Byramjee's buoyancy

The turnout of mourners who had come to pay their respects to Khushrooh Pheroz Byramjee at Bombay’s Doongerwadi on Christmas day, 2002 was unprecedented in recent times. The entire complex being blocked with cars, some vehicles were even permitted to be parked on the one-way road leading from Hanging Gardens to Kemp’s Corner despite the considerable traffic build-up. The day earli­er a similar traffic congestion had dogged the Byramjee family which had met with a car accident on the Western Express Highway when surrounded by automobiles immediate medical help could not be reached.

Returning in their Mercedes van from Gholvad, the impact of a burst tyre had flung several members of the Byramjee family onto the road. Although different members of the family sus­tained varying injuries, for the 55-year-old patriarch, head of the Cassinath Group, and a director of several public limited companies and financial institutions, the tragic accident proved fatal.

"The Parsi community has lost a great future leader... he departed too soon but with honor,” commented Minoo Shroff, chair­man of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) at a condolence meeting convened on January 28, 2003 under the joint auspices of the different institutions where Byramjee had left his indelible imprint: Indian Merchants’ Chamber, BPP, The Bombay Stevedores Asso­ciation Limited, Bombay Customs House Clearing Agents Association Limit­ed, The Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited, Centrum Finance Limited, Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal Limited, The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited, The B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital (PGH), Zoroastrian Investment Corporation Private Limited, The Rotary Club of Mumbai, Childline, Mel Jol and other organizations.

Among all the virtues, "his humility shone the brightest” commented leading solicitor Rusi Sethna who chaired the condolence meeting. During their three decades of friendship Sethna could not recall a single instance of the genial Byramjee ever referring to "an enemy.”

For more than a decade he served as treasurer of The Bombay Stevedores Association Limited which acknowledged in a condolence message, "He had been guiding the members in the Association’s meetings in taking unanimous decisions which bene­fited not only the Association but also the members in general.”

Describing him as "one of the most enlightened employers,” S. R. Kulkarni, president of the Transport and Dock Workers Union as also the All India Port and Dock Workers Federation, gave him credit for being "a man of conciliation (referring to) the manner in which he tried to settle disputes.” A trustee of the Mumbai Port Trust "he thoroughly knew the industry.” The historical all-India wage settlement signed in 2000 was thanks to his efforts, acknowledged Kulkarni, mentioning how Byramjee came to "stevedor­ing by accident... from Bori Bunder to Carnac Bunder...”

When Byramjee joined his ancestral business, he was the seventh generation from his family to deal with Bennett Coleman and Company (at Bori Bunder), initially taking care of their binding work and subsequently distributing all the publications of The Times of India group, states his curriculum vitae. In 1979 he took over the stevedoring firm of M. B. Eduljee Cassinath Sons which has since mushroomed into a multi-million enterprise under the banner of Casby Logistics Private Limited including in its sphere Centrum Finance Private Limited and Ferrari Express (I) Private Limited. The Cassinath Group specializes in diverse activities like shipping, stevedoring, container freight station management, transport, air cargo, information technology, couriering of precious and general cargo, newspaper distribution and financial services, notes an introduction to the businessman and his manifold interests.

Byramjee (top) and (alongside) with family (from left): Kainaz, Jahaneen, Mahakhurshid, Shaun and Rishad

"His vision, his experience, his quick and innovative mind, his results oriented drive and above all his good and compassionate nature ensured the success and expansion” of Centrum Finance, acknowledged managing director Chan­dir Gidwani referring to founder chairman Byram­jee’s "invaluable guidance and sup­port...right from inception.”

Among the leading limited companies where Byramjee served on the board of directors were Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited, Credit Suisse First Boston (India) Securities Private Limited, Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal Private Limited and Chennai Container Terminal Private Limited, Jolly Board Limited, Praj Industries Limited and The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limit­ed. "His active participation and invaluable contribution in the activities of the Company was highly appreciated,” noted K. M. Sheth, executive chairman of The Great Eastern Shipping Company Limited, remembering Byramjee’s "ever smiling presence...” when he "attended every single board meeting punctually unless he was traveling or on holiday... His understanding of the problems was exceedingly good and he came up with brilliant solutions.”

There were times when he may not have been able to solve prob­lems, "but his willingness to help everybody, to open his heart to all, to offer solace when the person most needed it was suffi­cient to endear him to all,” explains his wife Mahakhurshid. Quiet and lonely as a child, following the demise of his mother Rati when he was a little over two years old, he was in the care of different relatives until his father’s second marriage to Tehmi. Attending monthly prayers for Rati at the fire-temple was a regular routine for Khushrooh and Pheroz, as was the visit to the Farvardian on every Fravardin roz and daily prayers at the Bhikha Behram Well. His life’s mission was to love others and to earn others’ love. "Always full of joy and humor, he remained calm and collected; very little annoyed him,” attests the wife. He enjoyed good food and was fond of collecting, whether cars, watches or club memberships.

