorously creak to bear your load And you would laugh out loud at the wooden protest O that this too too solid flesh would melt (That was no cosmic joke!) And the table groaning under mountains of food And the full belly laughing at noon There were other things under other suns. The Oxford girl reading Marvell or Donne Those hands were not meant for work or the kill But only to prise a meaning out of a text Her father ’s own Penelope And the cobwebs and the tapestry The warp and woof of familial love (Mother dead) The weevil in the bin at work And the termite in the leather book-binding Ruskin, Venice and the honeyed sun of love Sinking over Malabar Hill The evenings longer/The laughter sharper And then the night [On the map Bombay is a hand But it is really a hungry mouth] There was this healthy woman with a disease, so lonely that grew and grew And the working class thief who came up at night to kill was really a redeemer... The branch is bent when green and if not then... HOSHANG MERCHANT Hyderabad Edited by Parinaz M, Gandhi 52 Parsiana May 1999