*, BRUARY 2000Rs 30

Bankers on board

February 2000

Volume 22 Number 7

EDITOR Jehangir R. Patel

MANAGING EDITOR Arnavaz S. Marna EXECUTIVE EDITOR Parinaz M. Gandhi

SENIOR EDITORS

Dina K. Mehta, Hilla P. Guzder ASSOCIATE EDITOR Roxana A.Driver SENIOR DESIGNER Kranti M. Shilotri DESIGNER Nivedita S. Dhotre MARKETING DI ECTOR Veera J. Patel

2 Readers' Forum

16 Events and Personalities

21 Zoroastrians Abroad

23 A world body of Federations by Arnavaz Mama

26 Valiv's sacred glow by Zarasp Irani

ADVERTISING MANAGER JasmineD. Driver

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Susan Hadvaid FINANCE B.L. Arora

DTP Bakhtavar R. Batliwalla, K. P. Ravi

SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER

Khurshid Panthaki

ASSISTANT SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER

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ACCOUNTS ASSISTANTS lndu Pillai, Sreevidya P. Unni

OFFICE ASSISTANTSUmesh Poojary, Selvan Mark. Sunil Sakhare,

Govind Salgaonkar, MahipatJadhav

30 ICICI's Hoshang Sinor by Hilla Guzder

34 HSBC's Zarir Cama

40 TimesBank's Nani Javeri

43 Sri Lanka Parsis:Treasured on the Island- 6

44Sports

48 Books

51 Milestones

54 In Memoriam: S. R. Vakil

Cover: (Top) Hoshang Sinor,(Left) Zarir Cama (Photo by Chetan Mistry) and Nani Javeri

Parsiana is edited and published by Jehangir

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READERS' FORUM

country of the film Such A Long Journey based on Rohinton Mistry'snovel of the same name. He comes down heavily on the filmmakers for showing Parsis in a poorlight, degrading the values of the religious teachings of Asho Zarathushtra, practicing pagan ritualsand indulging in utter corruption and debauchery (Parsiana, June 1999).

SooniTaraporevala, the screen­

writer, in the same issue defends the film, quotes selected excerptsfrom re­ views in three Canadian newspapers of March 1999 to show that all these re­ viewers seemedto have missed the debauchery, mockery, insults and ridi­ cule Panthaky saw.

The Central Board of Film Certifica­

tionin India choppedthe film in eight places and gave an 'A' certificate when it was first submittedto the Board in April 1999.

An incensed Rohinton Mistry,the novelist, dashedoff a letter to the Board''...the film is a faithful adaptation - there is nothing on screen whichis not in

the novel.If there are scenes which need

the benches provided,surrounded often by the wild peacocks which roamed fearlesslyamongst abundant verdantsur­ roundings.

Since the '60s thevulture population

has drastically fallenthreatening our centuries-old traditional way of disposal of dead by dokhmenashini. The reasons for this drasticreduction of vulturepopu­ lation are rapid urbanization, high-rise apartments near the Doongerwadi boundary wall, noise and air pollution of heavy vehiculartraffic, deforesta­ tion, extensiveuse of pesticides which have weakened the shell of the eggs of most of the wild birds thus reducingthe hatching ratio, etc.

The trustees of the Bombay Parsi

Punchayet (BPP) are naturally appre­ hensive as they are the sole keepers of properties at the Doongerwadi.

The situation created forced the BPP to invite andconsult Jemina Parry-Jones who is thedirectorofTheNational Birds of Prey Centre at Newet in Gloucester­ shire in UK who submitteda detailed report to the BPP giving her comments

Readers' views are welcome on any subject of interest to the communityand 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 lettersor those withoutan address will not be published.

"Confessions of a..!'

I thought the article by ShernaazEngi­

neer entitled: "Confessions of a con­ vert" (Parsiana, November 1999) was inappropriate. Even

the Dasturjis who

permitted Neville Wadia to embrace Zoroastrianism had said that this was a caseof "reversion" and not conversion. Perhaps a more ap-

propriate heading Wadia:reversion, wouldhave been: "A not conversiondiscussion on rever-

sion." The community should be glad that the Wadia familythought it fit to revert back to its old Zoroastrian roots.

Dr P. D. SUNAVALA

"A negative reflection"Jehangir M. Panthaky ofBurnaby, Canada, is angryat the release in that

2 Parsiana February 2000

suppressing becausetheyare subver­

sive of the common good, then, they are

also in the novel and should be excised from there as well." The Canadian-Brit­ ish-Indo co-producers turned to the Board's revisingcommittee asking it to reason out the prescribed cuts. The com­ mittee didn't just endorse the existingcuts, it recommended eight more! Thus the film has 16 cuts and an 'A' certifi­ cate.

Since much has been said in favor of and againstSuch A Long Journey, let your readers who might have seen it uncensored come out and give us their frank opinions and views on the film.

BHIKHAJI M. ADENWALLA

"Sanctity of dokhmas"

As a youngsterbeingbroughtupin

Khareghat Colony (whichborders on the Doongerwadi in Bombay) in the 1920s to 1940s I was witness to a large number of vultures hoveringover the skies in this area. I had also observed that at the approachof a funeral proces­ sion towardsthe dokhmas, scores of vultures would vie with each other to obtain a perch on the top of the dokhma wall. The Doongerwadi area at that point of time offereda quiet and cool retreat for me to occasionally sit and study on

for "captivebreedingofvultures"so

that if successful, our traditional method

of disposal of the dead can continue. The BPP also soughtadvice from our vadadasturs, religious scholarsand other prominent personalities. It is not known if any advicewas sought from scientists, doctors, environmentalists, legallumi­ naries, etc.

Over generations we have been brain­

washed into believingthat Khorshed Nagirashni(powerful sun rays) and vul­ tures are capable of disposing of a dead human carcasscompletely within hours. Nothing could be furtherfrom the truth. Besides, vulturesare selective eaters.ofonly acceptable parts of the carcass like muscles, liver, spleen, lungs, etc. In the wild, nature ensures that other predators like wolves, jackals. wild dogs, etc com­ plete the process of disposal of the car­ cass. The vultures normally prefer to eat a carcass within 24 hours of death and they will not eat bodies havinga high concentration of chemotherapeutic drugs or those embalmed with formalin or lead oxide.

Though scientific in approach,the report submittedby Parry-Jones lays down conditions which appear to be completelyunacceptable and impracti­ cal. Parry-Jones herselfhasreserva-

Vultures atop dokhnw \\'ails

tionsabout the successof this schemeas it is new and untried. No government, either central orstate, will ever give permissionfor the capture and transpor­tation of young vultures from their natu­ ralbreeding ground and habitat when they are at the stage ofleaving their nests for an independent existence.

Specially trained staff will be needed to collect,transport and settlethese young birds from their nesting areas which could be on the sides of steep cliffs or inaccessible parts of jungles. Vultures

are slow breedersas they breed only once in two years, and lay only one or twoeggs. The incubation period is about 37 to 54 days and the young chicks take eight to 12 weeks to reach the stage of independent existence.

To beginwith,50

young birds have to be retrieved from theirnests and transported to Doongerwadi without anyharm during thetran­ sit. Further quotas of

about 50 bird per year will need to be supplemented tillthe captive birds'popu­ lation reaches 200 in about four years at the Doongerwadi.

Special aviaries, at considerable ex­ pense, will have to be built to house these birds. The aviariesneed to be constructed over steel/concrete posts and shouldcover the three functioning dokhmas and a considerable area around these by a strongsteel mesh. The aviar­ ies will need to be provided, besides shade, with perching platformsand nest­ ing areas and regular, clean and ad­ equate quantity of fresh water and water

poolsfor the birds to wallow after a meal. A veterinary doctor may need to be appointed to monitor their growth when kept in separate isolationpens.

Considering the above facts the BPP must decide if they have the time, funds andexpertise to adopt this programor resort to any other acceptable and prac­ tical method of disposal of the dead.

Several religious groupsall over the

worldhave altered their traditional ways of disposalof the dead in keepingwith the current existing conditions. In fact, cremationin electric crematoriais now widely used in UK, USA, Europe, Ja­ pan. etc due to the prohibitive costs of acquiringand maintaining burial grounds. In Ceylon, the Jawatte burial ground in Colombo is an unusual com­ bination of a burial groundand dokhma. The old dokhmahas been converted into a circularburial ground, adjacentto which is the present cemetery.

In "More 'Parsi myths'"(Readers'

Forum, Parsiana, July-August 1999) I had indicatedthat it is not possibleor feasible to add approximately 1,000 graves per year for the dead Zoroastri­ ans at Doongerwadi as the cost to con­ struct and maintain such a large number of graves will be exorbitant. The only

With Best Wishes From

MrRusy M. Shroff,M.B.E.

and

Mrs Purviz R. Shroff

4 Parsiana February 2000

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acceptable solution left now is to con­ sign the dead bodiesin an electric cre­ matorium.I once again emphasize that there is no fire in the electric cremato­rium to defile as the dead body is turned to ashes simply by the intense heat gen­ erated by very high wattage of electric­ ity. Don't we cook non-vegetarian food on electricstoves and in microwave ovens? The BPP will have to face the problem of shortageof nassessalars in the coming years and this should also be kept in mind while tackling the problem of shortage of vultures.

Atthe lastAnjuman Committee meet­ ing it was pointedout that in the year 1998-99 there was a total deficitof Rs

1.39crores. In the previous year the BPP incurredaloss/expenditureofRs22

lakhs to maintain the Doongerwadi. We are now informed that BPP has ear­ marked Rs 40 to 50 lakhs to "change the facade of Doongerwadi" by planting more than 1,000 trees. Last year only Rs

15 lakhs were spent for the education

and training of school leavingand col­ lege students and only Rs 11 lakhs to assist old and aging members of our community.Are we as a communityso obsessed with spending more money for the dead than in helping young and old members of the community?

Dr M. D. DJSA WALLA

Bangalore

Thescarcity of vulturesat the Doonger­ wadi in Bombay poses a seriousprob­ lem for the very existence of the com­ plex in the posh Malabar Hill locality and causes grave concern regardingthe continued adoptionof our ancient sys­ tem of dokhmenashini. The problem is even more serious than the maintenance of the complexitself due to the heavy loss incurredby the Bombay Parsi Punchayet(BPP) every year.

Multistoried buildings in the vicinity of the dokhmas affect the natural habi­ tats of vultures besidesthe tranquility and environment. Loss of their habitats, includingroosting and nesting sites, fell­ ing of tad and other trees, modernization of slaughter houses,the improvement of civil amenities, results in the fast disap­ pearance of vultures from urban areas. In a recent articlein The Times of India it was pointed out that vultures are van­ ishing from Indianskies at an alarming rate and have virtually becomeextinct in big cities like Bombay and Delhi. This is borne out by their acute scarcity

plaints are being received that corpses remain lying in the dokhmasin a highly decomposed condition, undevoured by vultures,and are at times visibleto the residents of skyscrapers like Grand Paradi,etc.

To overcome the difficulties arising in the matter, a foreign expert Jemina Parry-Jones was consultedby the trust­ ees. In her report she suggested a project for the captive breedingof young vul­ tures removedfrom their nestsbefore they can fly. The number suggested by her is as large as 200, the largestgroup of captive vultures in the world. This is really a hazardous task, coupled with the risk of injury or death of young vultures at the time of removal,rendering thereby the entire exercisea doubtful process. Further, to find out persons experienced in the art of removingwild birds from their nests and breedingthem in captiv­ ity will pose a serious problem,more so as this novel experiment would be tried for the first time in the long historyof the BPP.

Evenassuming that licenses are granted by state governments, it is per­ tinent to note that the projectis intensive and of quite a long duration. It will also be very expensive. Alternative arrange­ ments for the supply of fresh food in the form of carcasses of goats, cows, buffa­ loes, etc (on the days when the normal food supply fromdokhmas is inadequate) will have to be made. Big refrigerators will have to be broughtto preserve such food. Licence fee and the premium charged by state governments, while granting licence,will have to be paid. All this will cause a heavy dent on the financial resources of the BPP over and above the heavy loss incurred by the trusteesevery year in the maintenance of the complex,necessitating thereby circumspection and foresight on the part of the trustees in the matter. For the purpose it may be useful to have a bal­ ance-sheetprepared showing the cash flow, capital expenses incurred andre­ curring expensesto be incurred every year for implementation of the projectto get a clear idea aboutfinancial obliga­ tions involvedin the matter.

Theexpert observes that this report insomething new and untried, implying thereby that the project suggested by her is experimental and its successcannot be ensured.

To meet the heavy expenses incurred by them to implement the project, the

in the Doongerwadi complex. Com-

trustees may like to increase raw an sub-

6 Parsiana February 2000

scnptwns. If rawan subscriptions are increased the use of upper bungliswill furtherreduce, enhancing therebythe lossincurred by the trustees in the main­ tenance of the complex.

We are at the commencement of the new millennium. Some of the beliefs and notionsregarding the dokhme­ nashini system prevailing centuriesago seem to be out of place at the present time, having regard to the rapid urban­ ization and dense population of a metro­ politan city like Bombayand the aware­ ness for the preservation of a healthy environment.

We must remain alert to the rapidly

expanding number of environmental­ ists indulgingin public interestlitiga­ tion throughout the country. The possi­ bility of a strongheaded environmental­ ist filing a public interest litigation re­ gardingthe disposal of the dead in the Doongerwadi complex thereby affect­ ing publichealth cannot be ruled out altogether. The very existenceof the complex would then be in jeopardy, necessitating either the shiftingof the dokhmas well outside the limits of Bombay at heavy expenseto the trustees and the community, or alternative con­ sideration of some other system like burial or cremation. The consensusin the community is against cremation and should therefore be ruled out altogether, leaving thereby burial as the only alter­ native to be adoptedin the matter.

A committee of experts may be con­

stituted to make an in-depthstudy of this complexmatter and to make rec­ ommendations to overcome difficul­ ties. R. S. GAE

NewDelhi

Don't degrade dokhmas Many fellow Parsis and non-Parsis op­ pose and belittle our Zoroastrian mode ofdisposal of the dead.

Let me quote a part of an article written in The Times of India, August 1872 by Jamshedjee Pallonjee: "History tells us, and Herodotusand Ctesias dis­ tinctly mention that the ancestors of the Parsis were required to build their last resting abodes on hilly grounds. It was on the highest parts of mountainsthat they offered their religious sacrifices; it was there that they adored the sun,earth, wind and water.These four elements being held sacred, the dead body was not allowedto mingle with and pollute any one of them. The bones after being dried were consigned to mother earth."

8 Parsiana February 2000

In 1876, Monier Williams Boden, professor of Sanskrit, writes:"When the secretary had finished his defence of the Tower ofSilence, I could not help thinking that how much such a system may shock our European feelingsand ideas,yet our own method of interment, if regardedfrom a Parsi point of view, may possibly be equally revolting to Parsi sensibilities.

"The exposure of the decaying body

to the assaultsof innumerable worms may have no terrors for us, because our survivors do not see the assailant; but let it be borne in mind that neither are the Parsi survivorspermitted to look at the swoop of the heaven-sent birds. Why, then, should we be surprisedifthey prefer the more rapid to the more linger­ ing operation? And which of the two systems, they may reasonably ask, is more defensible on sanitary grounds?" Dokhmenashini is the most natural way of disposing the dead body. During war and pestilence thousands of dead are thus consumed either by scavenging beasts or birds, whether they be Hindu, Muslim or European. Where was the manpower to hury or burn during such testing times? Nature, with the help of these naturalscavengers, didthe job, otherwise diseasewouldinvitemore

deaths.

Our dokhmas have been in use for the last 300 years and believeme, the remaining 50.000 odd Parsismay well find their last earthlyabode in the future there. It is such a picturesque place, not an eerie place like the graveyardor the burning grounds,one sepulture for the prince and the pauper, no wasting of precious land, no tombstones or marble slabs, no labor of grave digging,no burningof the ever precious wood, thus helping conservation afforests, no ashes topollute the water and land, no smoke to pollutethe air. From a few square yards a whole communitycan be dis­ posed of. Has any one seen an exhumed body? So horrible to behold and the stench unbearable.

A Parsi is a born environmentalist, from his infancy he is taught to respect nature and naturalforces such as air, water, fire. In death he becomes a con­ servationist, again not defiling nature and doing the last act of charity,feeding the birds. Life living upon death.

Let not then anyone degradeour fore­

fathers' last resting place,for that matter my restingplace, of other Parsis and the next generation too. Read these lines of

wisdom pennedby F. W. Champion: "Death inevitably follows life and death demands sepulture, which naturepro­ vides by meansofone animal eating another's body -withno burial fees, no cumbering of the groundwhen inter­ ment so often takes place in another creature's body,nowastewhenthe passing of one means food and hence life to another. Trulyit is an imperti­ nence or worse for any of us to try to find fault with a system that is so infi­ nitely better,so infinitely finer. than the most wonderfulworks produced by the hand of man." FILL! GORIMAR

Nocomforting prayers Some two or three years ago we were shocked to know that at the Doongerwadi in Bombay our mobeds were not avail­ able forthe bhoipatharna prayers through the night. After many desperate appeals a priest turned up but left after anhour saying that there was a shortage of mobeds and he was requiredelse­ where. The family was left withouta priest's prayerswhich would have been so comforting through the night. This left us with no alternative but to recite the prayers ourselves.

The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP)

trustees would do well to look into the matter ratherthan beautify Doongerwadi as was announced by the chairmanat theirlast Anjuman Committeemeeting at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute.

The Doongerwadi needs no garden

or modern facadeto add to its unique beauty. P. NARGOLWALA

Behram Dastur, chief executiveof the BPP, replies

The BPP provides facilities at the

Doongerwadi for the family members of the deceased for the performance of various ceremonies prior to the body being consignedto the Tower of Si­ lence.

It is the duty of the panthaky of the

family and not that of the BPP to provide the clergy for variousprayers and cer­ emonies.

Due to the reducingavailability of

mobeds many familiesface similar pre­ dicaments. In many placesother family members generally sit and perform thebhoiprayers, and in some casesperform the duties of pallbearers. It would be best for the familymembers themselves to perform the bhoi prayers or take up the matterwith their panthaky if he is not in a position to depute a mobed.

