Bodies beautiful

True to their promise given in March 2002, the committee members of the Sir Ness Wadia Club (SNWC) organized the Second All India Zoroastrian Body Building Championship for men on the Club lawns at Rustom Baug on February 1, 2003. Whereas last year’s competi­tion had seen only 11 participants (with some unable to travel to Bombay because of the post-Godhra situation in Gujarat), this year 22 body builders from Bombay, Poona, Dahanu, Surat and Ahmedabad displayed their sinew. Philanthropist NarYman Dubash sponsored the event.

Standing first in the under 65 kg weight category, Karl Katrak of Bombay won the overall title of Mr Zoroastrian 2003. Runner up in the under 65 kg slot was Kaivan Panthaki of Surat, with Bombay’s Khurshedcheher Lawyer standing third. In the up to 80 kg class, Bombay’s Yohan Wadia, Shahzad Daver and Neville Bodhanwala stood first, second and third respectively. Bombay’s Afshad Mistry, Poona’s Adi Engineer and Surat’s Ruzan Bastawala were the winners in the above 80 kg weight group. Wadia’s body beautiful also won him the Prof Tehmurasp Sarkari Trophy for the Best Poser — an award donated by Viraf Chiniwala who also gave on-the-spot prizes to 13-year-old Jimmy Italia of Surat, the youngest participant to flex his budding muscles, and to Ervad Yezdi Panthaki who was at 66 the oldest competitor. The events were conducted by members of the Indian Bodybuilding Federation under their president Madhav Poojari and secretary Sudesh Kadam.

Also honored by the organizers were five Zoroastrians who had done the community proud in earlier years by winning the Chhatrapati Shivaji Award (the highest sports award in the state of Maharashtra) — Tehemton Gowadia (body building), the Daroga brothers Neville and Vispi (also an Arjuna Award winner), Jazeel Mehta and Viraf Panthaki, all for weightlifting. Each received a cash award of Rs 30,000 and a plaque.

Octogenarian Edul Palamkote, Rusi Daroga, Pesi Patrawala, Gev Katrak and Sam Darukhanawala were presented a memento and cash purse, with all cash awards also being sponsored by Dubash.

From left, top row: Strongmen all, Yezdi Panthaki with Chiniwala; Srivastava and Viraf Panthaki (alongside)

While a preliminary round was held the previous day, the final was preceded by a jashan conducted by the Baug’s Ervad Jal Kutar and Mehernosh Unwala. Gracing the competition as chief guest was Bombay’s municipal commissioner K. C. Srivastava who commended the Parsi community’s contribution to the state and country and promised the administration’s support to the efforts of Rustom Baug residents to beautify the environment around the Baug. Deputy municipal commissioner S. Shinde, Corporator Janardhan Yadav, newly elected Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Maneck Engineer, managing committee member of the R. N. and N. N. Wadia Trust Dhun Gagrat, eminent theater personality Gerson Da Cunha and others were among the luminaries present.

Entertaining the exuberant crowd was the display of strength by a strongman lifting 260 kg and strongwoman who hoisted 220 kg, as well as an exhibition of muscularity by national and interna­tional level body builders, according to a press release from SNWC. Under the leadership of Dr Porus Turner, committee members Rustom Jasoomoney, Hutoxi Doodhwala, Aashdin Billimoria and Homiar Shroff strained every sinew to ensure the success of the competition, aided by the energetic efforts of Viraf Panthaki.