ZTFE's honoraries

Four outstanding members of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE) were elected by their brethren as honorary members of the association at a special general meeting summoned by the ZTFE on October 2, 2005. Ervad Jal Karkaria, Ervad Rustom Bhedwar, Shahrokh Shahrokh and Kersey Jasavala were honored for their lifetime of commitment and service to the community.

Article 11 of the ZTFE constitution empowers the managing committee to recommend "any Zarathushtrian who may have rendered meritorious services to the community in religious, social, economic or intellectual advancement of the community or whose public services and achievements may have reflected exceptional credit on the community” to the general body for election as honorary member by a three-fourths majority. "Election as honorary member is the highest honor that the ZTFE can bestow,” notes their circular adding that no one in the past 22 years had been so honored.

The ZTFE trustees and managing committee standing behind honorary members (R to L) Shahrokh, Bhedwar, Karkaria and Jasavala

The circular recounts their public service: Karkaria is known to have served the community’s religious requirements in East Africa and the UK for nearly 60 years. Bhedwar similarly provided dedicated service as a mobed, simultaneously representing the community at the national and interfaith levels. Architect Shahrokh led the construction of the extension at the ZTFE’s original home at 88 Compaygne Gardens and spearheaded the renovation of the magnificent Zartoshty Brothers Hall, the beautiful Setayesh Gah and indeed the whole of the new Zoroastrian Centre at Rayners Lane. Trustee Jasavala and his wife Silloo quietly helped Zoroastrian families through difficult initial adjustment on migration to the UK.