With best wishes

from

Farah

&

Tanya

UKZoroastrians

In the April issue of Parsiana, 11 pages

weredevoted to the Zoroastrian Trust Funds ofEurope(ZTFE) under the head­ ings of"The making of an anjuman," "If the communitywants a change..." and "Projects can bring peopletogether."

Unfortunately, for some inexplicable reason, your interviewees made state­

mentsthat arc, to put it politely, untrue or substantially incorrect. Some months ago, there was a profile of Bailey R. Irani of the ZTFE, which also contained the same defect.Many Zoroastrians of the UK were astonishedto note him being portrayed as a sort of knightin shining armor when Irani was primarily responsible for breaking the unity, peace

and harmony of the community by con­ cocting an untruthfulstatementwhich was choreographed as truth by his cabal of Shahrokh Shahrokh, the Sethna broth­ ers, Rusi Dalal and Beroze Mody,the then members ofthe committee ofZTFE. Inthearticle"Themakingofan anjuman," reference is made to theZTFE filing a suitagainst the Brookwood Cem­ etery Authoritiesin1979. The article states "the outlineof the deal worked out bythe High Courtin1981..." This is inaccurate. The deal was worked out by me in consultation with the ZTFE coun­ sel and was accepted by the Brookwood Cemetery Authorities which had ap­ proachedus in the Court for settlement.

This was then endorsedby the judgment of the Court.

Another inaccuracy in the article is the statement- "the conservatives won the vote in the association's annualgen­ eral meeting..." No such vote was ever taken on the issue of non-Zoroastrians attending Fravardigan and muktad cer­ emonies at any annualor special general meeting. In fact, the "conservatives" were scaredstiff about taking the opin­ ion of the community on this issueand refused to do so.

Thearticle refers to polarization of the communityover the issue of non­ Zoroastrian spouses attending Fravardi­ganjashan. There was no such polariza­ tion prior to 1985. It was created by the Sethna brothersin 1985 supported by Kersi and SillooJasavala, Mody, Dalal and Filly Maravala.

Thearticle states that "the new man­ agement team of the ZTFE have had no part in the verbal warfareas they were not on the scene in 1986 and the years that followed." I do not think that the

recall discussing this matter with Dorab Mistry at a private function and telling him that his sitting on the fence is not going to help the community. In addi­ tion, I know that PersesSethna and Rushna Master were both membersof the ZTFE who had decided to sit on the fence in 1986.WhetherFarokhByramji, Adi Bilimoria, Faroukh Sorab were members then or not I do not recollect. At least three, Mistry,Master and Sethna have now decided to come off the fence on the side of being conservative along with the others.

(Hence)Sorab's statement - "we are not carrying any I986 baggage" - is simply laughable. No doubt, Sorab and his colleagues may like to project this image butregrettably, it is not true. The present ZTFE managingcommittee carries in fullmeasure the 1986baggageof personnel and policy.

Itis reported in the articlethat Malcolm Deboo had assertedthat the move of the ZTFE from Russell Road in Kensingtonto the Zoroastrian House in West Hampsteadwas opposed by Cyrus Mehta and FaridoonMadan. This is totally untrue.Mehta was in full support of the move and so far as I recollect, so wasMadon.

The article refers to the formation of The World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) and states that its constitution was drafted "hastily." This is not cor­ rect. It took the committee ofZTFE well over I 8 monthsto debate and discuss the cons itution of the WZO not amongst themselvesonly but also with others outside the UK. It is a myth to say that the constitution of the WZO was sud­ denly conjuredup because of the events in Iran.

Coming to the questionof trustee­ ship election, referenceis made to Dr Firoze Munshi as being "acceptable to the WZO wing of the community.'' This statement impliesthat the WZO com­ mittee was approached and had agreed to the nomination of Munshi. No such thing ever took place. Even if it had, the WZO committee would have informed Mistry that it had nothing to do with the electionof a trustee in a local associa­ tion. The article goes on to state "WZO's Rumi Sethna, Captainand Prochy Colabawalla also wrote lettersprotest­ ing vehemently that I had done wrong bytaking nominations from the floor." It seems that Mistry and some of the members of his committee suffer from a

latter part of this statement is true. I do

WZO syndrome. It is high timethat

10 Parsiana February 2000

Mistryand his colleagues realized that many membersof the WZO from Lon­ don are members of the ZTFE and have a right as ZTFE membersto decide on local issues as they deem fit. I am sure that Rumi Sethnaand Colabawalla wrote letters to Mistry as members of the ZTFE, just as I did and not as membersof the WZO.

Describing Mac Dinshawas "a WZO sympathiser" is a laugh. However, with the treatment he has receivedfrom Mistry and his colleagues, he might well turn to be a WZO supporter.

Mistry it seems was unwilling to "risk seven years of attrition" in case Dinshaw became a trustee. This beggars belief­ for why shouldthere be attrition? On what basis docs Mistry think thereis going to be attrition? And in any case, trusteeshave very limited powers under the ZTFE Constitution and cannot con­ ceivablydeflect the committeefrom fol­ lowing its course. All this is just hog­ wash. The simp'ie truthis that Mistry preferred Kersi Jasavala, a member who wasresponsible in tearingasunder the unified socialfabric of this association in 1986. Congratulations to Mistry on his most admirablechoice. Surely, his choice will unify the community!

Progressives

Theelection of a trustee at the special general meeting held inNovember 1998 and the happenings at that meetingand subsequently have been given a spin in the Parsiana article by Mistry,which was revealed to be far, far from the truth at the re-convened special general meet­ ing for the election of trustee in June 1999.

I now refer to the article "Projects

can bring peopletogether." In the UK, there are Zoroastrian organizations be­ sides ZTFE. It is reportedthat Dalal was piqued as ZTFE is not considered "a representative body." Let us exam­ ine his claim to be ''rcpresct !;;tive.''

TheZoroastrians of South London (ZSL) is a charity properly registered and holding its own functions both so­ cial and religious. Its membership clause allows non-Zoroastrian spouses to be­ come membersin their own right. This is not possible under the ZTFE constitu­ tion. So how does ZTFE represent the 300 or so ZSL membership's viewpoint?

The North- West Zoroastrians based

at Manchester held a debatethat chil­ dren of mixed marriages have a right to have their navjotcceremony performed. The ZTFE was invited to speak against the motionbut declined to do so. The

debatetook place and the motionwas carried by a huge majority. The secre­ tary of the Manchester organization sent a summary of the debate through me to ZTFE to print in its quarterly circular. As always, the ZTFE did not have the courtesy to acknowledge or the courage to print this statement. If so, how does ZTFE claim to be representative?

It is obviousthat Dalal finds it unpal­ atable thatN oshirwan Cowasjee' s

Fravardigan prayersare attended by al­

most double the number of Zoroastrians attending the ZTFE prayers at Brook­ wood. With regard to his quip as to why WZO does not functionin Chicago or Toronto or Timbuktu, the answer is very simple. WZO is a world body and func­ tions globally. The local associations must do what is required locally.If WZO's help is sought, then WZO gives a helping hand.

Finally, allow meto state that I write

this letter as a long-standing life mem­ ber of the ZTFE -just in case Mistry thinks otherwise. S. F. CAPTAIN

UK

Amavaz Mama replies

By a subsequent article titled "Electing a trustee" (Parsiana, September 1999) we have tried to present the other side of

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Flora Fountain: 365, Dr.D.N.Road, Bombay 400 001 Tel: 287 4916.287 1762 e Dhobi Talao: 614, J.S. Seth Marg, Bombay400 002. Tel: 201 4906

Parel: J.Merwanji Street.Parel, Bombay 400 012Tel: 412 6051

12 Pars1ana February 2000

the picture as it emergedfrom a letter from Rohinton Irani enclosing copies of speeches and letters of Mac Dinshaw and Rumi Sethna.

Inthe original article,the statement "theconservatives won the vote in the association's AGM ..."refers to the fact that the conservative candidates for managing committee elections won, and the liberal candidates lost, in 1986.

Rumi Sethna, Shahpur Captainand Prochy Colabawalla were prefixed with the possessive adjective "WZO's" not on the basis of any statementby Dorab Mistry but as an editorial aid to Parsiana readers who may not be aware of the relative importance of the individuals to their associations. It did not mean that they were not ZTFE members.

Asfor the alleged inaccuracy regard­ ing the 1981 arrangement worked out by Captain on behalf of the ZTFE, may we refer him to the booklet titled Hom­ age to Zarathushtra published by the ZTFE on March 21, 1983. It (pg 10) states, "The case was heard in the High Court at Strand, London on April 2, 1981 which was attended by Shahpur F. Captain.In the afternoon of April 2, 1981, an outline of a deal was made to the Brookwood CemeteryAuthorities and whichwas finally agreed to by them in October 1982." The write-up goes on to enumerate the major points of the deal. We are glad Captain has now fleshed out the details of the legalar­ rangement.

Ona musical high

With the year2000 just behind us, there

were in the British Press and media the inevitableopinion polls as to who was the 'best this,' or the 'greatest that' in various fields of human endeavor.And of course, music featured pretty high in

all of this.

In the "best song" category, No. 2 on the "all time" list was Bo­ hemianRhapsody. The composer and performer? One Freddy Mercury (Farok Bomi Bul­ sara) and Queen. In

Udvada 's Hotel Majestic: glory restored

portersof the winning team almost always sing We are the Champions. The composerand singer? One Freddy Mercury.At other contestsand the like, losers are greeted with (albeit in jocular mode) Another one bites the dust.The composer and singer? One Freddy Mer­ cury.

Ibelieve we Parsis are debatingas to who the "greatest ever" Parsi was. Un­ less a Parsi was nominatedan "all time" No. I in the world in any field of human endeavor, I suggest that this debate be brought to an immediatehalt, and that valuable time and resourcebe diverted to more importantand productive issues such as relieving povertyamongst Gujarat farmers,augmenting our medi­ cal funds, the trainingand upliftment of mobeds, care for our lonely elderly,providing orphans with as good a start in life as possible. Doubtless there are numerous other worthy causesalso, wor­ thier than trying to resolve "The great­ est Parsi" debate. RA YOMAND DIVECHA

London, UK

Managing Majestic

When we were children,we often went

to Udvada during our summer holidays. In Udvada we stayed at Majestic Hotel

with him. His staff and many others in the villagefelt orphaned. Patel'swidow Khorshed vowed to keep her late husband's memory alive and continued to run the Hotel with the help of experi­ enced managers.

But for various reasonsit didn't quite work out. I was sad to learn that the Hotel was in badshape for want of repairs which would cost a great deal.I couldn'thelp thinking of the days of glory when the Hotel would be ringing with the sound of happy guests and the servants would sail past with trays 1adt(n with pu1ao-dar, marghi and custard.The sound of the wavescrashingonthe shore would completethis heavenly am­ bience.

Enter Neville Godiwalla, the very well-knownstar caterer from Bombay who has also taken over the running of Globe Hotel in Udvada. When Godiwalla was confronted by the rather run-down,

FreddyMercwy:

alltime favorite

the "best group"

category, No.2 on the"alltime"list

opposite the sea. In those days it was

owned and run by Minoo Patelwhose name was synonymous with excellent

neglected state of Hotel Majestic, he vowed to restore it to its former glory. Work startedat a furious pace and be­

was Queen, whose prime playerwas one

Freddy Mercury.

At sportingevents worldwide, sup-

14 Parsiana February 2000

Parsi cuisine and gracious hospitality.

Patel passed away at a relatively young age, taking the grandeurofthe Hotel

fore long Hotel Majestic was once again

wearing a new coat,bluethistime,

continued on page 46

Events and Personalities

Grand opera house

"I have had the opportunity to visit many

an opera house in Europe and America but this Theatrecan claim to be better than any in the world," de­

claredchief guest Dr P. C. Alexander, governorof Maharashtra, who in the ab­

sence of the President of In­ dia. K. R. Narayanan who was down with a viral fever, presided over the inaugural function of the Jamshed Bhabha Arts Complexat Bombay'sNariman Point on November 24, 1999.

''The Rs 40 crore dream, with a proscenium stage and a seatingcapacity of 1, 150 will be available for Westernand Indian music,plays and

other performing arts. Part of the design

is an orchestrapit as well as (an alter­ nate) provision to add three extra front rows which takes the seating capacityup by 200," according to a news report in the Express Newslineof November 25.

The complex was one of J. R. D. Tata' s dream projects, recalledJam shed Bhabha,founder trustee-in-charge of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (and brother of noted scientist the late Dr Homi Bhabha)after whom the The­ atre has been named. "TheTheatre has been completed against all odds," he added. Two years back while it was still being built by Patel,Batliwala, Manohar and Associates, there had been a mas­ sive fire at the site, noted a report in The Times of India of November 21.

Theinaugural performance at the The­ atre was by 1lautistHariprasad Chaurasia, followedby a concert from the NorthernSinfonia Orchestra from the UK. In an-

swer to those whoseek ajustification for this extravagant project, culture critic Shanta Gokhalenoted, "It's a pity this country has so much poverty that we feel

(From left) Dr P. C.Alexander, Akama Alexander and Jamshed Bhabha at the inauguration of the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre (facing page)

guiltyabout having elite spaces like this. At least now we will get the big orchestras and ballets thatearlier went onlyto Delhi." According to theater veteranAlyque Padamsee who was also quoted in The Times, "I think it's about time (Bombay)got a grand theater considering that after Calcutta,this city is the theatercapital of India...The Tata Theatre is not a theater but an auditorium, perfectlysuited for a classical soloperformance, whiletheHomi BhabhaAuditorium is toooutofthe way."

Scholarship on Srosh

"Srosh receivesmore devotion than any

otheryazata," commented Prof Sindhu Dange, former head of the department of Sanskrit, BombayUniversity, when

releasing Sraoshain the Zoroastrian Tradition authored by Dr Philip Kreyenbroek. At the functionorganizedby the Athravan Educational Trust

(AET) in July last, Dange l·llmplimentedKreyen­ hroek' s "sensitivity" in deal­ ing with this yazataandcom­ mended the AET for sup­ porting academicendeav­ ors including co-sponsor­ ship of nationalseminars or­ ganized by the department of Sanskrit on themesre­ quiring in-depth study anddissemination of knowledge of the Avestan people of Indo-Iranian stock, notes a write-up by Binaifer Bharucha-Sahukargiving the highlightsof the func-

tion.

While the author was unable to at­ tend the releaseof the book, AET trusteeKhojeste Mistree referredto Kreyen­ broek's scholarship and his warm feel­ ing towards the community. According to him Kreyenbroek's thesiswas the definitive work on· Srosh and would remain so for probably the next 50 years, having traced the role and functions of this divinityfrom the Gathas, the Younger Avesta,the Pahlavi texts and the Persian Rivayats. To enable Indian readers to experience the beauty ofSrosh,the book was on sale at an introductory price of Rs 150 at the Zoroastrian Stud­ ies office,K. R. Cama OrientalInstitute Building, GroundFloor, 136, Bombay Samachar Marg, Bombay 400023, states a press release from the AET.

Mistree expounded on the main char­ acteristics of Srosh in his 55-minutespeech titled, "Theimportance of Srosh yazad in the Zoroastrian scriptures," de-

16 Parsiana February2000

17 Parstana February 2000

AETtrustees (from lejf) Pheroza Godrej, Mistree and Ranina with Dange (center)Photo: C. C. Gandevia

scribing him as "the club-wielding, vice regent ofHormazd in the physicalworld and a yazata who was second in impor­ tance to Hormazd." He believed that Srosh has no evil counterpart and there­ fore was the only divinityof the Zoro­ astrian pantheonwho is said to be unafflicted by evil and hence consid­ ered important in the after-life rituals. He also gave an enlightening transla­ tion of the Srosh Baj prayer explaininghow it constituted the basis of every Zoroastrian ceremony or ritual.

The function had commencedwith an

Avestan blessing in honor of Srosh yazad recited by Ervad Aspandiar Dadachanji who then proceeded to give its transla­ tion. The meet was brought to a close by AET trustee Homi Ranina who proposed a vote of thanks,calling upon the audi­ ence to give a standingovation to Mistree, writesBharucha-Sahukar.

77 years, for the young Nearly 30 trophieswere distributed to the prize winners by the guestofhonor Khorshed Daboo, director of Jam-e­ Jamshed Publications PrivateLimited at the annual functionorganized by the Iran Leagueon0ctober23, 1999atBombay's Cama Baug, states a press release. She wasimpressed with the laud­

able work of the Iran League office bearers who were com­ mitted to encouraging Zoro­ astrian youth. The Iran League in turn honoredlam-e-Jam-

At the I ran League function (from left) Rustom Tirandaz, Guzder, Dinshaw, Daboo, Lalkaka and Dastur

18 Parsiana February 2000

shed for its valuable services to the commu­ nity for nearly 167 years.

Commending the activitiesofthe Iran

League over the last 77 years, chief guest Jamshed Guzder,

chairman of the Bombay Parsi Pun­ chayet, announced that every year his trusts would contrib­

ute three crore rupees to Parsi and cos­ mopolitan charities, adds the write-up.

Whilst summarizing the main fea­

turesoflran League, the day's convenorVispi Dastur urged the gatheringto pay homage to the Kargil martyrsand the late supporters of the League, Homi Taleyarkhan, Amy Jehangir Shroff, Roshan Driverand Marazban Patrawala. The welcome address was deliveredby vice president Cowasjce Din shaw while the second vice presidentCyrus Lal­ kaka proposed the vote of thanks.

Thefunction, which startedwith a jashan ceremony followedby a ham­ bandagi, ended with the singing of Chhaiye HameZarathushti, the national anthem and a contributory dinner. Homai Bulsara'smelodious Parsi monajatwas also enjoyed by the audience,adds the write-up.

Lessons for life

Like butterflies in checks and stripes,

they flitted around the emerald green lawns, dancingand singing, happily playing along as they imbibed new ideas and concepts, and yes, lessonstoo.

Learning can be fun. This is the core principle· aroundwhich the entire cur­ riculum of education and activities is built at the unique Udayachal Primary School at the Godrej township in Vikhroli in suburban Bombay. And at a recent workshop hostedby the School

for children from 46 schools in the vi­ cinity, we too had a rare chance to step into a world where children chirped like inquisitivebirds and smiled as they painted and pasted, and cut and crafted and, on the way, learntsome of the most important lessons that life has to offer.

