Activities in Ahmedabad

The new board of trustees of the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP) under the presidentship of Kersasp J. Shethna has formed six sub-committees to oversee the needs of community members in matters of education, housing, medical guidance, religious matters, maintenance and repairs of properties, reports the newsletter of the APP in its July 10, 2007 edition. Dr Armaity F. Davar will look after education and the teaching of skills (hunnar), Farokh Kavina will handle housing, Dr Behram S. Anklesaria will provide medical guidance, religious matters will be handled by Ervad Navroze B. Kanga, maintenance and repairs will be overseen by Kersi D. Daruwalla, while Ervad Soli J. Unwalla will handle ‘Layuk Zarthosti’ (checking whether applicants are genuinely deserving Zarthosthis). Two additional sub-committees handling activities and projects are scheduled to follow soon.

The APP has decided to undertake repairs to and renovation of the Vakil Anjuman Adaran, its dadgah at Khama­sa, the dadgah and bunglis at Doonger­wadi, as well as the approach road leading to the blocks at Doongerwadi and the main approach road to the Sanatorium compound. It will seek the help of an expert team from Bombay for cleaning of the dakhmas, as it had done in the past.

The newsletter also informs that eminent doctors Anklesaria and Rusi Rao are now available for providing medical advice to members of the community. Young Oorvuksh Medora, president of the Gujarat chapter of World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce, and Dr Davar may be consulted by any Zoroastrian wishing to set up a new enterprise. Community members are urged to consider this option rather than seek employment. From the legal field eminent lawyers Rustom Marshall, Tehmtan Nanavaty, Areez Munshi, Percy Kavina, Jal Unwalla and others have offered to render assistance to the Anjuman.

Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat office: Hub of new activity

On the demographic front, Ahmeda­bad’s humdins are informed about Dr Mehroo Bengalee’s initiative, as member of the National Commission for Minorities, to collect exact data on the birth of every Parsi child. Appreciating her efforts, the APP has passed a resolution that henceforth it will herald the birth of every Parsi child in and around Ahmeda­bad with a token cheque of Rs 1,001 as a gesture of goodwill and good wishes, thereby maintaining an accurate record.

Joint honorary secretaries of the APP Firoz Davar and Cavas Sethna have informed, in the newsletter, that the managing committee has proposed a generous fund be raised for efforts to increase the Parsi population. Contributions to this fund would be eligible for 100 percent income tax exemption. A copy of the resolution will be sent to all concerned as well as to the government of India. The managing committee has resolved to request other anjumans to send out appeals to individuals for raising funds for this project. If this initiative gathers momentum, it will help considerably in solving the problem of dwindling numbers.

"Centuries ago, our forefathers left the shores of Iran for the honor and safety of our religion; but the very survival, existence and preservation of the religion as well as the community is a matter of grave concern,” the newsletter concludes.