Clubwala's commitments

Died: Jehangir Kaikhushru Clubwala, 84, former chairman of the Madras Chamber of Commerce and hereditary trustee of the Jal Phiroj Clubwala Dar-e-Meher in Madras, on October 26, 2002.

"Jehangir’s integrity, devotion to duty, attention to detail and gracious and unassuming manners endeared him to each and every member of the community. His passing away has left a void in our midst which will be difficult, if not impossible to fill,” noted a resolution passed at the condolence meeting convened on November 5, 2002 at the Phiroj Clubwala Memorial Hall.

For close to three decades he was the hereditary trustee of the Clubwala Dar-e-Meher during which time he showed "unrelenting dedication... in building up the corpus of the Dar-e-Meher to an extent whereby upkeep and maintenance will not pose a probem for at least the next 50 years,” noted a write-up forwarded by the president of the Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman Nariman Mogrelia. Whenever a renovation project was underway, Clubwala would be at the site, supervising the minutest detail to ensure that funds were properly utilized and the quality of work did not suffer. The Dar-e-Meher being recognized as a place of public worship and benefiting from income-tax exemption was also thanks to his perseverance, it was noted.

Income tax consultant R. Viswes­waran who has been assisting the community for over two decades regretted that he had lost a good leader and a guide. Warmth, gen­tle­­­ness and simplicity char­acterized Clubwala, stated the president of the Madras Parsi Association Darius Baha­durji.

Clubwala: gentle guide

Having served on the board of E.I.D. Parry and Parrys Con­fectionery, on his retirement he was presented a citation by all the divisions which commended him: "Keen on buiding up a tradi­tion of goodwill, cooperation, service and efficiency, you...are a towering success and a source of inspiration to others to emulate your example. Character...and perseverance... are the two truths in life which we have learnt due to our association with you.”

Born in Hyderabad, Sind, Clubwala’s early years were spent in Karachi and his professional life as an engineer began at the Bombay branch of Mirlees Bickerton and Day, Stockport, UK. His main responsibility during those days was to install electric power stations all over India, notes his life profile. During World War II he was assigned the task of erecting a special underground power station in Aden when regular cave-ins enveloped many lives. This gallant and dedicated service earned him the designation of assistant manager of E.I.D. Parry and he subsequently rose to be among the first Indian managers of the Company and later its director when he was requested to shift to the head office in Madras in 1967. At various times he headed the engineering, general service, fertilizers, ceramics and industrial engineering departments and was eventually appointed deputy managing director.

He has been given credit for forming two new companies in collaboration with multinational corporations in the US and UK — Amphetronix Limited in Poona and Herdillia Chemicals in Thana. He played a crucial role in establishing a unit for the manufacture of defence electronic equipment. He had the vision to bring modern machinery from overseas for the manufacture of electronic relays, capacitors and conductors to cater to the needs of the Indian defence force, states the write-up. At Herdillia Chemicals he shouldered the responsibility of planning and development, construction and final production. With his foresight he estab­lished a modern Machine Tool Room in Bangalore in the 1980s to manufacture complicated precision tools used for defence and other engineering industries. Clubwala had graced the boards of both Amphetronix and Herdillia.

Known for his rectitude, Clubwala’s elder son Astad remembered with amusement an occasion in his youth when his father had given him his first lesson in honesty with a sound spanking! Younger son Kaikhushru felt that this somber occasion need not be sorrowful because as a husband and father he had given so much love and happiness that it was rather a time to reflect upon a glorious past and rejoice in the memory of a life well lived with dignity and integrity.

Clubwala is survived by his wife Mani and sons Astad and Kaikhushru.

P.M.G.