Divided into four groups, the kids were asked to createmeaningful collages from

the scraps of paper kept in the center of the room. Slowly, the pictures took shape...creating differentimages of a green world.Our smiles faded as the kids were told to tear the pictures they had so

painstakingly put together. Grab a piece for yourself, said the instructor, and soon the little hands grasped uselessscraps. Where is your world now? Gone, was the crestfallen response. The eight-year-olds had learnt the value of cooperation ver­ suscompetition.

Formal subjectslike language and grammar also receive unique treatment

with more stresson the spoken word and the development of communica­ tion skills, rather than nonsensical rhymes set in another world, another context. An attractive seascape with billowing paper waves had sentences left with blanks. The kids had to sift through a neatly letteredpile of words to fit in the correct one. Reading, spell­ ing, comprehension, vocabulary all meshed together in an integrated whole. And this was just one of the "grammar games" the Udayachal teachers had put togetherfor their littleguests.

In another sectionof the vast, open

hall, we watched the creation of 'wealth from waste.' A discarded coconut shell

. pasted over with peanut shells made a lovely bowl. Khyati from the S.V.D.T. School in Ghatkopar beamed as she care­ fully fixed a pink arc of a broken bangle to make a smile on a cardboard face. "Best of all I have done here today is the craft." But Shashikant from Madhumati Vidyalayadisagreed: "The singingand dancing was best. I love music."

Everywhere in thecool,

sprawling school we saw

hands-on evidenceof the simple philosophies that have won Udayachal much ·ac­ claim. In the music room, pebbles inside a discardedtin of talc made lovely jingling sounds. And ice-cream sticks, a pen stand. "Till the fourth standard, children are taught each subject, be it mathemat­ ics. environment studies or Ian-

Choksey (standing, right) and Sohrab Godrej (center) at a workshop hostedby the Udayachal Primary School

guage, through music, games, handicraft and excursions," explained principal Shirin Choksey."There is very little writ­ ten work." She has personally brought in most of the innovations. Spellings, says this award winning educator,are taught by action phonics. And no, the children donotfacemajoradjustmenthassleswhen they are juxtaposed from this test-free, stress-free environment to the harshworld of the larger system.··we give them a strong foundation. And the communica­ tion skills to build on it," she says.

Established in 1955, with just a hand­ ful of students, by Cooverbai Vakil, Udayachal today has 945 students in the primary section. Admissionis open only to childrenof Godrej employees; and the fees arc subsidized. A nutritious mid­ morning snack is supplied to each child. The School exhibitsits social concerns

said.We lookedat the fresh,beam­ ing faces before us. Flowers and children blossomequally well in this educational garden of Eden, it would appear. Sarita Sawhny

Environmental consultant

Among the select individuals from

the worldchosenforhonorary membership of the American So­ ciety of Civil Engineers in I999 wasProfSoliJ. Arceivalaof Bombay. He is reportedly the first Indian to receive this "highest ac­ colade that membersof the civil engineering profession can bestow on their peers," notes a press re­ lease from the Indian Environ­ mental Associationof which he was founder president. Around I0 individuals each year have been

receiving this distinction since 1853 and Arceivalajoined these­ lect band of 162 living members on October 20 at a ceremonial banquet at the Society's annual

convention in Charlotte, USA, mentions the write-up.

His citation commends him for be­ ing a "noted environmental engineer­ ing professor and international con­ sultant (with) a distinguished career in the shaping of environmental pro­ tection activities in developing coun­ tries of the Middle East,India and South Asia ..."

Presently chairmanemeritusof

Montgomery Watson Consultants India Limited, Arceivalahas also been given credit for founding the first Indian con­ sulting companyin the environmental field involvedin waste treatment and reuse of water in industries. He was

director of the Gov- crnment of India's National Environ­ mentalEngineering Research Institute and had servedas re­ gional advisor for environmental healthwiththe

Arceivala has narrated his experiences in the nationaland international field in the three books he has authored.

Literary honor

Recognizing his contribution to the field

of education, the South GujaratUniver­ sity has decided to confer the Doctor of Literature (DLitt) degree, the highest honor bestowed by a university, on Dr Ratan Marshall,announced The Indian Express of October I9, 1999 in its Surat Newsline pages.

Officer on special duty at the Surat Parsi Panchayat, Marshall has "con­

tributed immensely towards educa­ tionof the underprivileged," stated The Indian Expressfurther introduc­ ing him as the first student of Bombay University to be awarded a doctorate in Gujarati literature. Marshall will be presented the honor at the next convo­ cation of the South GujaratUniver-

Marshall: the written word

sity, accordingto the report which mentioned that the University syndi­ cate had decided to award him the DLitt in February1997 but the item never came on the senateagenda.

Author of several Gujaratibooks, Marshall has just finished work on his soon to be publishedcompilation de­ tailing the princelycharities made by Parsis for the benefitof the cosmopoli­ tan societyin Surat, he wrote in a letter to Parsiana. Besides keepinggreen the

with the rule that only two children from eachfamily arc allowedadmission at any giventime.

As we reluctantly preparedto leave

Arceivala: credit for the consultant

World Health Orga­ nisation's regional office for Europe. The Harvard gradu­

memory of the donors,it will also serve

to highlight the institutions createdby their generosity. Prior to this, Marshall was involved in the publication of his

this happy world, a little lad, dressed in the blue shortsand blue and white checked shirt uniform of Udayachal

ate was chief of the United Nations Development Programmeconcerning environmental healthinIIcountries in

collection of short stories, Narinan Haiyan Sonanan Haiyan, dwelling on Parsi characters and society.

proffered a charmingposy of flowers.

the South East Asia region,states the

"They arefrom ourown garden," he

19 Parsiana February 2000

write-up summarizing his achievements.

Compiled by ParinazM. Gandhi

ZOROASTRIANS ABROAD

Congress 2000

From Sydney,Australia, Dr Sam Kerr

and his childhoodfriend Behram Irani are planningan exhibit of rare Sasanian coins at the Seventh World Zoroastrian Congressin Houston, informsthe No­ vember edition of Congress Calls.

Violinists, pianists, oboists, a cellist,a double bassistandaclarinetisthave come forward to jointhe World Zara­ thushtiOrchestra being plannedby Cyrus Mehta and PirooziCooper. But they are in need of trumpeters, horns, bassoons, flutistsand many more string players,says CongressCalls. The programis expected to include the Gatha-inspired work of Meher Madon-Jansen and the clarion call Chhaiye Hame Zarathushti.

The Sixth Zarathushti Games were

kickedoffonJuly2, 1999whenJahangir Mehrkhodavandi and some othersran the 11 miles from Westminister Dar-E­ Mehr to the gym at the California State University, Long Beach, carryingthe torch to light the opening flames, writes Rustom Khosravian in Manashni, the newsletter of the Zoroastrian Associa­tion of Houston. Mobed Rostam Shahr­ zari recited the Avesta thereafter. The three-dayGames with about 200 youths participating (45 under the age of 12) were a precursor to the Seventh Zara­ thushti Games planned as the preambleto the Seventh World Zoroastrian Con­ gress in Houston in December 2000.

Basketball, volleyball, track and bad­ minton were the featureson offer. The intense competition "one has to see... to believe," writes Khosravian. They came from Vancouver, Texas, North Caro­ lina, Arizona.Illinois, Massachusetts. Florida and Ohio and a sole competitor from Australia. India, Iran and Pakistan were unrepresented. Almost 90 percent of the participants were Iranian Zoroas­ trians and most of the announcements were in Persianto the chagrin ofthe non­ Iranians,informs Khosravi an.Houston's seven-member team bagged five med­ als, he notes happily.

Though theGamesendedwitha

candle flame passed by a Californian child to the Houston representatives, the Houstonians, who gave the gatheringan

\nk\\ng of the '2()00 year event,have

already planned kick-offpractices to get

the team intoshape for the big event later this year.

In and around Toronto While "the Zoroastrian community in and around the GTA (GreaterToronto Area) is increasing at a steady pace, the premises at which we meet and socialize has remained stagnant," notes Zoroas­ trian Society of Ontario (ZSO)president Kobad Zaroliain their November 1999 newsletter.With"no intention of dis­ turbing the present setupat the Darbe Mehr," Zaroliasuggests the setupof a new facility to fulfill the needs of the community and "enhance the level of intra-communityactivities." As a first step in the new millennium he suggests the purchase of the requisiteland "with the sole idea of investingin our youth's future."

In the meantime a major system up­ grade- bothhardware and software­ has been completed on most of the com­ puters at the DarbeMehr and the ZSO information technology subcommittee is offering a variety of computer pro­ grams to cater to variousindividual members' needs and to enhancetheir computer skills. "The youths can do theirprojects or essays,executive sub­ committeemembers can utilize(the com­ puters) for preparing the minutes of theirmeetings,budgets, etc and our respected seniors can even play their cardgames," beckons the September'99 newsletter. Special coursesare also arrangedat$ 15 per person.

"It's been six months since Minoo Treasurywalla passed away and in this short periodwe realize how Minoa's life has contributed to pulling us to­ gether as a community in North America," writes Putli Mirza in the ZSO newsletter of October 1999. "My first contact with himwas 22 years ago when he conductedthe religion classesfor children. We worked together for 11 years seeing the classes grow and de­ velop. Through these years I experi­ enced Minoa'svision and expectations for our community.I knew that prior to the formation of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario he was an active member of the Zoroastrian fraternity, helping and guiding new Zoroastrian arrivalsin Ontar\o. M\noo wa<.; the \ounder pre<.;\­ dent of the ZSO in 1972.

"Before emigrating to Canada, Minoa held various executivepositions in in­ dustry and commercein India from 1940 to 1965. His last positionwas as presi­ dent and director oflndexport, a subsid­ iary ofHindustan Lever. Minoo emi­

grated to Toronto with his family in 1965. In Canada he joined Hydro Missi­ ssauga. His astute management skills and foresight were recognized by his ap­

Treasurywalla: pointment to the po­

visionary leader sitionoftreasurerand

secretary of Hydro Mississauga where he worked till his retirement in 1982.

"In recognitionofhisoutstanding

contributions to the Zoroastrian com­ munity and Canadian society,the Fed­ eration of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA)presented him with the Jamshed Pavri Humanitar­ ian Award in 1991.He was also awarded "The Confederation of Canada, 125th Anniversary Medal" for his contribu­tion in Canada, his serviceto the chroni­ cally ill,counselling troubled youth and his assistance to those less fortunate than himself.

"Minoa was a role model for our

fledgling community... who readily served on various committees of ZSO and FEZANA."

Toronto Zoroastrian youths have been making theirmark on the host commu­ nity:

•Neville Rabadi,the first Zoroastrian in

Canada to complete his military officer's training from the Royal Military Col­ lege in Kingstonhas taken up his posi- · tion as maintenance platooncommander and forward logistics group commander with the Canadian Contingent United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

in Israel, informsthe ZSO newsletter.

•Kekoo Gatta volunteered 10 daysin

Albania assisting in relief efforts that entailed the distribution of clothes,food and hygiene productsto Kosovar refu­ gees, notes the newsletter.

•Nozer Kotwalleda band of volunteers in helpingout the homeless through extendicare services, brotherhood meals on 'Nhee\'l., 'l.\)o\\'l.a\ 'l.\\\)\)ot\. \:0\\\) . e\.c,.

Their hard work and dedication has been

21 Parsiana February2000

THE '· /MJ PARSlANA BOOKOF

IRANIAN Ql(jfrf

NAMES

The Iranian names of boys and girls along with their meanings which originally appearedin Parsiana have now been reprintedin an attractive 24-page booklet.The book, which is

priced at As 40, is available on sale at:

Kaiser-E-Hind, 300 Perin Nariman Street, Behind Reserve Bank of India,

Faredoon and Burjor Sandalwood Shop,

on Press, 13, Homji Street,

Bombay 400001.

.......

I .

recognized by the Temple Har Zion, records the newsletter.

Mehernaz Lentin of IndustryPictures based in Toronto is planning the cre­ ation of a documentary titledJourney of the Magi. Based on the book by Dr Paul William Roberts,Len tin's projectis con­ ceived as a two-hour ChristmasSpecial for the year 2000. She has appealed to fellow Zarathushtis to help her out fi­ nancially, says the newsletter.

Ifmusic be the food oflove... Karachi-born Zane Dalal conductedthe Florida Philharmonic for a series of four concerts in October '99, two of them being chamberorchestras, informs the November editionof What'sOn,the news­ letter of the Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandai (KZBM). The talented and ar­ ticulate Dalal explained to the audience what they were about to hear, conveying his own passionfor music. Theenthusias­ tic audience responded with standingova­ tions. After the last concert at Pompano Beach, the mayor presented the key of the city to Dalal,notes the newsletter.

Karachi calling

Understanding Learning Disabilities

was the burden of Diana Dinshaw's message to the Karachi community during a break from Eagle Hill Out­ reach where she teaches in the US. The four workshopsshe conducted along with the video presentation she had prepared explainedthe disorder caused by a dysfunction in the central nervous system. It did not mean that the afflicted child lacked intelligence but that he or she needed a skilledand patienttutor to help overcome the handicap and promotedevelopment in other areas,notes What'sOn.

The KZBM' s second annualinter-colony skit competition at the HotelMetropole found all the groups had scripted their own plays, largelyround drawing room topics, writes Sunnu Golwalla. But the Katrak Hall team left all the others be­ hind. Their A Flower of a Different Colour centered round a mentallydefi­ cientwoman's association with her neighborhood children, shunned and accepted in turn. The sensitivity of the script and the playersmoved the entire audience, makingthe team the undis­ puted winner,notes Golwalla.

Compiled byArnavaz S. Mama

For an authentic Udvada experience

GlobeHotel and

Hotel Majestic

Contact02638-70282 Majestic

02638-71144, 70243 Globe

Managed by

Neville Godiwalla

13113, Sai Nikctan,B Wing, 345, Mount Road, Mazagaon,Bombay4000 I0

Tel Nos.: 3775842,3775360, 3742065, 3717036

LINKS

As announced in our Nov­ ember issue, beginning this month we are introducing the "Links" column which will enable interested readers to interact with each otheras pen pals. We are gratefulto FurrokhPanthaki for fund­ ing this venture.

Farhad Savak Master

B-4 Ashok Society,Khushad, Opp Lions Hall, Baroda 390007.e-mail: farhadmaster

@hotmail.com Age: 24 years Sex: Male, unmarriedInterests and hobbies:Read­ ing technicalbooks on engi­ neering; takingupsocialwork; and everything to do with computers.

Klwslmuma Savak Master Address and e-mail same as above. Age: 21 years

Sex: Female,unmarried Interests and hobbies:Bas­ ketball (national player); touring; and communication

Sam M. Billimoria

266, PatelBuilding, Opp Central Plaza,Girgaum, Bombay 400004.Age:60 years. Sex: Male, married Interests and hobbies: Char­ tered accountant who enjoys current affairs;religious sub­ jects; Parsi history; econom­ ics and capital markets

Adale Patel

H/24,Cusrow Baug, S. B.

Rd, Bombay 400039

e-mail: adalep@hotmail.com

Age: 38 years

Sex: Male, widower Interests and hobbies: Mov­ ies; music;conversingin German; and collecting an­ tiques.

Those interested in interact­ ing with Zoroastrians from around the globe should send us the following details: full name, address,e-mail con­ tact, age, sex andmarital sta­ tus, vocation,interests and hobbies.

22 Parsiana February2000

POLITICS AND POLICY

A world body of federations

The long-proposed WorldCouncil of Zoroastrian Federations

will dovetail into the World Zoroastrian Organisation at a futuredate

Arnavaz S. Mama

The immediate establishmcntofthe World Council of Zoroastrian Federations (WCZF) headquartered in Bombay has been proposedby the representatives of international regions at a meeting in Bombay. A proviso declares that this Council will be merged with the World ZoroastrianOrganisation (WZO) as and when the latter is satisfacto­

rily restructured to meet the

requirements of a truly repre­ sentative world body.

The resolution -endor­ sed by Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustees'

Jamshed Guzder, Minoo

Shroff, Silloo Kavarana,

Dinshaw Mehta, Rustom Tirandaz and Federation of Parsi Zoroastrian Anjumans of India (FPZAI)joint hon­ orary secretaryKeki Gandhi

on behalf of India, Zoroas-1 :

trian Trust Funds of Europe'sJ Ji

(ZTFE) presidentDorab Mistry for Eu­ rope and the UK, Federation of Zoroas­

trian Associations of North America(FEZANA) president FramrozePatel and worldbodyfacilitatorRohinton

Rivetna for North America,and Noshir Sachinwala, president of the Australian Zoroastrian Association of New South Wales for Australia andNew Zealand in the teeth of concertedopposition by WZO representatives Dadi Engineer and Dinshaw Tamboly who also happen to he BPP trustees- will need to be rati­ fied by their parent bodies beforethe WCZF can be registered.

The three-day meet (January11-13,

2000) which declaredthe final draft (October 1999) of the revised memo­ randum and articles of the WZO inad­ equate, has recommended that a com­ mittee ofWCZF continueto dialog and work with the WZO to developan ac­ ceptable superstructure.

The meeting of the regions was held as per the FEZANA resolution of June 1999 toexaminethefinaldraftpre-

23 ParsianaFebruary 2000

sented by theWZO. Iran declined to attend, Dr Mahyar Ardeshiri notingin a letter to WZO presidentRumiSethna hissatisfaction with the revised draft while reiteratingthat the headquarters of the WZO should be transferred to Iran from its current location in London, UK. The Singapore representative Russi

L toR (top) Guzder,Gandhi, Engineer, Tamboly; (below)Rivetna, Patel, Mistry and Sachinwala

Ghadiali was expectedbut did not at­ tend. A. B. Madon, chairmanof the Zoroastrian Association of Pakistan, endorsedthe draft in a letter to WZO managing committeemember Toxy Cowasjee.The plenary meetingson the 11th and 13th in the BPP board room were also attendedby WZO' s India based representatives, its president Sethnahav­ ing declined to attend.On the 12th the regions deliberated in camera at the Dadar Athornan Madressa.

