Mistry’s dedication

Arnavaz Mistry, known as ‘Annu’ or ‘Arni’ to her friends and admirers, is performing a positive role in ensuring the welfare of inmates and patients of the Sir Jamsetji Jejeebhoy Hospital’s Parsi Ward, located in the premises of the J. J. Hospital, where old and sick Parsis are housed and treated. This social worker helps needy, infirm, aged, poor, destitute and helpless Zoroastrians. With her band of dedicated associates and volunteers, she helps the inmates, whom she knows by name, to forget their unhappy past and enjoy their present life with dignity. She tries to help them lessen if not forget altogether their sufferings, as I discovered during a recent visit to the Ward.

Since 1987, Mistry has been present there every Monday and Friday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., busy with the administration, resulting in the Ward being well maintained. She also lends her services to the Parukh Dharamshalla for the old and infirm at Khareghat Colony; Young Rathestars, the social workers of Dadar; Acworth Leprosy Home; Don Bosco Shelter; Kamala Mehta Blind School; Jai Vakeel School at Sewri for children in need of special care; the Stree Zarthoshti Mandal and many other organizations.

Mistry’s mentor and role model, the late Silloo Kavarana, inducted and trained her in social service. Without Kavarana’s guidance and supervision there may not have been a separate building for the J. J. Parsi Ward. With the baton now firmly in Mistry’s hands, Kavarana’s dream of providing care, shelter and a homely atmosphere at the Parsi Ward is being carried forward.

KERSI NARIMAN