Editorial Viewpoint
Dinshaw's dilemma
The death of sitting Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trustee Silloo Kavarana has thrown Parsi politics into a tizzy. With just 60 days within which to fill the vacancy, all sides have been caught off guard. While Kavarana's health was a cause for concern, the doughty lady had, despite her age, managed to return to community service after numerous illnesses and hospital confinements.
Thus when she was hospitalized this October, there was concern but no undue alarm. But the frail white-sari clad social worker who had lent a helping hand to the community's most bedraggled and unwanted passed away in the intensive care unit of the B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital on October 17.
Even as the throngs gathered at Bombay's Doongerwadi to pay homage, the talk of selecting a successor commenced. Should the next trustee be a woman? There has been a lady trustee on the seven-member board for most of the last 40 years. In a community where women outnumber men, that's an unequal representation. But if no suitable woman candidate is forthcoming, than all seven trustees will be men.
Among the women candidate names most bandied about are social worker and community activist Homai Modi and Bombay University political science professor Nawaz Mody. Homai Modi has been considered in the past as well but reportedly turned down feelers on account of her other social commitments especially to the Red Cross and the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute. Nawaz Mody has been active in community politics over the past few years but her political appeal is not established.
Redoubtable social worker Mithoo Jesia from the Mancherji Joshi Colony, Dadar is another name making the rounds but whether she too would agree to stand or not is uncertain.
Amongst the men, the orthodox groups may propose Khojeste Mistree associate Yazdi Desai who had unsuccessfully contested against sitting BPP trustee Dinshaw Tamboly two years ago. Desai's loss was attributed to his being a newcomer to Parsi politics and being virtually unknown in the community. Now that he is better known whether it will work to his advantage or not is to be determined.
Kavarana's son Farrokh is a candidate favored by many but it is unlikely that the taciturn director of Tata Sons and other Tata concerns would accept on account of his professional commitments and hectic travel schedule. But if he chooses to stand there is no doubt of his winnng.
Like his mother he has few opponents in the community. Silloo Kavarana was universally liked. Only in the March 2000 trusteeship election when she first stated she would not stand for reelection and then announced her candidature after builder Zarir Bhathena had entered the fray, did relations sour with some of her co-trustees. Her proximity to BPP trustee Dinshaw Mehta was another bone of contention. She was viewed as his ally on the seven-member board of trustees and therefore distrusted by those who opposed Mehta.
But she demonstrated her independence when despite considerable pressure she declined to attend the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) launch in Bombay in May 2005. Mehta was the only BPP trustee present and was lavishly praised by the orthodox for attending (the Parsi Press had been barred from the meet).
Kavarana's demise deprives Mehta of his main well-wisher on the board. Mehta's relations are strained with BPP chairman Minoo Shroff, Tamboly and BPP trustee Burjor Antia, all of whom are viewed as middle-of-the-road individuals with liberal leanings. BPP trustee Dadi Engineer has been trying to placate both the liberal and orthodox sections while Maneck Engineer maintains a low profile, involving himself in the areas that he is most conversant with.
Mehta's other ally was former BPP trustee Rustom Tirandaz who lost to Maneck Engineer in 2002. Tirandaz, like Mehta, also appealed to the orthodox lobby. But his defeat may also be due to his pe
Thus when she was hospitalized this October, there was concern but no undue alarm. But the frail white-sari clad social worker who had lent a helping hand to the community's most bedraggled and unwanted passed away in the intensive care unit of the B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital on October 17.
Even as the throngs gathered at Bombay's Doongerwadi to pay homage, the talk of selecting a successor commenced. Should the next trustee be a woman? There has been a lady trustee on the seven-member board for most of the last 40 years. In a community where women outnumber men, that's an unequal representation. But if no suitable woman candidate is forthcoming, than all seven trustees will be men.
Among the women candidate names most bandied about are social worker and community activist Homai Modi and Bombay University political science professor Nawaz Mody. Homai Modi has been considered in the past as well but reportedly turned down feelers on account of her other social commitments especially to the Red Cross and the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute. Nawaz Mody has been active in community politics over the past few years but her political appeal is not established.
Redoubtable social worker Mithoo Jesia from the Mancherji Joshi Colony, Dadar is another name making the rounds but whether she too would agree to stand or not is uncertain.
Amongst the men, the orthodox groups may propose Khojeste Mistree associate Yazdi Desai who had unsuccessfully contested against sitting BPP trustee Dinshaw Tamboly two years ago. Desai's loss was attributed to his being a newcomer to Parsi politics and being virtually unknown in the community. Now that he is better known whether it will work to his advantage or not is to be determined.
Kavarana's son Farrokh is a candidate favored by many but it is unlikely that the taciturn director of Tata Sons and other Tata concerns would accept on account of his professional commitments and hectic travel schedule. But if he chooses to stand there is no doubt of his winnng.
Like his mother he has few opponents in the community. Silloo Kavarana was universally liked. Only in the March 2000 trusteeship election when she first stated she would not stand for reelection and then announced her candidature after builder Zarir Bhathena had entered the fray, did relations sour with some of her co-trustees. Her proximity to BPP trustee Dinshaw Mehta was another bone of contention. She was viewed as his ally on the seven-member board of trustees and therefore distrusted by those who opposed Mehta.
But she demonstrated her independence when despite considerable pressure she declined to attend the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) launch in Bombay in May 2005. Mehta was the only BPP trustee present and was lavishly praised by the orthodox for attending (the Parsi Press had been barred from the meet).
Kavarana's demise deprives Mehta of his main well-wisher on the board. Mehta's relations are strained with BPP chairman Minoo Shroff, Tamboly and BPP trustee Burjor Antia, all of whom are viewed as middle-of-the-road individuals with liberal leanings. BPP trustee Dadi Engineer has been trying to placate both the liberal and orthodox sections while Maneck Engineer maintains a low profile, involving himself in the areas that he is most conversant with.
Mehta's other ally was former BPP trustee Rustom Tirandaz who lost to Maneck Engineer in 2002. Tirandaz, like Mehta, also appealed to the orthodox lobby. But his defeat may also be due to his pe
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