Therevised WZO charterincorpo­ rates aCouncil of Federations and a Councilof Individuals, each composed of 16 members,to work independently of each other on their assignedobjects. The two bodies togetherform the WZO' s International Board of Directorswhich is supposed to be responsible for all policy and strategic mattersand to which the presidents of the two Councilsare

required to report substantive issues. Decisions of the Board are supposed to be made by a simple majority,thus re­ viving the bugbearof equal weightageto members representing the anjumans/ associations of major areas of the world and to membersrepresenting individu­ als. The articlesof association stipulate that while the chairperson

will be electedby simple ma­

jority from among the 32 membersoftheBoardateach annual general meeting - the office to alternate be­ tween the Federations' and Individuals'Councils- three office-bearers viz the executive vice president, honorary secretary and hon­ orary treasure. would be elected for three-year terms and shallnecessarily be per­ manently resident in the UK.

A smallprofessional sec­

retariat comprising of a secretary-gen­ eral, secretary and treasurer in London is envisaged, which will be fully moni­ tored by the executiveincumbents on the Board of Directors. The authority to sign cheques is restrictedto these three office bearersplus the year'schairper­ son, any two signingtogether. More­ over, while the draft constitution is said to be in consonance with English Cor­ porate Law it is explicitly providedthat section 293 of the UK Companies Act 1985 shall not apply, thereby releasing WZO office bearers from the need to relinquishoffice on reachingthe age of 70, or any particular age.

According to Article 51, "The Inter­ national Board may meet together for the despatch of business at such places and at such times as they may think fit, and make regulations for summoning and holding their meetings and for the transaction of business thereat, and they may from time to time determine the quorum necessaryfor the transaction of business at their meetings.Until other-

wise determined, five Board membersshall form a quorum. At least one Board meeting shall be held once a year in a place in the UK. Any five members of the Board may summona Board meet­ ing, by a requestin writing to the secre­ tary-general."

The Federations' Councilis supposed to compriseof two representatives of each of the eight regions delineated. Assignedvotes on the basis of one vote for500 or less Zarathushtis, India and Iran have 100 each, UK and Europe 22, North America 40, Australia and New Zealand six, Pakistanand Middle East seven, Far East and South Asia 4, Africa three. The voting is required to be in writing (and not by proxy) to the secre­ tary-general.

TheIndividuals' Council's 16 mem­ bers are requiredto be elected by every eligible individualmember of the WZO casting one vote,personally or by proxy, fromamongthosenominated region wise.

The WZO's major assetsare its name and the goodwill created by the India team, notablyDinshaw and Bachi Tambol y' sdedication to the task of match­ ing international philanthropy to indi­ vidual needs under the WZO banner.The attendant publicity has howeverJed to the criticism, voiced by Tirandaz,that the charity is "sacrificing institutions on the altar of individuals."

The WZO's refusal to divulge the size and content of its membership (Dinshaw Tambolyvolunteered that

7,500 copies of the WZO house journal Hamazor are printed, earningMistry's compliment, ''You are the most candid face of the WZO!") and its adamantequation of the voting rights of an indi­ vidual to that of an association, has been underlined by the FPZAI, the ZTFE and other organizations. Moreover, the two decades of its existence have seen little, if any, change in the coterie controlling its affairs in the UK, leading to former FEZANA president Dolly Dastoor's earlier charge of "entrenched manage­ ment," a charge stronglyendorsed by Mistry. As currently constituted, its membershipis open to non-Zoroastrian spouses reflecting the liberal attitudesand actions of the UK committee. Strangely, the stalwarts of WZO India espouse a more conservative approach, the presidentof its youth wing even seeking to prevent the navjote of the child of an intermarried couple in Bombay, noted Mistry.

24 Parsiana February 2000

Although the call for a world body had been made at the First World Zoro­ astrian Congress(WZC) in Tehran in 1960 there was little action until the WZO was established in 1980. Its at­ tempts to woo the BPP and the Indian Federationto join it stalled on the issue of the voting rights of its individual and anjuman members.But while the BPP/ Federationhave avoided joining the WZO until it is suitablyamended, the WZO has succeeded in welcoming in­ fluential individuals who, representing anjumanson the FPZAIIFEZANA, have ensured thatnootherrival body is floated. Thus, attempts to establishan Inter Re­ gional Zoroastrian Congress Commit­ tee in Bombayafter the fifth WZC in 1990 were scuttled on the ground that it would becomea rival to the WZO, as ruefully noted Homai Modi, the joint honorarysecretary of the fourth and fifth WZC, who attendedthe meet as an observer.

Several drafts of a world body of fed­

erations were presentedby Rohinton Rivetna,tonoavail untilthe mood changed at the sixth WZC in Tehran in 1996.The ground swell reached a high when the FPZAI by a majority vote agreed to be a founder member ofthe World Councilof Zoroastrian Federations in 1997. Though a similar mood prevailed in FEZANA, a WZO filibuster Jed to a majority vote against foundingthe WCZF and the ex­ pression of a desireto see an amendment of the WZO to incorporate the role of the apex body of federations. Accordingly Rivetna was urged to negotiatea viable WZO constitutional changewith the latter's Rumi Sethna.Responses to a first draft circulated in 1998 were s.aid to be incorporated into the final draft of 1999 which nonetheless drew considerable flak from the assembled representatives as it was seen to perpetuate the original flaws by roundaboutmeans. This was particu­ larly resented by the 350-year-old BPP and 130-year-old ZTFE who, despitetheir historic past, were willingto accept the 20-year-old WZO as an umbrella body in the interest of community solidarityif it executed the requiredamendments.

Themeet began withan Avestan bene­ diction by Ervad Parvez Bajan. A draft resolution, with two majorpoints, sought to focus the discussions:

•"resolved that having reviewedthe pro­ posed charter of the restructured WZO, dated October 1999, carefully sectionby section, and having resolvedsome issues with WZO delegatespresent at the meet-

ing,remaining issues be forwarded to WZO for further negotiations and itera­ tion through the regions;" and

•"resolved, that, in the interim,until con­ sensual agreement is reached on the char­ ter of the restructured WZO by the re­ gions, as a first step the CouncilofFedera­ tions be formed, and that the Council of Federations begin its operationwith due dispatch and haste, in a manner that will facilitateits inclusion within the restruc­ tured WZO when finalized."

Despite Rivetna' s philosophical pre­

sentation on the need for harmonyand consensus, the resolution raised Engi­ neer's ire. Noting that the revised WZO constitution "incorporates almost all suggestions received from various parts of the world," he demanded to know "the purpose of today's meeting" and questioned the authority of the assembled representatives to form another body. Letters of endorsement from Dastoor and former AZA president Perviz Kolsavala were quoted to prove the ac­ ceptability of the draft constitution even though the current incumbents of both offices, seated at the table, had a differ­ ent tale to tell. Echoingthe liberal WZO' s historical antipathy to the orthodoxZTFE, Engineer challenged the latter's right to represent "Europe's huge Ira­ nian Zoroastrian population" which ac­ cording to him bears greater affiliation to bodies in Germany,France, etc. "My point is, is this a meeting of regionsor associations?"

Eventually the gathereddelegatesjus­

tified their decision to proceed with the WCZF on the ground that whilethe WZO continued with its 'politicized' philanthropy, simultaneously stalling major reform of its constitution, the rep­ resentative bodies had already lost 15 years and could ill afford to lose what maybeseveralyears more before an acceptable constitutional change of the· WZOiseffected."Wearemissing ... opportunities to represent ourselvesas a world community," noted Rivetna. Zo­ roastrians need to have a say in Global Ethics, at the United Religions of the World, be prepared to cope with the large issues as they come up, he main­ tained. Mistrycontended that proxy votes from indebted Zoroastrian individuals will negate the votes of the associations on the International Board: "40 proxy votes from Gujaratwill negate all votes ofFEZANA,23 proxy votes from India will negate the vote of Europe."

continued on page 38

RELIGION

Valiv's sacred glo-w

The initiative of Bomi Sachinwalla, guidance of religiousscholars and supportof local residentshelped consecrate the new Darb-e-Mehr in Valiv

Text: Zarasp Irani • Photographs: C. C. Gandevia

The entire buildingdoes not have a single electrical lamp or fixture.The hall and sanctum sanctorum are lit by wick lamps (burning oil, not kerosene). The structure is naturally ventilated with louvres and air ducts at the floor level and a high ceilingto enable hot air to escape from the top and cool air to circulate from the bottom.Thus the structure conserves energyand is also environment friendly.

The ManijehPirojshaSachinwalla

Dar-e-Meher, consecrated on Novem­ ber 14, 1999, Shahenshahi roz Ashish­ vangh, mah Khordad, assumessignifi­ cance for although there are 42 agiaries in Bombay (island)this is the first one built on the otherside (mainland) of the Thana Creek, pointedout Ervad (Dr) Rooyintan P. Peer. It will serve the reli­ gious needs of some 250 Zoroastrian families presentlyliving in the Vasai­ Virar sub-region as well as offuture residents of the area, addedPeer who was the mentor and took a lead role in performingall the ceremonies as per their precepts and practiceprior to the installation of the fire.To consecrate the fire of the Dar-e-Meher, yasna (ijasne) ceremonies were performed commencingNovember 10, culminat­ing with a vendidad ceremonyduring the pre-dawnhours of November14. Baj ceremonies were also conducted regularlyon all these days. Peer's fa­ ther Ervad (Dr) Peshotan Peer had con­ ducted the jashan ceremonyduring the foundationstone laying on May 1, 1996.

Thecooperation extended by the Zoroastrian and non-Zoroastrian resi­ dents of Valiv village,taluka Vasai, in Thana districtplayed a major role in bringing to fruition the dream of Bomi Sachinwalla, managing trustee of the Dar-e-Meher, acknowledged the archi­ tect benefactor who had managed to raise Rs 23 lakhs to erectthis Dar-e­ Meher.

26 Parsiana February2000

Onlythrough Ahunavaria, will of God, can one complete a mission. We are but the physicalmedia to carry out the appointed tasks, remarked Sachin­ walla at the inauguralfunction.

Nearly 2,500devoteeswhohad

come from all parts of Bombay began arriving at the Vasai Road railwaysta­ tion at about 8.30 a.m. The organizers had arranged for buses to transport them to the site which is about six kilometers away. The jashan ceremonycom­ menced at 10 a.m. and was graced by the presenceof Dasturs (Dr) Kaikhusroo

M.JamaspAsa, Dr HormazdyarK. Mirza, Dr Firoze M. Kotwal, Ervads Dr Peshotan H. Mirza, Dr Rooyintan P. Peer, Aspandiar Dadachanji, Noshir­ wan Kanga and others. Followingthe jashan which lasted for 90 minutesthe gathering partookof the chasni.

A shamiana was setup across the road to enable the devotees to attend a brieffunction which followed. A short but entertaining recitalof old Gujarati Parsi songs by the duo Marzban Mehta and Marzban Wadia set the gathering a-clapping, after which the dignitaries took the stage.

In early days each house had a fire,

statedKotwal in his address to the gath­ ering. He touched upon the past history of Vasai, statingthat in 1745 AC 17 families resided at Vasai. At that time two priests from Navsari were employed by them to conduct prayer ceremonies. Hence, Vasai was once again seeing a return of Zoroastrian settlers, after the earlier ones were forced to flee by the Portuguese.Kotwal then led the gath­ ering in reciting a small prayer,wish­ ing that the fire consecrated at Valiv would always be glorious and continue burning.

The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP)

would shortly start construction of 85 flats at Valiv village as there was no extra FSI (Floor Space Index) available

to the BPP for constructing flats in Bombay, stated BPP chairman Jamshed Guzder. He also announceda large grant for supporting a third child born to Zo­ roastrian parents (not children of mixed marriages) up to the age of 18 years. He said that the scheme had so far sup­ ported 80 families and he wishedthat many more Zoroastrian parentswould set aside their financial worries and play their role in increasing the community numbers.

Adi Bhiwandiwalla, one of the trust­

ees of the Dar-e-Meher, proposeda vote of thanks, after which the assemblydis­ persed for a vegetarian lunch. The two other trusteesof the Dar-e-Meher are Sachinwalla's siblings Pinky Patel and Aspi Sachinwalla.

The day'sproceedingsover,the

gathering returned to their homes, near and far, knowingthat there is yet an­ otherhouse of worshipwhere they can enjoy the benefits accruedby the reci­ tation of prayers and performance of religious ceremonies in a scientific man­ ner.

Simply spiritual

Bomi Sachinwalla has devoted his en­

tire life to the worship of fire as it is the most supreme form bf energyyielding great benefitsto those who fervently worship it, he believes. This Dar-e­ Meher has been dedicated to the memory of his mother Manijehas she had made great sacrifices to educate and encourage him in his endeavorsin life. Thus was he inspired to pay his debt to her and to the religion in which he was born.

An architect by profession, Sachin­walla is an alumnus of the Sir J. J. College of Architecture, Bombay. He came to reside in Valiv village in 1974 and started his practice as an architect (see "Tread the chosen tract," Parsiana, January I 998).

Only through the will of God, can one complete a mission.

We are but the physical media to carry out the appointed tasks

1st row: Well outside the naturally illuminated Dar-e-Meher and Bomi Sachinwalla

2nd row: Entranceto the dadgah,

Peer addressing the audience with Mirza, Kotwal, Guzderand Sachinwalla on his left; jashan ceremony in progress

3rd row: Gathering at the inaugural;

main gate of the Dar-e-Meher

The entire structure of the Dar-e­ Meher is made from dressedblocks of black basalt.Rough and smooth sandstone have been used for the flooring and paving.A well fed by a natural spring has been dug near the entrance and is also built of slabs of dressed black basalt.The reason for building the structure in this fashion, Sachinwalla revealed, was to enable the vibrations of the prayersand the burning fire to be absorbedby the

structure. The practice of paving the walls of the sanctum sanctorumwith glazedceramic tiles is unscientific as thematerial does not absorb the finer vibrations emanated by the recitation of A vesta prayers duringthe boi cer­ emony,he added.

He then announced his intention of

building 65 flats and a communityhall for Zoroastrians on a plot of land which belongs to him oppositethe Dar-e­ Meher.

PROFESSIONS

COVER STORY

India: "center for opportunities"

ICICI Bank under CEO Hoshang Sinor moves ahead innovatively with a series of new banking productsand e-commerce initiatives

Hilla P. Guzder

Fromthe days of CentralBank of India's founding father Sir SorabjeePoch­ khanavala, Parsis have had a strong bond with banking. In this issue, Parsiana profiles three leading ban­ kersin the country and the changing countenance of banks in India in the new millennium.

Cascading ripples of water flow uninter­ruptedly from ceilingto floor on either side of an enormous, glistening lobby. On the fourth floor, the blue of the pool is ringed by green lawns and flowering bushes. "This garden attracts so many beautiful birds," says Hoshang Sinor, managing directorand chief executive officer (CEO) ofiCICI Bank,pointing to the elevatedgreenery outside his office. A short distanceaway, giant construction cranes stand stark against the sky, workmen'shovels dot the Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bombay's newest commer­ cial hub situated near the airport, where the ICICI (Industrial Credit and Invest­ ment Corporation of India Limited)cor­ porate office is situated.

"Ihave been in banking for 34 years, but it seems as if I started my career just yesterday," reflectsSinor in soft, mea­ sured tones. "Iwas a posthumous child, my father Noshirwandied when I was about to beborn.Itwasmymother Meheran,a teacherin a school in Bhavnagar in Gujarat,who brought up mysister,twobrothersandmyself." Stating that he actually wantedto pur­ sue a legal career, Sinornarrates how one day, when he was in the second year ofLLBandalreadyemployedwith Central Bank oflndia, one of his profes­sors from SiddharthLaw College told him to visit the law courts situated near Victoria Terminus."I was horrifiedto see how the lawyerswereclamoring after customers. It was like a fish mar­ ket!"he recollects. To further dissuade him,his professor told him it would take at least 10-15years to establish his

30 Parsiana February 2000

practice, unless of course he had rela­ tives at the Bar! "I had to supportmyself right from the beginning. There was no way I could wait for a decadeto start earning money," smilesSinor. And so he continued to work first in Central then in Union Bank of India,moving from the clerical cadre to juniorofficer then to senior managementposition by 1977 (see "AtICICI Bank's helm," Business, Parsiana, October 1999).

When he joined ICICI Bank, one of

thenew generation private sector banks, as executivedirector in '97, Sinor was motivated, he says, by the challengeof building a new organization rather than rebuilding an old one (the public sector Central Bank where he had been posted asexecutive director in '96). "Weare positioning ourselvesbetween the pub­ lic sectorbanks and the foreign banks which have the advantageof the great financial strengthof their parent organi­ zation. We seek to retain our Indianness, yet provide the quality of service of international banks," he explains.

ICICI Bank, statesSinor, was the first

bank in Indiato introduce in 1997Internet banking which circumvents fixed brick and mortar branchtimings by allowingcustomers access to their accounts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from the comfort of their home or office. "Infinity, as our Internet bankingis called, offers youaccess to your accounts from any­ where in the world. Youcan transferfunds with the click ofa mouse from one ICICI Bankaccountto another, order cheque books, ask for demand drafts, makeMahanagarTelephone Nigam Lim­ ited, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited or electricity payments. We are looking towardsincome-tax payment too," elabo­ rates Sinor. It took two years to develop the encrypted language for securityar­ rangement. "Tocheck for safety, we go into the process of hacking from time to time," he declares. With itswebsite www.icicibank.comand15,000 users

alreadyusing Infinity, the Bank had tar­ geted one lakh Internet users,including NRis (non-resident Indians),says Sinor. On January 21, 2000, the Bank recorded another first by launchingIndia's first credit card which enables customers to view transaction detailsand make pay­ ments over the Internet,states The Eco­ nomic Times, January 22. Its interna­ tional card, namedSolid Gold, includes a Global One Calling Card,adds the paper. ICICI Bank also plans to introduce Web ATMs (Automated Teller Ma­ chines) to encouragethe use of the facil­ ityprovided by Internetbanking even among customers who don't have a PC or Internet connection, according to The Indian Expressof December I 0, '99. The Bank has also launchedan Internet pay­ mentgateway, christened !-payment,to handlecash transactions of its clients over the Net, statesThe EconomicTimes, December2, '99. SatyamInfoway Lim­ ited, India's largestInternet Service Pro­ vider, and ICICI Bank recently signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for online distribution of retail banking products and services, notes The Eco­ nomic Times of January 20, 2000.

