School toppers

A total of 78 girls and 42 boys who had secured a high percentage at the 10th standard ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) and SSC (Secondary School Certificate) and the 12th standard HSC (Higher Secondary Certificate) examinations were felicitated by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations for Welfare and Culture (FOZAWAC) on August 10, 2003 at the BJPC (Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable) Institution. WZO-India sponsored the event for the second year just as J. B. Petit School with nine outstanding students won the Best School Award for the second consecutive year. Other Parsi managed schools which had done well in the year 2002-2003 were Activity, Maneckji Cooper, J. B. Vachha and Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly, according to a report sent by FOZAWAC general secretary Rusi Bhumgara.

A new corpus was created this year in the name of "Late Mr and Mrs Shavaksha R. Pagdiwala Scholarship” from the Rs 1,00,000 donation received from Pervez Pochkhanawala. This scholarship will finance a cash gift of Rs 1,500 each to the five Zoroastrian toppers every year. The 2003 winners were: ICSE — Farzana Marolia and Nushafreen Palsetia (both 93 percent, Queen Mary School), SSC — Natasha Wadia (89.73 percent, J. B. Vachha School), HSC (Science) — Chirag Medhora (93.17 percent, Ruia College), HSC (Commerce) — Nazneen Ichhaporia (88.17 percent, Podar College), HSC (Arts) — Scherezad Parelvala (83.5 percent, Jai Hind College).

Back row: Pochkhanawala and Mehta (far left), Tamboly and Kutar (far right) with top scorers at the 2003 board exams

Other students who were outstanding were: ICSE — Shaheen Avari, Spenta Kutar, Mehe­rangiz Press, Xerxes Unvala, Neville Katrak (all above 90 percent); SSC — Ria Shroff (89.20 percent) and Afreen Tara (88.66 percent); HSC (Science) — Khushnuma Mullanfiroze (92.33 percent) and Naomi Kot­wal (90.33 percent); HSC (Commerce) — Pervez Sethna (87.83 percent) and Benaifer Karkaria (87.67 percent); and HSC (Arts) — Neenaz Ichaporia (77.17 percent).

While lauding the achievements of the excellers, chief guest Dinshaw Tamboly, trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and managing trustee of the WZO Trust Funds narrated examples of world renowned persons who had met with repeated failures in their early life. Guest of honor Benifer Kutar, primary section headmistress of J. B. Petit School, commended the efforts of all the students. While welcoming the guests FOZAWAC president Adi Mehta requested donors to extend their usual magnanimity so that FOZAWAC could continue such activities, added the news release.

Thanking the WZO for sponsoring the event, Bhumgara stated that the total cost of the function was Rs 90,000 of which Rs 50,000 was borne by the WZO. He also appreciated the largesse of Pochkhana­wala, and the trustees and principal of BJPC for allowing them the use of their premises.