Recently when the Bombay Port Trust put a halt to all private stevedoring enterprises, Byramjee was on the lookout for some other venture in his field of specialization to substitute for his lucrative stevedoring business. Otherwise, whatever he had planned he had already put into action, relates Mahakhurshid.

In addition to the Byramjee Foundation, a multi-million charita­ble trust co-founded by him by setting aside nearly 10 percent of his profits, he devoted time and resources to different com­munity institutions and welfare projects. He was for a long time an active committee member of the PGH and was associated with the Fort Gratuitous Dis­pensary. Referring to "his capacity for hard work,” PGH chairman Homa Petit commended Byramjee’s "quick grasp of any problem...with his deep insight. Known for his honesty and inte­grity with him there was no right way to do a wrong thing.” As a trustee of the Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Charity Fund for four years his colleagues remembered him for his "astute advice so willingly rendered and the active role taken by him in the affairs of the Fund.”

"After the formation of Childline India Foundation he became Childline’s main lobbying face with the ministry and facilitated our partnership with the government. An active member of the governing board, no meeting was complete without his valuable inputs and quiet remarks which often proved to be the impetus for reaching major decisions,” notes their newsletter Hello Childline which brought out a special issue in January 2003. "I expanded the Childline service knowing that he was there to back me — my big brother, my anchor for Childline. He had a knack of downplay­ing even larger-than-life problems,” acknowledged Childline founder Jeroo Billimoria. Byramjee’s vision for Childline was that of "an NGO run on management principles with deadlines and deliverables...To him actual intervention and the number of children reached out by Childline was what mattered most,” added the newsletter stating, "For him philanthropy was not a fad; it was the very essence of his spiritual being.”

A scout since his early days at Campion School, he rose to become the youngest president of The East Bombay Bharat Scouts and Guides District Association and was chairman of the Hut Committee of the East, West and Central Bombay Bharat Scouts and Guides District Associations which maintained the Pirojsha Godrej Pavi­lion. As recalled the honorary district secretary Rati Amrolia, "There has not been a single occasion we can recall when he raised his voice or showed his authority; he preferred to get the job done as amicably and efficiently as possible...his was the voice of reason, and when he spoke, people listened.”

This Rotarian "could walk with kings yet not lose the common touch,” his friend Hormazdiyaar Vakil commented in The Gateway, the newsletter of the Rotary Club of Mumbai. President Sandeep Agarwala gave him credit for bringing the highest accounting standards to the Club. He also referred to one occasion when Byramjee had dressed the entire H. R. College of Commerce with flowers as his obligation to his alma mater.

Byramjee had qualified as a chartered accountant (England and Wales) from the leading London firm of Coopers and Lybrand before he joined his ancestral business. Over the years this "gentle giant” had acquired considerable knowledge of company law and labor laws, remarked Capt Jimmy Sarbh, director of P & O Ports, Australia.

Describing his demise as "a great loss to the community,” the trustees and staff of the BPP expressed in a press release, "Despite his many accomplishments in the field of business and finance he was most unassuming and easily approachable.” Chairman of the Zoroastrian Investment Corporation Private Limited Byram­jee was also a director of The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited and as noted their resolution, "His vast experience and knowledge played an important role in the progress of the organi­zation.” He assisted Parsiana too when it was relaunched in 1973 by arranging for the distribution of the magazine around Bombay purely for the sake of helping a small community publication.

"Although he was secular in the true sense of the term, he had a huge soft corner for the Parsis,” mentioned Berjis Desai in his "Parsi tari arsi” column in The Bombay Samachar of January 1, 2003 giving insights into Byramjee’s life, being among the close circle of friends who spent countless Saturday after­noons together. "Even though a member of the Disposal of the Dead with Dignity — Action Group, he was a cherisher of traditions,” wrote Desai. "He taught me about intelligent compassion and a very scientific manner of running a charity,” acknowledged Desai.

"A pillar of our community (who has left) behind a legacy of philanthropy, entrepreneurship and unparalleled ambition,” Byram­jee was, according to Xerxes Master, director of Prudential Shipping, "a legend in his own right and was a source of inspiration to us youngsters who wanted to achieve something in life...”

To capture the essence of Byramjee who dared to nurture his dreams, publisher Maneck Davar read a poem by Kahlil Gibran: "In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond... Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity...”

The self effacing businessman is survived by his mother Tehmi, wife Mahakhurshid, daughters Jahaneen Byramjee Johnsen and Kainaz, and son Rishad.