Hitherto the largestoftheprivate

sector banks, ICICI Bank finds its posi­ tion challenged by the proposedmerger of TimesBankwithHDFC(Housing

Development Finance Company) Bank. ·

"The merger means they will have a balance sheet the same size as ours," asserts Sinor. Prophesying this as a sign of the times, Sinor believes that in three to five years' time foreign bankstoo will be more aggressive. "Acquisitions and mergers will lead to new names emerging. Established old banks may disappear, or reemerge in a newava­ tar," he predicts.

Established in 1994 under the new banking policy of the Government of India, ICICI Bank has its registered office in Baroda and corporate office in Bombay. Its 71 branches,12 extension

counters (affiliated to a branch, which provide all routine bankingfacilities at a separate location) and 125 ATMs (as of mid-January, 2000) are situatedin ur­ ban, semi-urban and rural locations across 14 states, according to figures providedby the Bank.

"Our Bank'smajor strengths are well laid down systems and proce­ dures, advanced technol­

ogy, and the ICICI lin­ eage," notes Sinor. With a 45-year-old organization with a large asset base be­ hind it, "wedon't have to hunt for good customers." With gross income shoot­ ing up toRs 633.08 crores from the previous year's Rs 343.54 crores, the Bank made a profitafter tax of Rs 63.36 crores, up from the Rs 50.22 crores of the previous year, according to the fifth annualreport 1998-99.

ICICI Limited, founded in '55 at the initiative of the World Bank, Govern­ ment of India and sections of Indian industry,is a diversified financial ser­ vices group,states an e-mail from the company. Its business consistsprima­ rily of corporate, projectand working capital finance and, more recently, per­ sonal loans,retail deposits, etc. Through its recent issue of AmericanDepository Receipts, ICICI equity is now listed on the New York Stock Exchange.Imbib­ ing the best of American corporatecul­ ture, ICICI provides its over 1,000 em­ ployees working in ICICI Towers in Bombay an ambiancewhere creativity can prosper. The staff can enjoy, ifthey so desire, afruit lunch in the cheery atrium, or a workout in the gymnasium!

Terming ICICI' s "human capital" a major asset, Sinor asserts that almost 50 percent of high level positions at ICICI Limited are mannedby ladies, includ­ing four seniorgeneral managers and deputy general managers. Girls from even traditional Maharashtrian and South Indianfamilies are very career­ oriented,he notes, oftensitting in the office tilllate in the evening, hoping however that by the time they reach home late at ni,.ght an obliging mother­ in-law or husband would have got the

Sinor inaugurating a branch in Secunderabadand (above) at ICICI Towers Photo: Hilla Guzder

32 Parsiana February 2000

dinnerready! '"Mobility is not an issue for them, they will willinglytake up a transfer, be it as far away as Naida or Calcutta," he states. Contrastthis, he notes grimly, with the lack of competi­tiveness among the Parsisworking in

banks. "Even in my days

at Central Bank and Union Bank of India, I observed that Parsis would rarely competefor promotions," he enunci­ ates. A transfer from the Gowalia Tank branch to the Pedder Road branch would invite moans("but there is no direct bus to Pedder Road") while go­ ing from Grant Road to Andheri was like going to the moon or Mars!

In his own working life, 55-year-old Sinor names two individuals as beingparticularly impor­ tant "net contributors" to

his growth- P. F. Gutta,ex chairman of Union Bank and S. P. Talwar, now deputy governor of the ReserveBank of India. Gutta was a short man, he de­ scribes, but tall on courageand disci­ plinewhoworked 18hoursaday. Work­ ingas Gutta's secretaryfor a while changed his perception, says Sinor. Talwar gave him a new dimension on human values -thatit is not just how much you know but how you take the people along with you that is important. "I have few good words aboutthe Parsis of my generation. We have thrown up the least number of leaders or emi­ nent personalities, exceptpossibly in the professions," he maintains."We have lost 30 years (between the 1960s and 1990s) by grumbling that things were not happening the way we want. It has been a waste of a generation." In

complete contrast, he declares, were the Parsis of old who adventurously tra­ versed the routeto China or crossed the ocean to Zanzibar. Sinor pins his faith on today' s youngsters in the 13to 15age group, who are not easily overshad­ owed by their parents. "Parsi mothers should put their sons as early as possibleas far as possible," he quips. The genera­ tion of henpecked husbands will be, he hopes, a thing of the past!

In his own personal life, Sinor places his mother and his wife Nekcheher, whom he marriedin 1972, high on his list of "net contributors." It was his mother, who passedaway on January7, 2000 at the age of 92, who "pushed him out" ofBhavnagarto Bombay after Inter Commerce saying therewas no future in the smalltown with its Gujarati medium education, he relates. "Igo to the agiary every day, either morning or evening. That is my wife's contribution. She has played a tremendous role in my life," he acknowledges. Thecouple have no chil­dren. Being avid movie buffs,Sinor says he and Nekcheher love to watch films on the silverscreen, rather than on the idiot box. "Cricket is also a passion with me," he reveals, havingplayed the game in his youngerdays. He plans to take up golf "pretty seriously soon."

ForZoroastrians good times are com­ ing back, believes Sinor, with more and more youngsters, including school-go­ ing children, visitingagiaries, getting married at a younger age and having children earliertoo. "Parsis are highly individualistic," he opines and it is a

goodsign that they are looking at busi­ ness once again. "Butwhy do some Parsi organizations still function in the 'dharamshala style?'" he queries.The introduction of universal adult franchise in the community may result in a degree of politiking, he reasons, but at least it

continued on page38 ·

PROFESSIONS

COVER STORY

''Integrating with the rest of the world''

As the first Indian CEO, Zarir Cama aims to strengthen

HSBC's personal bankingdivision and build strong ties with customers

Hilla P. Guzder

A pair of majestic, seatedbronze lions guard its imposingportal. The distinc­ tive red and white HSBC hexagonlogo proclaims its presencein the heart of Bombay's Flora Fountainprecinct. "Working in India today is comparable to working overseas.That India is inte­ grating with the rest of the world is not justa story," states Zarir

J. Cama, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Hongkongand Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), who has spent a 50-50 ratio of his working life in India and overseas.

On October I, '99

Cama became the first In­ dian, and the first Zoro­ astrian,to head the Bank's operationsin its 132years in India (see "Banking on Cama,"Business, Par­

siana, October '99)."The difference

between being numbertwo (he was deputy CEO earlier) and number one is very significant in terms of responsibil­ ity. The CEO is entirelyresponsible to the HSBC Groupchairman for every­ thing that happens in India. That the singularresponsibility is yourscomes across very clearly!" he smiles. "Iam a decision-taking person,not bureaucratic, I believe in buildingstrong relation­ ships." Cama maintainsthat the biggest single driver of change in India has been advancesin communication. "Young people are not steeped in colonial hang­ ups, their perceptions and aspirations are different," he remarks, addingthat the average age of HSBC's employeeswould be the higher end of the 20s age­ group. Indians,he notes, are today the largest group of non- British staff world­ wide of HSBC and that, he believes,is testament to their abilities. Currently,HSBC' s CEO in the Asia/Pacific region is also an Indian-Aman Mehta.

34 Parsiana February 2000

As countryhead, Cama overseesa network of 26 branchesin nine cities. "We aim to claim a larger share of the customer's wallet, give our clients what they need," he declares, happy about the fact that HSBC has forayed energetically into retail (personal) banking. HSBC, popularly known as

Cama opening a personalbanking branch in Madras

HongkongBank in earlieryears, pro­ vides a range of banking services- 24-hour phone banking, AnyTime Money (at 67 Automated TellerMa­ chinesall over India),AssetVantage for highvaluecustomers, car loans, home loans, depository services, etc. Their credit card businesshas made India the third most importantcredit card center in Asia, after Hongkong and Taiwan,states the 1998annual reportand accounts of HSBC Hold­ ings pic (the parentcompany). "No, we are not downsizing our corporate presence. This is anaddition,nota shift," statesCama. As head alsoof HSBC Capital MarketsIndia Private Limited and HSBCSecurities India Holdings Private Limited, Cama aims to position his Bank among the lead­ ing foreign banks andfinancial ser­ vices providers in India. Mergers, he

asserts, are not of the highestpriority as foreign banks are precludedfrom takingover more than a 20 percent stake in Indian banks. "There is a deep pocket risk. The risk/return ratio isn't appropriate," he elaborates.

Founded in Hongkong and Shang­

hai in 1865 toserve the needsof the

merchants of the China coast, HongkongBank has been one of Asia'slead­ ing financial institutions since itsearly days.Far frombeingexclusively British, its firstprovi­ sional committee con­ tained, according to the Bank's printed history, American, German and Scandinavian merchants, Bombay-based David Sassoon and Company and two Parsi members representing Indiantrad­

ing houses! In Japan, where it opened its first branch in Yokohamain 1866, it acted as an adviserto the govern­ ment on banking and currency. In 1888 it was the first bank tobe estab­ lished in Thailand where it also printed the country's first bank notes. A Group entity, The ImperialBank of Persia whichobtained in . 1889 a banking concession from the Shah, issued bank notes there as well, butpolitical vicis­ situdes compelled the Bank to shut its officeinTehranin 1951. "We've been closed down in Indonesia, national­ ized in Burma, askedback into Indo­ nesia, forced out of Cambodia ..." Group chairmanSir John Bond is quoted in Select,(Issue 24), HSBC's personal finance magazinein Asia. In India, the Mercantile Bank (originally established as the Mercantile Bank of Bombay in 1853) was acquiredin the 1950s by HSBC, which gradually in­ tegrated its business under its own name. HSBCwas rated theworld's

strongest bank by The Bankermaga­ zine and the 'best bank in Asia' by Euromoney, statedBond in the Group's 1998 annual report.

In the present liberalized economic environment in India, Cama expresses disappointment that HSBC's position has slipped in the "BTBanks' Scoreboard" as researched by the fort­ nightly magazine Business To-

day (November 22-Decem­ ber 6, '99). For the year end­ ing March '99, though in­ come had increased toRs 954 crores, net profits at

Rs 53.76 crores had taken a fall from the previous year's Rs

72.73 crores, ac­ cording to their '98-' 99 annual report and ac­ counts of the In­ dia branches,

which also mentions that noted solici­ tor Rusi Sethna is the chairmanof the Indian Advisory Committee.In the past year, HSBC in India had invested substantially in the areas of property, technology and advertising to grow the Bank's business, explains Malini Thadani, manager, publicaffairs. With HSBC undertaking a global branding exercise, "greater profitability and creation of shareholder value" are among Cama's goals.

Born in Bombay in 1947, Cama schooled at St Paul's in Darjeeling. "My father, Col Jal Cama, was the first Parsi to join the army as a horse soldier in 1932," he relates. As his father's work necessitated transfers, after his boardingschool education Camajoined New Delhi's prestigious St Stephen's College from where he did his BA (Hon) in English. "Dei­ hites found the name Zarir rather uncommon, so they abbreviated it to Z, from whichit turned into Zed, which is what they still call me in HSBC," smiles thebanker.After

·graduation, Cama's desire to proceed to Oxford came to noughtas, in the restrictive socialist environment of the '60s, he could not obtain the re­ lease of the necessary foreignex­ changefrom the government. Though he had secured admission into the Indian Institute of Management at

Family portrait (l tor): Shelialla, Zarir, Yashan and Nyresa

37 Parsiana February 2000

Ahmedabad, soon thereafter came an offer from Citibank which he ac­ cepted, working there for about nine months. When he moved to the HSBC Group in 1968 he was, he says, among the first batch of Indians taken into the "covenanted (executive) cadre." After that his career kept unfolding

-two years training in London, chief

accountant of the Bankin India,as noteshis bio data. In 1982, for the first time, he says, two Indians were given a posting overseas, with Cama joining the Bank'sthenhead office in Hongkong.After an­

other two-yearstint in India, it was off to Saudi Arabia where he became deputy managing director of

the Saudi BritishBank Limited, a Group as­ sociate. The as­ signment in Saudi Arabia was chal­

lenging, he discloses, as was his last posting at the head officein London when, as senior executive, global banking services, HS BC Holdingspic, he reported direct!y to the Group's CEO. The HSBC Group, states their fact sheet, has 5,000 offices in 79 countries and territories, assets of US

$497 billion as on June 30, '99 and 20 million customers worldwide!The Bank'swebsite is www.hsbc.com.

Cam a's wifeShelialla (nee

Damania), 16-year-old daughter Nyresa and 13-year-old son Yashan

live in London where the childrenare schooling. "I am very proud of my community,"observes Cama. "We are knownwherever we go. India has treated us·wonderfully but we areget­ tingmarginalized because of our small numbers- 75,000 Parsis in a country of a billion people!" Migration is sad but inevitable, foresees Cama. In the next 50 years, Parsis will migrate to other countries leaving behind in In­ dia the coreligionists who are too old, too economically weak to move or those who do not wish to leave their wealth or propertybehind. "No, we will not die out. We will rejuvenate, grow and have a distinct identity, pos­ sibly inNorth America," he comments, clarifying that it is not only Parsis who are migrating. Youngpeople from other communities are doing it too, wishing to make theirlives where they feel they have a better chance.

Defining himself as a practising Zo­

roastrian, Cama says he values his sudreh-kusti, prays at least a short prayer everydayandvisitsthefire-temple twice a month or so. "Parsi children should be actively encouraged to speak Gujarati," he recommends, smilingly stating that thoughresident in England his children at least understand the lan­ guage! Though he would, of course, prefer marriages within the community itself, the happiness of a young inter­ marrying couple is to be considered, he believes. Thechoicebetween dokh­menashini or cremationshould be left to

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38 Parsiana February2000

the individual though it would be a pity, he observes,if the green belt of Doongerwadi were not to survive. Uni­ versal adult franchise is part of the modern world, so voting rights should be given to all Zoroastrians. "What are we afraid of?"he queries.

As one who has an esoteric tastein reading (fictionand non-fiction), Cama finds the cultural scene in Bombay "ac­ tive and dynamic" and enjoys all kinds of music and dance. Plans for later years include travel in Africa and Latin America which he says he has not really seen. "My big passion is the preserva­ tion of heritage," he reveals, personally involving himself in HSBC's avowed aims to conserve heritage. Among other causes, HSBC co-sponsors the Banganga Festival each year (when acclaimed mu­ sicians perform to raise funds for the restoration of the stone tank at Walkeshwar holding holy waters and the temples alongside). HSBC is also actively involved in supporting the Horniman Circle Association's aim of conservingthe buildings in one of the Fort's oldestprecincts. "I am content," says Cama, "in making a meaningful contribution through my work."

INDIA:"CENTER FOR. .."

continued from page32

will throw up younger leadership with new ideas.Navjoting of childrenof inter­ communitymarriages should be a case of individualliberty is his belief. Dokh­ menashini is a good principle, he says, as it means offering the body to the birds, an act of charityeven after one is dead and gone. "We will succeed in hanging on to this principle," he observes, though the maintenanceof doongerwadis may be­ come increasingly difficult.

Never having opted to leave the coun­ try of his birth, Sinor remarksthat he is "bullish on India." Smilingserenely he says, "We are comfortable in chaos! The Indian mind is better,so we wriggle out of our difficulties." India will emerge a cen­ ter for opportunities, he predicts, and there will be a "reversal trend" in five years' time, with manywho had emigratedopt­ ing to come back.

Forthe moment, Sinor is lookingto more challenges in the banking field, happy to be a part of progress. "Butafter retirement I will totally change my lifestyle. I have gained so much from society, I would like to giveback, contrib­ uting not just to the Parsi communitybut to society at large," he says.

A WORLD BODY ...

continued from page24

A majorchange is the unanimous agreement to locate the WCZF inBombay because in Mistry's words, "This government listens most to the concerns of the community." Endorsing the decision"on behalf of 20,000Zoro­ astrians of North America," Patel felt he was "truthful to the sentiments of his constituents." Thankingthe BPP for its hospitality, Sachinwala noted he was "happy about what we'veachieved," and looked forwardto "go aheadand do something ... work in harmony and good spirit."

"I am not willingto go with you," Dinshaw Tamboly toldthe regional rep­ resentatives who had been commenda­ tory of his role in the WZO."Good luck to you, but I won't be a part of it."

In alast ditch attemptto avert the crisis Engineerintroduced a new resolu­ tion which noted:

•"resolved that the regionsother than those who have already supported and agreed with the final draft charterof the restructured WZO dated October 1999 after carefullyreviewing it sectionby section and having discussed some is­ sues with WZO delegatespresent at the meeting, forwardthe said issues and remainingissues to WZO for further negotiations and iteration through those regions;" and

•"resolved that in the interim, as a pre­ lude to the formation of a Councilof Federations composedof federations and associations as members of the restruc­ tured WZO and which will be an inte­ gral part of that institution, informal networking among those regionsbe com­ menced in order to agree on the details of that Council's organization and op­ erationswithin the said institution based on the October 1999 final draft of its charter which has already been sup-' ported and found acceptable by many regions."

Engineer's proposal was rejected. Ad­ vised Gandhi,"Our proposal is not ac­ ceptable to the WZO representatives; their proposal is not acceptable to us. Put both on record."

AsGuzder concluded, "There are fundamental and basic differences of opinion but we're not fighting with eachother. In time these differences in views will be reconciled with Ahura Mazda's blessings. We have acceptedeach other's viewpointeven though we haven't signed a commondocument."

PROFESSIONS

COVER STORY

"Value equations are changing"

TimesBank managing directorNani Javeri believesthere is no longer a big gap in servicestandards between foreignand Indian banks

Hilla P. Guzder

"I love fresh challenges. Work is great fun- I enjoy my job," states Nani B. Javeri who joined TimesBankLimited as managingdirector (MD) in Novem­ ber '98. Tall, hair and mustacheflecked with grey, Javeri'srobust

complexion bespeaks his sojourn in foreignclimes. "After a 32-year career with ANZ GrindlaysBank, II of which were spent abroad, I joined Times­ Bank to take on the chal­

lenge of buildinga young company," he explains.Following the merger (sub­ sequentto the Parsiana in­

terview) of TimesBank with HDFC

Bank, Javeri will leave TimesBankand take on a new assignment.

