Congratulating Guzder

The Lady Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Health Unit (HU), the Gamadia Colony Tenants’ Association (TA) and the Gamadia Colony Recreation Centre (RC) combined forces on February 9, 2003 to felicitate the Bombay Parsi Punchayet’s first ever chairman emeritus Jamshed Guzder. A shawl, memento and flowers were bestowed on the philanthropist who completed 86 years on February 5, 2003.

Arni Khan, who has dedicated a large measure of her 50 years’ social service to the community in maintaining and enhancing the facilities at the HU, recalled her "happy and fruitful years” working on "equal terms” with a very supportive Guzder. Khan, together with friend and colleague Dr Nelie Noble, had been the main organizer of the event.

On behalf of the medical team at the HU, noted physician Dr Dinyar Gamadia congratulated Guzder on the signal honor bestowed on him by a grateful community. An ECG machine has been installed there with Guzder’s blessings and the institution was catering to an increasing number of active patients, he told the assembled gathering. He also noted that Guzder had contributed Rs 15 lakhs to Masina Hospital for the construction of a centenary hall there to be named after his late wife Shirin. Many people have plenty of money but not the heart to give to others, added the doctor.

"Whenever we invited him to any function, he never went back without donating,” declared the TA’s Filly Sethna. "He not merely practices the religion but lives the religion in day-to- day life,” added Sethna.

Guzder (left) being felicitated by Khan and the nursing staff. Above (from left): Elavia, Sethna and Gamadia Photos: Spectravision

Happy that Gamadia Colony residents had achieved laurels at the state and national levels, the RC’s Khushrow Elavia acknowledged that this would not have been possible without the RC and Guzder’s continuing patronage to it.

The morning’s emcee, social worker Homai Modi emphasized Guzder’s sense of humor that turned away wrath, his concern not only for community members but for humanity at large which prompted him to donate handsomely to institutions like the University of Bombay (see "Civics center”, p 22).

Guzder was quick to ascribe the honors he received as well as his deeds of benevolence to "the hand of God” and his wise mother who had lovingly requested her only son (she had seven daughters) to use the public transport on his way home from school in his senior years so that he could witness the plight of people not equally blessed.

The genial businessman who had taken over the family concern, N. S. Guzder and Company, and had created Airfreight, said he had inherited "quite a lot of money.” He had prayed for means as well as opportunities to help others and the Hongkong Bank shares he inherited from a relative grew 15 times in value in the course of nine years — money which he maintained scrupulously for charity. "It is not my money. It’s God’s money. I give it to whoever God tells me to give it to,” he declared, adding that his actions had increased his own happiness and contentment. He added that he has formed three trusts into which the money has been distributed: 40 percent for Parsis, 40 percent for non-Parsis and 20 percent for women and children. "Give to others what God gives to you, not only money but help, peace...” the octogenarian advised the audience.

After Guzder had ceremonially released Najoo Dordi’s second Gujarati novel, Anmol Khajana, the nursing and other staff of the HU individually greeted the smiling but obviously moved octogenarian.

A.S.M.