Pragati Mandal's diamond

At the diamond jubilee function of the Surat Parsi Pragati Mandal 10 youths of the community who have excelled in different fields were felicitated with a casket and flowers by chief guest Justice Behram Sethna of the Gujarat High Court. In the field of sports Jimmi Jungalwala and Porus Daruwala were honored for athletics, Shahrukh Katpitia and Firdaus Panthaki for power lifting, Rustom Sethna for cricket and Adil Palia for cricket umpiring, Shehan Davierwala for karate and Khushnuma Chawda for games. Additionally, Marzban Italia was felicitated for arranging transport for religious tours and Fredy Daruwala for modeling, notes a report on the function by the secretaries of the Mandal Perizad Chipia and Armin Rao. The youth, according to Behram Sethna, are the future of the community, a statement which won a good round of applause.

The function posthumously honored the "nobility and sterling character” of Behram Darabshaw Hadvaid and Mehroo Noshir Dabhoiwala. A specially prepared scroll with a shawl, casket and flowers were presented to their respective spouses Nargesh Hadvaid and Noshir Dabhoiwala. A donation of Rs 21,000 to the Mandal was announced from the Mehroo Noshir Dabhoiwala Trust by senior trustee Arvind Mehta. Among the other community organizations to benefit from the Trust’s largesse were Modi Atash Behram (Rs 1,00,000), Vakil Kadmi Atash Behram (Rs 75,000), Bag-e-Parsa Adarian (Rs 31,000), and Surat Athornan Mandal (Rs 15,000). Rs 87,000 was donated to different social welfare bodies.

The Dabhoiwala Trust further honored all the prominent members of Pragati Mandal. Sethna, Mehta as also Narendra Joshi, senior columnist and erstwhile advisor of the Mandal commended the organization’s activities and the commitment of its office bearers, particularly president Rusi Besania.

The annual activities of the Pragati Mandal include educational scholarships and distribution of school books and compass boxes, aid to the underprivileged, celebration of national holidays like Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti, commemorating the death anniversary of the founder of the Mandal Dr Minocher Contractor, observing the Parsi festivals like Shahenshahi New Year, Khordadsal, Ava Ardvisur Parav, visit to the Iranshah, collecting funds for the underprivileged like the tsunami victims… This year the Mandal felicitated 15 couples who had completed 50 years of marriage with a shawl, casket, flowers and sweetmeats. Additionally five couples who could not attend due to reasons of age or health were greeted personally at their residence by the office bearers of Pragati Mandal.

The 60th anniversary function at the Kadmi Atash Behram compound on Holi, March 26, 2005 commenced with a prayer benediction by Dastur Cyrus Dastur of Surat after which he lit the traditional diva. Aspi Gyara then read out the messages received from religious scholars. Felicitating Sethna with a shawl, casket and flowers, Besania referred to the Sethna family of Surat as being eminent exponents of the law of the land. He accorded a special welcome to the Surat Parsi Panchayat trustees Darayas Master, Dr Homi Doodhwala, Homai Shethna, Jamshed Dotiwala and Hormazdiar Patel. The function was ably compered by Binaifer Engineer.

After a vote of thanks by Yasmin Dotiwala, the gathering of nearly 1,400 enjoyed a dinner hosted by Dabhoiwala and catered by Cyrus Nogamwala.