"ANZ was my organization for three decades and with postings as far apartas London and Melbourne, the experience of living and working in different cul­ tures has been invaluable. As Indians we are second to none, particularly in terms of volume of work and education," Javeri asserts.Higher education is at a discount in many countrieswith young people joining the workforce soon after their '0' levels, he remarks.The commit­ ment to learningis improving however,he has observed, with a marked change between 1990-98in Australia. "I'mhap­ piest in India," he adds with a smile!

One of the new generation private

sector banks,TimesBank started op­ erations in 1995, with Javeritaking over in '98 from N. G. Pillai, the Bank'sfirstMD. "Wehavetakenquite a few stridesin the past one year," he says.TimesBank was the first Indian bank to introducethe debit (Access) card which is like "your savings ac­ count in your wallet," elaborates Javeri. Accepted at department stores,

At his daughter's wedding (I tor): Amith, Shirin, Laila and Nani

40 Parsiana February 2000

restaurants, petrol pumps, etc, the cardholder's bank accountis auto­ matically debited when the card is used. "The debitcard is used for typi­ cally small valueitems instead of pay­

ing cash. There is no in­

terestcost and so it is a completely separate prod­ uct from a credit card," he observes. The card can be used at shopsand estab­ lishments displaying the Maestro logo, as well as at non TimesBank ATMs (Automated Teller Ma­ chines) sporting the Cir­ rus logo, according to

TimesBank's publicity leaflet.

TimesBank was also the first to intro­

duce ATMs at the airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore, with Bombay and Delhi on the anvil as well, informs Javeri."We have promotedthe latest technology and the best in world practices, at a price considerably less than foreignbanks," he asserts."Value equations are chang­ ing. Individuals are asking why they should pay more (for the same service).With 39 branches all over the country,and43 on site/offsiteATMs, TimesBank had 1,80,000 clients within three years of its establishment, according to its

website (www.timesbank.com). Record­ ing a net profitfor the year 1998-99 of Rs 27.06 crore, the net profit for the first nine months of the currentfinancial year had already jumped to Rs 27.87 crore, according to The Economic Times,Janu­ ary 14, 2000. "But more important than profits is profitability," assertsJaveri. "It is quality that counts, not quantity, marginsnot volumes."

TimesBank was promoted by The

Timesoflndia Group, the largest pub­ lishing house in the country with a combined readership for its newspa­ pers and periodicals of over 15 mil­ lion, states its website. The Group's interests also spreadacross music, tele­ vision, radio and the Internet,with its portal site www .indiatimes.com be­ ing among India's most popular sites. With the Jain family of Bennett, Coleman and CompanyLimited, the Group's flagship company,having been major shareholders in the Punjab National Bank before it was national­ ized, the family had a long associa­ tion -with the banking industry.

Javeri took his first steps up the banking management ladder when as a lad of 20 he joined Nationaland Grindlays Bank (as ANZ Grindlays was thenknown)as a management

trainee in 1966. It was his first expe­ rience of Bombaylife, being born in Kanpur in1946 and educated first at the elite Doon School in Dehra Dun and then at Delhi's St Stephen's Col­ lege from where he did his BA (Hon) with historyand economics. His fa­ ther Behram servedin the army on a short commission,lookedafterthe family business in Kanpur whichin­ cludedowning and managingcinema hallswhich were later sold, and sub­ sequently worked with the StateTrad­ ing CorporationinDelhiandother government organizations in various capacities. With a long familypres­ ence in Kanpur, the Javeris had set up theSeth Behramji NavrojiJaveri Daremeher consecrated on March 21, 1930 which was handed over by the family to the anjuman in the1970s. With the number of Pars is in the town dwindling steadily, the family had sug­ gested that the agiary lands be sold as they were in a prime commercial area and a corpus created. But the local Parsis turned down the suggestion, laments Javeri."We Indians have a unique way of shooting ourselves in the foot," he quips. About seven years

ago he paid a nostalgicvisit to Kanpur after a gap of almost 25 years. Though "not the most livable of places," parts ofKanpur are still nice, he opines, but there are very few Parsisremaining.

Laughingly Javeri states that Parsis in India have been at two ends of the scale! There are the "hugely patriotic peoplewho have contributed a hell of a lot to this country" and there are those to whom "everything about the country is bad." Out of every 100, not more than five will be doers, the other 95just quarrel!"This disturbs me,"he comments, as does the "politiking in trusts."

Religious laws and beliefsoriginat­ ing in the eighthcentury cannot apply, he says, in the 21st century."Many laws have outlived their utility, clearlythere is need for change," he remarks. Whether it be a questionof dokhmenashini, or intermarriage or the navjotingof the children of such unions, it is a question of individualchoice, he maintains. "Let us discussrather than be told what to do. Logic is important. Todayeven my young staff at work will not accept any­ thing without a logical explanation." Though a believerinthe faith,Javeri

says he is "not well versed" in religious matters. "My wife Shirin makes up for it," he adds. Thecouple have one daugh­ter, Laila, who is in London following her marriagein November '99 to fellow Bombay management student Amith Karan.

A keen sportsmanin his student days.

havingplayed billiards, squash,cricket, football, etc, Javeri jests that he is now an armchairsportsman and critic! "I love country music," he says and a re­ cent "very interesting" pastime is surf­ ing the Net.

Commending Indian democracy for

having survived for half a century,Javeri notes that Winston Churchillhad pre­ dicted that in a few years' time the country would break up. "Wewere 420 million at the time of independence; we are a billion now. Indians have the will to move faster. Unfortunately econom­ ics is ruled by politics. But you can't hold down such a talentedgroup of people and the resources the country has,"he declares. "Youhave to provoke people to change, to motivate them to make their own karma. I, for one, am committedto the country. We will ulti­ mately find our way!"

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Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, RhSne-Poulenc House, S. K. Ahire Marg, P. 0. Box 9138, Mumbai- 400 025. Tel: 022-4936765, Fax: 022-495 0516.

42 Parsiana February2000

HISTORY

Treasured on the Island- 6

Feeling the pulse

Many Zoroastrian professionals, particularly in the medical field, left an indelible imprint

After being shipwrecked in the turbu­ lent waters of the Indian Ocean a hand­ ful of Parsis landed in Ceylon in the early 17th century. In the 18th century, some adventurous Parsis had sought to establish themselves on this beautiful island as plantersand shopkeepers. By the 19th century the community was so well respected that on the formation of the CeylonChamber of Commercein 1839, Hormusjee Espandiarjee and Shapoorjie Hirji were the only two non­ English members invited thereon.

At the turn of the 20th century Zoro­

astrians in Ceylonnumbered less than a hundred, reaching their peak ofover 350 prior to World War II. Then fol­ lowed the exodus and today around60 Zoroastrians remainin Sri Lanka (see "TheZoroastrians of Serendip," Par­ siana, January 1999).

Starting with the July-August 1999 issue,Parsiana has been chronicling the achievements of prominent Sri LankanZoroastriansof the 19th and the 20th century. Theseare edited excerpts from Behram Kaikhushroo Billimoria's his­ torical compilation, The Parsees in Ceylon, culled from the memoirs of Framroze Rustomjee and K. D. Choksy. Written about nine years ago, factually there may be a changeof circumstances for some of the individuals mentioned herein although we have imposedon Sri Lanka's respected legallight Kairshasp Choksy' s timeto check the episodes for accuracy.

• Many outstanding Parsishave their

roots in Ceylon. Professional, business

;md/0r f<1mily commitments may have pcr uadccl them to settle in other lands. nut their Clccomplishments arc fondly recalled in the final episode of this trea­ tise on Sri LankanZoroastrians.

In the course of this and earlierinstalments several individuals have been named for the successful conduct

43 Parsiana February2000

of their pursuitsin Ceylon. There have in addition been other meritorious achievers who having roots in Sri Lanka have been cited in Behram Billimoria's compilation and are henceworthy of mention here.

Among the professions where many

Zoroastrians have shone is the fieldof medicine. Dr Pilloo FramrozeRustom­ jee, considered a prodigy in medical work, was instrumental in organizingand running the accident service of the General Hospitalof Colombo. Being shunted by the government from one station to another,he opted to make his homein Australia.

One of the first four Ceylonese to be made a Distinguished Citizen by the thenPrime Minister D. S. Senanayake in 1948 was Dr JamshedDadabhoy Nusserwanjee who was a popular physi­ cian and surgeon. A senior eye surgeon of the Government Eye Hospitalin Co­ lombo, the largestin Ceylon, Nusserwanjee had also been conferred a Coronation Medal in 1953. Yet another eminent eye surgeon was Dr Dhanjishah Pirosha Billimoria who commanded an extensive practice.His nephew Dr Russi Billimoria also made a name for himself as an eye surgeon and conducted a free eye clinic once a week in Wellawatte and Dehiwela.

A senior ENT surgeon at the General Hospital in Colombo was Dr Rusi Cawasjee Rustomjee.He was a member of the CeylonMedical Corps and was mobilized during World War II.

Thecredit for eradicating malaria from the island goes to Dr Kursetjee (Baba) Jamshedji Rustomjeewho was appointed malariologist when he was in government service.Thereafter he was involved in the treatmentof cancer pa­ tients and establishing the Cancer Soci­ ety.

After winning a gold medal in sur­ gery Dr SarahNadirshah Ruttonjee went

to the UK for further studies and finally started her practice as a psychiatrist in the USA.

Yet another popularphysician was

Dr Dinshaw BhicajiGandevia who came toCeylon in 1915 in the midst of the Sinhala-Muslim riots. With his cheerful disposition and healing touch he re­ mained in Ceylon for 40 years until his retirement when he returnedto Bombay.

The president of the Sri Lanka Radi­ ologists Association was Dr Minocher (Mino) Nusserwanjee Jilla who hadear­ lier servedthe Ceylon Army Medical Corps as a commissioned officer,stud­ ied radiologyin England and on his return took charge of the newly formed radiologyunit of the Ceylon Army.

Seven of Jilla's eightbrothers were directly or indirectlyrecruited for gov­

ernment service:Jamshed (Jimmy) worked in the harbor as afloat superin­tendent, Dadabhoy (Dady) was a lieu­ tenant colonel in the Army, Savak was

with the Garrison Artillery during World

War II, Faredoon(Freddy) was superin­tendent of police,Nariman and Kershasp joined the Navy, Homi joined the civil aviationdepartment and was comman­ dant of the Ratmalana Airport.

Among those who had served the government in the field of law were the compiler of this treatise Behram Kaikhushroo Billimoria who was se­ lected as the first crown proctor perma­ nently attached to the attorney general'soffice, and Homi Rustomjee and Noshir Rustomjee (brothers of ENT surgeon Rusi Rustomjee) both of whom quali­ fied as proctors of the Supreme Court of Ceylon. When the renowned science fiction writerArthur C. Clarke discov­ ered some treasure trove in the south of Ceylon, the government tried to claim it but Homi Rustomjeegave an opinion which was finally acceptedby the gov- ernment.

continued on page56

SPORTS

Wadia's winningways Swimming in the elevatedenvirons of Kathmanduinthe tinyHimalayan kingdom ofNepal,16-year-old Bombay girl Zeba Wadi a clinched th gold medal in the I 00 meters (m) breaststroke for women in a recordtime of 1 minute (min) 19.09 seconds (sec), sinking in the process the record set by Ceylonese swimmer Deepika Chun­

mugham in 1991. Keeping up her quest for gold at the Eighth SouthAsian Fede­ ration (SAF) Games in Kathmanduin September/ October '99, Wadia stop­ ped the clock in the 200 m breaststroke as well, with a new meet record of 2 min

50.95 sec.A third goldcame her way in the 4x 100 m freestyle relay,with the Indian girls eclipsing in 4

min 16.36 sec the old record set by Indian swimmers in 1984, according to press reports.

"We had trained very hard at the Bangalorecamp before the SAF Games. Our coacheswere expecting results,so I was a littlenervous and concerned about my timings," states Wadia. "Thewhole team had to be at the pool every day, whether our event was scheduled for that day or not, so there was not much time for anything else like sightseeing, etc. An international meet gives you a differentkind of exposure and so is definitelybetter than national tourna­ ments." Just prior to the SAF Games, which saw the participation of swimmers from Sri Lanka, Pakistan,Bangladesh and Nepal, Wadia had swum in the Asia Pacific meet in Delhi, pocketingtwo bronze medals in the 4x 100m freestyle and medley relays as part of the Indian squad, but an individual medal had eluded her.

Going for gold again in the 54th National Aquatic Championships inBombay in December '99, Wadia outclassedthe competition with two new meet records. In the 100m breaststroke, she poweredahead to sinkthe old mark with her fastest timingof l min 18 sec. She grabbed a gold in the 200 m breaststroke as well,though she failedto better the existing record. "The waterin the Andheri SportsComplex pool was

heavy (due tothechlorine and chemicals)," she explains, and there was

44 Pars/ana February2000

no other record in the women's events, Wadia being the only one to break two records.Therewerenoelectronic touchpads, some swimmerssuffered cuts due to cracks in the tiles and there were no screamingspectators, particularly on the first two days, to get the adrenalineflowing, she recounts. "There are not many peopleinterested in the sport in

Waclia: seekinR international exposure

Bombay," notes Wadia,adding with a laugh that the nationals, plagued by problems,had first been postponed from October to December, the venue shifted from Poona to Bombay and swimmers who had come from all over Indiawere not sure even till the last day whetherthe competition would take off at all! "But once it started,things went smoothly.Rules were enforcedmore strictly than they had been earlier.The first false start meant disqualification, so the swimmerswere taking no chances!" she narrates.

Inthe 50m breaststroke, Wadi a flirted with her own record set two years ago at the nationals by breaking it twice on the same day- first in the heats (37.30 sec) and again in the final(37.12). Garnering more medals(silver and bronze)in other events, Wadia had the distinction of standing second,behind overall women's champion Richa Mishra (Police).With Maharashtra women suffering a virtual drought for many years, Wadia is the only femaleswimmer from the stateto win at the seniornational level since the days of Maharashtra champions Anita Soodand Persis Mad on over a decade ago, accordingto swim­ ming sources.

"Swimming in Karnataka is much better, as they put a lot more into the

sport there," observes Wadia, with both coaches and competitors being more

dedicated than they are in Wadia'shome state. Though she had a coach earlier,currently Wadia trains on her own, without the servicesof a regular coach. Facilitiesprovided at competitions are often poor,she comments, with parti­ cipants having to share beds (sometimes there are no beds at all, onlymattresses!), food supplements not given, etc. For the SAFGamesand the Bangalore

training camp before the event, the Indian government bore the expenses, explains Wadia. She would loveto train abroad, she says, but finding sponsors is very difficult.

Presently, the FYJC (First

Year Junior College)student at N. M. Collegeat Vile Parle plans to concentrate on academics. "There are new subjects in thecommerce stream whichrequiremy

attention." she declaresand there are no big swimming competitions coming up in the near future.

Striking silver

''At Okinawa,I missed gold by a fraction

of a point.The Japanese girl who stood first scored just 0.04 more than I did," says 19-year-old karatekaJasmin Amal­ sadvala.Thejudging at the FirstOkinawa Traditional Karate-Do and Kobudo World Tournament in August '99 was on the Olympicstyle, with the highest and lowest scores of the five to seven judges (depending on the event) being discarded and the average then taken, she explains.

Keeping her nervein the huge indoor stadiumwhich seats over20,000spectators, Amalsadvala competed against 14 opponents. from all over the world in the kata (seriesof actions in a· dance form), she says,toclinchthe silver medal in the girls' age groupof 15 to 19 years."Jasmin really surprisedus all by the level of her performance," remarks Sensei Pervez Mistry,chief instructorof the 35-year-old Academy of Martial Arts (AMA), India, which is affiliated to the International Okinawan

Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation. Mistry led the Indian team of 19 competitors, most of whom were from Bombay. "Jasmin did not buckleat all, she performs wellunder stress," statesMistry who is an inter-national referee. The AMA is a founding member of the

Maharashtra Karate-Do Associ-ation and the All

"Kata involves min­ uteattentiontodetail,

Committee. "Karate is not a weapon, it's a self-defence, a discipline involving

India

Federation.

Karate-Do

including body posture,

etc and as we had gone

self-control,"muses the Jai Hind College

student, who is in the first year

After the compet­

ition, Amalsadvala went

on to obtain her second degree blackbeltby passingthetheoryand practical examination in Okinawa. statesher proud father, Homi, himself a fourth degree black belt who has visitedJapan five times, representing India once at a tournamentin Tokyo. Homi isjoint vice principal of the AMA with Burge Cooper who is the president of the All India Karate-Do Federation and on the

international panelof;\malsadvala: aimingfor

referees and judgeswho Olympics

frame rules and

for the tournament a few days earlier, the Jap­

anese instructors put in a lot of effort over us­ they were willing to

makeus do the same thing I 00 times to get it right!" remarks Jasmin. Expensesfor the trip had to he borne by the competitors themselves, says Homi who was the team manager, adding that Jasmin received a sponsorship from the Sir Dorab Tata Trust.

On the currentand long-term agenda is Jasmin'straining for the Olympics in 2004 in the women's open category.

(commerce) of junior college.She says

she is notafraid of being hurt or injured

during training or competition. "Iam not holding myself back at all," she comments. A keen runner during her school days, Jasmin says she is "not too sure if this (karate)will be her career," but she certainlywould like it to be a standby career where she could both teach and learn.

Having developed her likingfor karate through her father,Jasmin states that her mother Khorshed too has been most supportive.Of her two siblings. the eldest Armin, now marriedand amother, evinced no interest in karate at all. while brother Sam, who is currently on board ship, obtained his brown belt before movingon to body-building! "I feel great about Jasmin's performance," says Homi who has trainedwith Mistry since 1969. Homi

regulations. Cooperiscommercial

manager, marketing services, Air India, whose son Jehangir stood ninth in the boys' ( 16-19 years) kata event at the meet.

"I train very seriously, both morning

and eveningfor about five hours daily," she asserts, as karate has very recently been accorded approval as an Olympic sport by the InternationalOlympic

takes karate classes at the Bombay

International and New Activity Schools and at The ByramjeeJeejeebhoy Parsec CharitableInstitution where theirmain

continued on page 50

For Pure Diamonds I

1ItGWIWU

JEWELLERS

324, Grant Road, Bombay 400007.Telephone 3099648 Fax 3073483

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45 Parsiana February2000

READERS' FORUM

continued from page 14

Godiwalla's favorite color. So now Godiwallaruns two hotelsin Udvada, the Globe and the Majestic.

During the Christmas holidays last year, a group of 30 people from Ger­ many and Switzerland stayed at Hotel Majestic for two weeks in order to par­ ticipate in a residential course organized by my sisterDilnawaz and me. Godiwalla extended his full cooperation, from per­ sonally choosing an appropriate menu toarranging the get-together for the turn of the millennium which we celebrated there. This course for the foreigners offered a glimpse into the rich and di­ verse life and culture of India in general and Gujarat in particular. ABAN BANA

Funds for Frohar Films Frohar Films are making an educational program fortelevision on Zoroastrian religionand culture aired by DD2 Metro Channel every Sunday at 12.30 p.m. So far 15 episodes have been telecastand the viewers' response is very good. The serial will be initially presented in 19 episodes by eminentpriestsandreli­ gious scholars and we are planning to complete 52 episodes.

To make the serial more interesting,

An excellent person

Lady from Bombay,senior executive in Gulf country, hospitality industry,for 14 years. Wishes to meet Parsi gentlemen around 45 years old, widowers/ divorcees included,interested

in marriage. Thosewith children, even more welcome. Her family is in Bombay, though lady wishes to settle anywhereelse. Was married for a short period, which is now history. No children. Personally, good looking, well schooled, spends time at gym and swimming.

She will be able to meet personally at Bombay or other places aroundthe globe.

Write to: Hilbur Daruvala

17 Colaba Chambers

Bombay 400005, India

E-mail: zoroastrian@cmpmail.com

Letters will be forwarded or

we are including interviews and discus­ sions by eminent global personalities from the community, performances and enactmentof Parsi cui ture and incidents by well-known theaterartists, kirtankars, music directorsand singers.

Sincethis is a pioneering projectand will cover all the aspects of Zoroastrian­ ism, it will educate the lay public in the salient features of the religion. It will also be an invaluable educational tool for the children of our community.

The Channel is not payingthe pro­ duction cost of the program.We have to bear the entirecost through voluntary donations and sponsorships. We have started the project with initial donations of around Rs 1, 10,000from individuals, well-wishers and trusts. Up to now we have been able to collectRs 4,70,000.

(!tu•-..,) -.J u) ·

u) m•) t )

............ ........IIIIi

We are spendingnearly Rs 40,000 per episode, including telecasting fees to Doordarshan.

We are thereforedependent on gen­

erous donations/sponsorships from phil­ anthropicorganizations to continuethe project. Your assistance in monetary terms will be highlyappreciated in our endeavor to project our religion to a wider audience. For further inquiriesplease contact the undersigned on 4126185 or write to Frohar Films, P. 0. Box 4112, Bombay 400007, Tel: 3895952. SILLOO P. MAHA VA

Production-in-charge, Frohar Films

Prophet's portraits

With a ferventdesiretofinancethe

navjote of poor Zoroastrian children in the remote villagesand towns ofGujarat

in size.

Having printed 2,200copies I have

sold some at Rs 25 each and collected an amount of nearly Rs 9,000.

Through the good offices.of promi­ nent social worker Rati Peshotan Peer I was able to sell quite a few pictures. She had also distributed them to childrenwinning prizes in prayer and elocution competitions.

I expect to collect Rs 55,000 from the

saleof 2,200 pictures. All Zarathoshti mandals, societies or associations who could contributetheir mite for this wor­ thy cause may contactme at 1, Disney House, Ground Floor,Near Navyug College, Rander Road, Surat 395009.

JAL D. COOPER

Surat

Whither, Parsiana?

Since July 1992,I regularly read

Parsiana here in London to keep in touch with the news of my community.

No doubt ourZarathushti community is dwindling, yet, by the grace of Ahura Mazda, they have now spread and settled happily practically in all the four cornersof the world, and Parsiana serves as a

vitalcommunication link betweenthem. In the absence of such a good magazine, our community would be unawareof the activities and developments taking place around the globe.

We do not have a Zarathushti or Parsi broadcasting station like the otherworld communities have, but at least we could proudly say that we do have Parsiana­ a magazinewhich provides us with the news and views of the Zarathushti people all over the world.

Itis very essential for the Zarathushti communityto have a well organizedcommunication network so that, Ahura Mazda forbid, in the event of political trouble or naturalcalamity the voice of our Zarathushti peoplecould be hearq loudly and clearly. F. J. PAJNIGAR

London, UK

Maywisdom dawn

In the newmillennium,mayAhura

Mazda bless all membersof the world­ wide Zarathushti community, individu­ ally and collectively, with:

Serenity to accept the things they cannot

change I Courage to change the things they can; and I Wisdomto know the difference. DINSHA WJOSHI

Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA

appointments set up.

and elsewhere I am sellingbeautiful

pictures of our Lord Zoroaster, 7.6" x 8"

Edited by Parinaz M. Gandhi

46 Parsiana February 2000

BOOKS

Theglory of theGathas

Dina G. Mcintyre

inequity and imperfection, the goal being to transformit and bring it to perfection,that is, in consonance with Truth, by the comprehending power of the good mind. Such a perfecting world would progres­ sively bring satisfaction to all the good

The Gathas, The Hymns of Zarathushtra, translated by D. J. Irani. Edited with an intro­ duction by K. D. Irani. Forwardby Rabin­ dranath Tagore.Reprinted in 1999 by The K.

R. Cama OrientalInstitute,136,Bombay Samachar Marg, Opposite LionGate, Fort,

Bombay 400023. Pp: 94. Price: Rs 65

(for sale in Indiaand Pakistan only).

Dinshaw J. Irani, a prac­ ticing lawyerand friend of both Poure Daoud and Rabindranath Tagore, had a lifelong love affair with the Gathas,a love inher­ ited by his son, Prof Kaikhosrov D. Irani. Dinshaw Irani trans­ lated portions of the Gathas many years ago.

He hopedtopublisha complete translation,but departed this life beforedo­ ing so. His dream has been

turned into reality by his son, Prof

Irani, a formidable authority himself on the messageof the Gathas. Prof Irani, edited and published his father's com­ pleted manuscript, giving us a gem of less than I 00 pages.

This book containsthe original for­ ward by Tagore who had studiedDin­ shawIrani's translation. Tagore reminds us that "So long as man deals with his Godas the dispenser of benefitsto the worshipper. .. he tries to keep him for... the tribe to which he belongs. But di­ rectly the moral or spiritual natureof God is apprehended ... then the idea of God ...transcends limitations of race and gathers togetherall human beingswithin onespiritual circle of union. Zarathushtra was the first prophet who emancipated religion from the exclusivenarrowness of the tribal God ... and offeredit to the universal man. (He) said, when enlight­ enment came to him: 'Verily I believe Thee, 0 Ahura Mazda, to be the su­ preme benevolent providence, when Srosh came to me with the good mind, when first I receivedand became wise with Thy words! And though the task be

48 Parsiana February 2000

difficult, though woe may come to me, I shall proclaim to all mankindThy message, which Thou declarest to be the best (Yasna 44.10, pg 9)."'

Tagorewas also moved toquote the following verse:"When I conceivedof Thee,0 Mazda, as the very first

and the last, as the most ador­ able one, as the father of good thought,as the cre­ atorof truth and right,

as the lord judge of our actionsin life. then I made a place for Thee in my very eyes (Yasna 31.4)." (The editedversions are slightly differ­ ent).

An introduction by Prof Irani follows the forward, in which he briefly discusses: What are the Gathas?The Con­

tent of the Gathas, The The­

ologyof the Gathas, The Non- Theological Contentof the Gathas, Notes on Gathic Terms and Theological Concepts. And in a Synopsisofthe Gathashe gives us his bird' s eye view of

each of the 17 chapters.

Prof Irani explainsthat the type of religion preachedby Zarathushtra is "a fusion of a view of the world and a way of life offered tothe prospective be­ liever to be adoptedupon clue reflection as worthyof acceptance (pg 15)." He seesAsha as "the ultimate Truth ... the idealform of existenceof the world as envisioned by Ahura Mazda ... Actingin accordance with Truth is the right thing to do, hence Asha is also translated as Righteousness (pg 15)."

The "Good Mind, Vohu Mana, in it­ self a divine creation... enables us to grasp Asha, the ideal Truth ... (pg 16)" Spcnta Armaiti, "another aspect of divinity... in­ clines us to move from the right concep­ tions to right actions... Here we can crys­ tallize the oft-repeated trilogyof Zoroas­ trianism:good thoughts, good words, and good deeds (pg 16)." Proflrani concludes by saying: "Thefocus ofGathic teachingis one of a world afflicted with suffering,

creation ... This achievement depends on

enlightened human thinkingand right­ minded human resolve. These are the religious goals according to the Gathas, and bringingthem about, the command­ ment of Ahura Mazda (pg 17)."

Prof Irani has chosen to number the chapters of the Gathas consecutively within each Catha (as did Irach Taraporewala), instead of using the tra­ ditional Yasnanumbering; but he has also includedthe Yasna numberingfor convenient reference. Like Tarapore­ wala, he believes the Gathas should start with Yasna 29, rather than with Yasna 28.

In summarizing Ahunavaiti 6 (Yasna

33) Proflrani states:"There are several verses of venerative prayerin this Ha, but the last verse is a particularly strik­ ing one. For there he (Zarathushtra) of­ fers the breath of his life, his good thoughts and good work as if they were sacrificial offeringsto Ahura Mazda. What a contrastfrom traditional prac­ tice (pg 22) !"

In summarizing Ahunavaiti 7 (Yasna

34), where Zarathushtra asks Ahura Mazda about the proper form of wor­ ship, Prof Irani remindsus that in the Gathas,"The essential form of worship is...the life of good thought, word and deed (pg 22)." In discussing Ushtavaiti

2 (Yasna 44), he says Zarathushtra "seems to be suggesting that social ame­ lioration through righteousness is the highest form of veneration (pg 22)."

The translation by D. Irani (as edited

by his son),follows. This is not a literaf translation. Rather, this lawyer, scholar and devotedZarathushti seeks to con­ vey the meaningand beauty of Zara­ thushtra's thoughtas he understood it. The objective,I think, was to give areader who was not interested in delving into the multi-dimensional layers of Zarathushtra's thinking,a version of the Gathas that expressed Zarathushtra's vision in language the reader couldre­late to. In this objective, I think D. Irani has succeeded, as these examples show: "0 Ahura Mazda, and 0Spirit of Truth and Rightl...grant me and my fol­ lowers such authority and power through

Truth,ffhat with the good mind, we may bring the world peace and happiness,/Of which Thou, 0Lord, art indeed the first possessor (Ahunavaitii.I 0, Yasna 29)." "Somay we be like those making the world progress toward perfection;/May Mazda and the divinespirits help us and guide our effortsthrough Truth;/For a thinkingmaniswherewisdomisat

home (Ahunavaiti 3.9, Yasna 30)." "The faith that is the best for all that

are.../And which has for itsintelligent aspiration realization of Thee,0 Mazda (Ushtavaiti 2.10 Yasna 44)!"

"Grant me Thy gracious help,as a friend might give to a friend./Grant me, through Truth, the acquisition of the riches of the good mind (Ushtavaiti 4.2, Yasna 46)."

"When shall good men come to under­ stand and spread Thy wisdom,0 Maz­ da?... (Spenta Mainyu 2.10, Yasna 48)"

"Accordingto Thy Faith, 0 Mazda, the choiceof Righteousness is its own

vindication,ffhe choice of evil, its own undoing ... (Spenta Mainyu 3.3, Yasna 49)"

"All these questionsdo we ask,ffhat receiving guidancefrom Truth, we may work for the welfare of creation ... (Vohu­ Khshathra, verse 5, Yasna 51)"

And Zarathushtra's adviceto brides

andgrooms: "Let each cherish the other with Righteousness.ffhen surely there­ ward of a happy life shall be yours (Vahishto-lshti verse 5, Yasna 53)."

Andfinally, like a clarion call, this verse from the Spenta Mainyu Catha:

"With Truth movingmy heart,/With best thought inspiringmy mind,/With all

the might of spiritualforce within me,/1 venerate Thee, 0 Mazda, with songs of Thy praise!/And at the last, when I shall stand at Thy gate/1 shall hear the echo of my prayers from Thy abode of songs (Spenta Mainyu4.4, Yasna 50)."

One can only hope that it will be a long time before Prof Iraniis called to stand at Ahura Mazda'sgate. He has, over the past 50 years, been the quintes­sential and beloved teacher of our com­ munity, spreading Zarathushtra' s word all over the planetfrom community gath­ erings to great universities, with his in­ imitable style, humor, humanity and ra­ tional thought.Now he brings us this translation of the Gathas, which com­ bines in layman's languagethe poetry and inspiration of the father,with the thoughtful insight of the son, both truly

SPORTS

continued from page 45

dojo (school) is situated. Homi works with Creative OutdoorDevelopment Education PrivateLimited (of the Magnum group), managing boy scout and girl guide outdoor trips, etc. "I like travellingtoo," comments Jasmin,"but most of it is throughmy karate."

Pourushasp's punch

Also garnering laurels at the Okinawa

competition was 11-year-old Pourushasp

Mehtawho stood fourthin the junior kata event for boys under 12years. "This was my first international experience of a kata competition," states Mehta. "Thestandard was much higher, but we had been so well trainedI found it easy to cope." InOkinawa for seven days of competition and training, Mehta says the environment, the roads, etc were so

Mehta: first international competition

very clean and the peoplefriendly despite the language barrier.

Training since 1994 under Shandai Neville Mistry at the Fellowship School Dojo at GowaliaTank, Mehta says he finds karate "damn interesting and enjoyable."Commends Pervez Mistry, "Pourushasp is a very conscientious student. He is also greatfun to be with, he can sometimes have you rolling on

Pervez Mistryremarks that Pourushasp has the added advantage of "massive support from his family," with his parents Farrokh and Roxanahaving "equal aspirations" for their son in the sports and academicarenas - a change, he notes, from the usual run of parentswho believe that studiesare the be all and end all of the child'swonder years!

"We had to raise our own funds for this trip," statesFarrokh, gratefully acknowledging the supportreceived fromthe Alamai TalatiTrust, the Sir Dorab Tata Trust,P. F. Davar Trust, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet, etc. The Young Zoroastrian Society, which is theparent body of the 16th East Bombay Bharat Scout Group and the 71st East Bombay Guide Group (to which Mehta and Jasmin Amalsadvala belong) honored their two achieverswith a monetary reward.

Pourushasp received his sho-dan (first

degreeblack belt) in the Goju-Ryustyle in August '99, just prior to the competition after one and a half months of rigorous training. Narrates Farrokh, "Thereis a written exam for one and a half hours, where the studentis tested on the historyof the karate movement in Japan and India, followed next day by a three-hour nonstop practical exam involving katas as well as basic movements such as kicking,boxing, punching, variouspushups and squats, etc done I 00 times without stopping, and all this on a tiled floor." Presently a seventh standardstudent at StMary's School (ISC), Mazagaon, Pourushaspsharpened his interestin karate in '96 when the world chief instructor (of the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation) came to Bombay and conducted a training program at the University Stadium'sindoor tennis courts. "Currently he. trains for one and a halfto two hours thrice a week," asserts the father who runs a stationery and printing business.Daughter Zeenia who is a First Year Junior Collegestudent at Lala LajpatraiCollege, evinces no inte­ rest in learningkarate. Pips in Pouru­ shasp, "There are many bad people in Bombay and it is good to know how to defend yourself. The exercise is also good for health." The experience of living in tents at camps of the Zoroastrian scout group, cookingone's own food, etc is another experience Pourushasp enjoys immensely, he says.

deserving Zarathushtra's accolade -

the floor with his one-liners!" Predicting

world healer.

50Parsiana February 2000

a great future for the young karateka,

Compiled by Hilla P. Guzder

MILESTONES

Theage ofZoroastrian brides(as sac), viral encephalitis (inflam- data from areas where the anju- December 11

listed in this issue)ranged be- mation ofthebrain), urinary tract mans do not furnish the particu- Hutokshi Adi Mehta and

tween 20 and 39 years, the arith- infection, liver disease, Non- Iars; the birth figuresfor Bombay PhirozeSoli Colabawalla;

metic mean (the totalnumber of Hodgkin's lymphoma, hemiple- are suppliedby four hospitals- December 11

individual ages divided bythe gia (paralysis of one side of the births in suburban hospitalsand Zenita Byram Rana and

total numberof brides) being 26 body), intestinal obstruction, ar- private nursing homes are not Zarksis Edulji lchhaporia;

years. The corresponding figures thritis, fever, lymphoma, malnu- included unless individuals send December11

for the grooms were 23 and 48 trition, tuberculosis and kidney us information togetherwith a Shirazi Minoo Forbes and years, averaging at 29 years. failure were the isolatedcases copy of the birthcertificate. There Kurush Erach Bhagat;

As compared to 23 babies registered for December. A 27- may be an inadvertent repetition December12

born in Bombay in the last month year-old youthwas also lost to of names in the marriage list HufrishViraf lchchaporia and

of this century, therewere 61 the community. The age range when a civil marriageprecedes a Hormuz Minoo Gowadia;

deaths. Twenty-four patients fell fluctuated between six months religious ceremony.In the break- December 12

prey to diseases of the heart, of and 101 years. The Zoroastrian up of deaths according to ill- Zarine EruchshaDaruwalla of

which 16 were in the 80+ age- life expectancy at birth for De- nesses,especially of the elderly, Vithalwadi and Cyrus Darayus group. Pneumoniaand lung re- cember,inBombay,was78 death is often due to a combina- Irani ofVasai; December12 lateddiseases felled seven lives years. tion of several diseases. Farzeen Sohrab Madon whereas four victimssuccumbed The data on births,marriages If readers have any births/ and Darayus Kali Sethna;

to hypertension. Brain disease, and deaths has beencompiled marriages/deaths they would like December12

old age/general debility and dia- frominformation supplied by published, some proof to ensure Shalaka MaharvanIrani and

betes took a toll of three Zoroas- various newsletters and anju- the veracityof the report would JamshedSam Singporewala;

trians each.Cancer took two vic- mans in India and abroad,courts be required.Weare sure our December12

tims. Bronchitis, cerebralrna- and hospitals. This information readers would appreciate this re- Shireen RattanSurveyor and

!aria, uremia, pyopneumothorax is not alwayscomplete or con- quirementandcooperatewith Shapoor MinooBhavnagri;

(pus and air within the pleural sistent: we are unableto carry us. December13

Ruby Perviz Dubash and BOMBAY Palsetia; December 19 Farrah Parvez Buhariwalla Zarir Sarosh Buhariwala; BORN A boy to Zenobia and Minoo and Yezdi Minoo Daruvala; December 14

A girl to Velvin and Yazdi Buhariwalla; December 20 December4 Paricheher Dhunjishaw Billimoria on DecemberI, 1999 A boy to Farzana and Benaifer MinooDumasia Fanibanda and Cyrus Sam

A girl to Armin andDinyar Rayomand Daruwalia; and Kurush Homi Deboo; Singporewala; December 14

Deboo; December 2 December 20 December4 Roxanne Sohrab Nicholson

A boy to Vahbiz and Sam A boy to Minnie andZarir llufrish Eruch Zaiwallaof and MehernoshDhunjishaw

Gandhi; December 2 Rao; December 25 Dahanu Rd and Gayomard lchhaporia; December 16

A boy to Kashmiraand Joji A girl to Parveen andRajeev Jamshed Driver; December 5 Khursheed Parvez Patel and Mathew; December 4 Hemmadi; December 27 Farzana Faroukh Iraniand Firdosh Noshir Anklesaria; A boy to Armin and Neville Jamshed Hoshang Palsetia; December 18

Dotivala; December 5 MARRIED December 5 Peenaz Jal Bagli and A boy to Meher and Farroklz FreanahitaHoshangTata and Shiraz Bhikhaji Makujinaand Tahemtan Firoz

Mirza; December 5 Hanosh Viraf Dubash; Marzban RohintonPavri; Dhamodiwala; December 18 A girl to Kamal and Darius December I December 5 Zeenia Khushroo Bode and Moos; December 6 Shernaz Dara Pocharaand Hufrish Jal Kasadand Ronnie Hoshang Mirza;

A girl to Shanaz and Sarosh Burzin Homi Vimadalal; Slzehzad Pesi Homavazir; December 19

Buhariwala; December 9 December 1 December6 Anahita Pervaze Dubash and A boy to Kashmira andFarr- Bakhtawar Dhanjishaw Firoza Soli Bastawalaand Khurshed Tehmul Wadiwalla;

had Vakharia; December 9 Baldawalaand Sairus Boman Khushroo Bomi Lala; December 19

A girl, Ferzin, to Dogdau and Bapooji;December 2 December6 Khushnuma Khurshed Darayus Mehta; December 10 HushnavazNozer Irani of Mehernaz DaraGodrej and Karkariaand Zubin Naval

A girl, Samarah, to Rashna Dahanu Rd and Faroukh Mehernosh Rohinton Mistry; December·21 andAbdeali Mamaji; DhanjishawDastur of Dahanu Badhniwalla; December 9 Binaifer Dali Bharucha

December II Rd; December2 Shiraz Jamshed Panthakiand and Cyrus Kersi Balsara;

A boy toMonaz and Cyrus Tannaz Homi Bookbinder and Tehmaas Sorab Gorimaar; December 24

Darbari; December 13 Rayomand Rustom Karkaria; December9 Nilufer SeriyarCrawford and A girl to Delnaz and Adil December 2 Monaz Sorab Kanga and Aspi PoladNozer Daruwalla; lflistry; December 14 Farzeen Freddy Balsaraand Burjor Lord; December 9 December 24

A girl to Mahamkh and Sarosh Zubin Darabshaw Tarapore of Kaynaz Minoo Pithawalaand Kashmira Framroze

Pavri; December 14 Lucknow; December2 Khushru Jimmy Billimoriaof Workingboxwalla and Bobby

A girl to Dilnavaz and Tenaz Pervez Dabu and Zubin Thana; December I 0 Parvez Langranaof Sydney,

Shahrukh Talati; December 15 Minoo Aga ofLondon, UK; AbnazGaive Nagporewalla Australia; December 24

A girl to Dilnavaz and December 3 and Murzban Pesi Dadiburjor; Michelle Cavaz Majai and

Jams/zed Sethna; December 17 Delnaz Percy Chichgar and December 10 Malcolm Nozer Desai;

A boy, Zeus, to Parvana and Behram Phiroze Mehta; Khushnoor Noshir Kapadia December 25

Adil Busha; December 18 December 3 andZahirab Aspi Wadia; Behroze Keki Malegamwala

A boy to Jasmine and Kurush Yasmin Homi lila of Calcutta December 10 and Kaizad Adi Patel; Gandhi; December 19 and Daraius Firoze Panthaki; Delnaz Hoshi Khodaijiand December25

A girl to Roshni andDarayas December 3 Parhad Firoze Amra; Ronak Sarosh Dhanda and

51 Parsiana February 2000

52Parsiana February 2000

DIED

NajooArdeshir Batlivala, mother of Marzban; November 22

Jolm Darius Colah,sonof

Dolly and Kakey, husbandof Pervizand father of Tina Servaia and Cyrus;

December II

DELHI

BORN

A girl, Kainaz, to Tooshna and

Homi Gandhi; December 24

POONA

MARRIED

Shireen Postwalla, daughter of Nina and Noshir, and

Ardaviraf Sinor, son of late

Maneck and Gayomard; December 2

SURAT

DIED

Faramroz Dinshawji Daruwafa (72), Pore Mohallo, N anpura, 39500 I: December I

Jalejer Hormusji Kapadia

(90), Popat Mohallo,Nanpura,

FIGURES AT A GLANCE*

Bombay India World

•Running totals for 1999 (January 1999-February 2000 issues}

Overseas deaths are listed in the consignedcolumn as Parsiana does not have a breakupof those cremated.

*These figures pertain to information provided to or collected by Parsiana. They do not representthe total number of births, marriagesand deaths in the Zoroastrian community in India and abroad.

39500 I; December 11

Kataywz Bahdoorsha Lakdawala (96), Vanki Bordi,395003; December 21

Alumay Hasotiya (66),

Umarwada Clny, Ring Rd, 395003; December23 Barjorji RustamjiPatel (60), Cha1than Tenements,C/7, BhatarRd, 395003;

December 29

AUSTRALIA

New South Wales

MARRIED

Mahrukh Behrane and

Nohirwan Patel inSydney;

HONGKONG

BORN

A boy, Rushad, to Meher and

Tehmasp Parekh; November 7

USA

Alabama

MARRIED

AnahitaDutia, daughter of Goo! and Ardeshar. and Clint Peinhardt, son of Carolyn and William in Huntsville;

August 7

California

BORN

Triplets, Asha, Parisa and

Hooshang, Katayoun Farahmand and Tabandeh in Jacksonville; July 23

Illinois

BORN

A girl, Sarah Elizabeth, to

Laura and Slzalzriar Mobed in Chicago; December15

MARRIED

Jodi Erin Peter Shieldsand Sean Dastur,son of Margaret and Khushrooin Elgin; September 11

DIED

Tennessee

BORN

A boy, Jehan, to Perin and

Farhad Narielwala in Chattanooga; July 1

Texas

BORN

A boy, Rustin, to Mitra and

BabakSoroushi in Dallas; August 4

A boy, Behram, to Gulslzan

and Neville Dossabhoyin

Houston; August 10

A boy, Zaal,to Keshvarand Kali Buhariwalla in Fort Worth; November 22

December 26

Al)'a, to Yazdani and Dariush

Goolbai Jalejar Patel, mother

DIED

Khushroo Irani, husband of La! in Sydney; November 16

CANADA

Ontario

BORN

A .boy, Rayhan, to Niloufer and Shachin Srivastav inToronto; December 30

Quebec

MARRIED

NinaWa{/ia, daughter of Minoa and Homi of UK, and Raiomand Mirza, son of Minnie and Khushroo in Pointe-Claire; July 3

53 Parsiana February 2000

Namiranian; October 16

MARRIED

Binaifer Irani, daughter of Shireen and Dinyar of Irvine, and Travis Bird, son of Donna and late Danny in Huntington Beach; August7

DIED

NoshirBuhariwalla (56) of London, UK, father of Zahl and brotherof Faram; October 22

Florida

DIED

Morvarid Melzraban Harvesf,

mother of late Keikhosrow,

of Baji, Dara, Viloo Viraf Darukhanawalla and Arnavaz Adi Vakharia in Chicago; December 22

Massachussetts

BORN

A boy, Zaal, to Firoza and

Farhad Pantlzakiin Boston; May I

A boy, Zarius,to Parastu and JamshedDubash in Shrewsbury; July 28

South Carolina

BORN

A girl, Karina, to Sofia and

KhushruTata in Columbia; November 10

Compiled by Roxana A. Driver

WANTED

Manager for book shop in Fort area. Person must have administrative and marketing abilities.

Write to:

The Advertiser (Shop) GPO Box892

Bombay 400001

IN MEMORIAM

A legal legend

Parinaz M. Gandhi

compassionate soul was the experience of all his comrades. "I have nevermet a man who was so good to the poor," confessed his close colleagueNani Palkhivala. "In our discussions he al­ ways took the side of those who were poor," he added.

"He had a one-minute gruff exterior,

Died: Shavakshah (Shiavax)Ratanshaw Vakil,82, legal adviserto the Tata group of companies, director of severalwell established firms and erstwhile trustee of theBombay

Parsi Punchayet on September 8, 1999 following pneu­ monia.

"I had known

general of India,

about 26 years as legal advisor to Tata Sons andthe group companies as well as the charitable trusts with which he was associated" was recalled at a meetingof

the board of direc­ tors of Tata Sons Limited, noted a condolence letter from the chairman Ratan N. Tata.

"He was an in­ stitution unto him­ self at Tata's," noted K. M. Tha­ nawalla, manag­ ing directorof BarmagIndia Pri­ vate Limited. As­ sociated with Herdillia Chemi­ cals as a director

for a long time,

which took peopleby surprise, but it melted in seconds and without fail he proved to be not only an excellent legal advisor but a personwho always went out of his way to help others," remi­ nisced Phiroze K. Dotivala of Jamshed­ pur. "I remember such instances. One cannot forget his photographic memory and the speed with which he dealt with complicated matters,making them look so simple."

A member of the governing council

of the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre from its inceptionuntil his de­ mise, being a close associate of its founder LokumalChanrai, he was viewed as "a great source of inspiration to us in decidingthe policies of our Hospital," wrote its director(finance) R.

C. Dalal. Vakil was equallyinvolved in

the workings of the Bai HirabaiTata Memorial Trust, the J. N. Tata Navsari

Soli Sorabjee. Vakil: an institution untohimself

"Shiavax Vakil

Vakil "made him­ selfavailable even

Memorial Trust, the Sir RatanTata Trust, the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust, the

as we knew him was quite a formidable solicitor and a public prosecutor," ac­ know Iedged India'sformer solicitor gen­ eral Tehmtan Andhyarujina. "Hewas an authority on foreign exchangeand wrote the first small book on it. Incidentally I stillkeep it...Later he was a competent help in the corporate world of the Tatas. We do not get such versatilesolicitors thesedays," he continued.

Vakil had earneda reputation as a

public prosecutor of Bombay, govern­ ment pleader,prosecutor for customs and Reserve Bank and special prosecu­ tor for the Government of India, states his bio data. As partner in the legal firm of Mulla and Mulla and Craigie Blunt and Caroe, Vakil is known to have as­ sisted his mentor NoshirwanKavasji Petigara in the Mahatma Gandhimurder trial.He also made news in the 1960s when he defended CommanderKavas Nanavati in the sensational murder trial which saw huge crowds in the court room as the trial progressed.

"His legal acumenspanning a di­ verse range of laws and the prompt and practical advicehe gave over a period of

54Parsiana February 2000

at short notice and always took a prag­ matic view of any situation," wrote managing directorR. M. Pandia.

Vakil was a directorin several other

companies too, prominent among which were The Associated CementCompa­ nies,Bombay Dyeing and Manufacturing Company, Pennwalt India Limited, E. Merck, Rolex Watch Company,Gokak Patel Vol kartLimited, Indian ResortHo­ tels Limited and the various Tata compa­ nies, including Tata's holding company, Tata Sons. For nine years he served as chairman of the local advisory board in India of the Bank of America.

"He was a motivator," summed up

his legal assistant Roshan Master who had worked under him at Mulla and Mulla and subsequently at the Tatas. Even a routine task like comparing opin­ ions and drafts shouldbe viewed as a learning experience and not as a boring chore, he impressed upon them. Under his supervision, he would encourage his juniors to develop the confidence to handlecases independently.

That behind the thick rimmed glasses and hard exterior was a very kind and

Sarvajanik Seva Trust and the Maneckji

Cooper Education Trust School where he was trustee for many years. "I was always amazedat his graspand sense of practicality. He was indeedthe founder of the Pirojsha GodrejFoundation which was his brain child in a way, as he planted the seed in our mind and helped us set it up,"acknowledged trustee Phiroze Lam.

"He did not believe only in cheque book charity," disclosed Master.Time permitting, he would personally visit the different institutions, she said, list­ ing the many causesto which he gave of himself generously: Sir J. J. Dharam­ shala, the Parsi Ward at the J. J. Hospital, the lepercolony managed by Fr Aurelius Maschio, St Catherine's Home, the Shanti Avedna Ashram for terminal can­ cer patients, the National Association for the Blind, the slums at Dharavi, the ophthalmology departments at the KEM and Nair Hospitals ... While originally he was a very avid reader of English, Gujarati and Persian, some of the text­ books havingbeen preserved from his college days, with failing eyesight he

Vakil (center) serving as moderator prior to the 1984 BPP trusteeship

e ection contestedby Fali Poncha (l ft) and Homi Ranina (right)

seemed to be more drawn towards chari­ table acts. Vakil firmly believed that appeals for medical assistanceshould be promptly attended to and even on the day of his demise he was preoccupied with these letters,adds Master. Invari­ably he would give his counsel free of cost to charitableand religious trusts.

He had to be operated upon nine times for his failing eyesight,mentions

hisyounger son Hormazdiyaar, a part­ ner in Mulla and Mulla. Did his father inspire him to join the legal profession? "Not at all," candidly confesses the son whose firstlove was car racing."We

had totally different views," elaborates Hormazdiyaar. "He was a workaholic ... In the almost 50 years we had together,we went for two holidaysas a family. And yet, if I had a problem, he was always there." After his wife Prochi's demise the previousyear, Vakil seemed to have lost interestin life, observedHormazdiyaar with elder brother Neriyosang, a management consultant, mentioning that "shewas the spiritual force behind him."

Inthe last year of his life he con­ sciouslyor unconsciously parted with aH the treasureshe once held dear, the beautiful wall hanging of Persian kings facing Hormazdiyaar' s desk being gifted to the son just a couple of days before his demise. "He taught me to appreciateart," mentions Hormazdiyaar, adding that theaterwas the only recreation for which his father made time, being a regular at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

He wantedhis children to learn things

55 Parsiana February2000

for themselves, commentsNeriyosang. And whilstall comforts were provided to the family, he did not believe in spoil­ ing the children, adds the elder son ac­ knowledging that it "hashelped me in life today." He also gave hisfather credit for teaching him "to stand up for what you believe in even if the odds are againstyou." The value "of being flexible in life, to get up after a hard knock and to empathize with the poor and the needy" are some of the other lessons he learnt from his father.

Born in Blantyre (now Malawi) in

Africa where his fatherwas also a law­ yer, Shavakshah's earlyeducation was in a municipal school in Surat and there­ after in Sarvajanik High School. After his matriculation he joined MTB Col­ lege and passed his BA. He then taught Persian for a short while at the J. J. School in Surat until his interestin law brought him to Bombay.During his law studies, he topped the class in the first year LLB examination, and stood first again in the finallaw examination, states his bio data. Being one of seven sib­ lings, when he neededto contribute to the familyearnings and financehis legal studies,he joined the Central Bank of India as a clerk, all his humble begin­ nings being never forgotten by him. While pursuing his articles of clerkship with Edgar MartinChambers of CrawfordBayley and Companyhe was financially helped by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust to which he was ever beholden. Subsequently he passed his advocate's examination and later the solicitor's examination when he scored 97 percentin the paper of practice of the High Court on the original side which record stands to this day, notes a profile on his life. Thereafter Shiavaxand his brother Navroze (Naval)Vakil started their own

firm Vakiland Vakil but since clients would not come to their fledgling firm and preferred the more established names, Shiavax opted to join Mulla and Mulla.

Throughout his life he retained a soft

corner for Surat and helped "the Surat Parsi Panchayat

(SPP) in every pos­

sible way. It would be no exaggeration

to state that in all the trialsand troubles, the trustees of the SPP always looked to him for support,advice and guidance," noted a tribute from JehanDaruwalla in The Bombay Samacharof September 19, 1999. In fact, the offices of the Surat Panchayat were kept closed on Septem­ ber 9 as a mark of respectto Vakil whom they considered their legal guide and guardian, valuing hisindependent think­ ing and his counsel on religious, chari­ table and trust laws, recordeda condo­ lence resolution forwarded by SPPchair­ man Dr Sam Bhacca. Even when they went to him withouta prior appoint­ ment,he was always willingto accom­ modate them in his tight schedule, they gratefully acknowledged.

Well-read in all the religions,Vakil,

an ordained navar,was especially close to the late Dastur Khurshed Dabu with whom he must have had innumerable discussions on Zoroastrianism, notes a family source. Schemesfor amalgam­ ation of deteriorating agiaries and for the educationof Parsi priests to create a cadre along the lines of the Societyof Servants of Jesus were uppermost in Vakil's mind at the time of his election as trusteeto the Bombay Parsi Punchayet(BPP), according to his electionmani­ festo publishedin Parsiana. During his tenure as trustee of the BPP from No­ vember 1972 to July 1975 he "served ... with singulardevotion and distinction," noted the condolence resolution passed by the board of trustees.

"A trustee is under an obligation to act with utmost good faith in relation to the affairsof his beneficiaries," he had publicly announced when criticized for bringing to the knowledgeof the com­ munity the insanitary conditions pre­ vailing at the Doongerwadi. "He should not suppress a material fact coming to