Growing global commerce

The prestigious World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) Honorary Membership (awarded to an eminent business personality) will this year be conferred on Dr Jamshed J. Irani, director of Tata Sons (the holding company of the Tata Group) and former managing director of Tata Steel. With business India progressing steadily up the international value chain, the WZCC is to hold its global annual general meeting (AGM 2007) in Poona over the weekend of January 12-13, 2008. One of India’s leading industrial and Information Technology cities which also has a large number of prosperous Zoroastrian enterprises, Poona’s balmy winter weather was thought to be conducive to comfort for delegates from the 20+ WZCC chapters functioning across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, UK and North America. Zoroastrian non-members and guests are also welcome to attend, states the WZCC website www.wzcc.net

The two-day program, designed to inform, educate and entertain, kicks off with a visit to the factory of bluechip company Tata Motors in Pimpri, Poona’s manufacturing suburb. With Tata Motors rolling out its millionth car (in nine years on the not-so-small-anymore Indica platform), the factory visit is limited to 50 persons and will be followed by lunch. "Participants must book in advance, so please be prompt,” exhorts the WZCC website.

Jamshed Irani: WZCC honor at global meet

This will be followed by a Gala Night commencing at 6.30 p.m. at the Ladies’ Club in Poona Cantonment, with awards being presented to outstanding Zoroastrian entrepreneurs and professionals selected earlier by a jury. Irani’s keynote address will be followed by light entertainment and opportunities to meet and mingle during cocktails and dinner.

The AGM and conclave will be held on the morning of January 13 in the state of the art auditorium at the new Tehmi Grant Memorial Cancer Institute of the Ruby Hall Clinic on Sassoon Road, not far from Poona railway station. Profitable propositions will be the group discussions/presentations by the respective special interest groups (manufacturing, services, IT, finance, etc). Post lunch, there will be more issues on the front burner with panel discussions and audience participation, ending after tea at around 3.30 p.m.

A special concessional rate of Rs 700 is available for those attending both the Gala Night and the AGM (priced at Rs 400 each, including the respective meals). Charges for the factory visit (including bus transport from Bombay to Poona and back to Bombay the next day) are Rs 500 per head. For those who choose to make their own transport arrangement, the rate is Rs 150 per head.

With comfortable and reasonable accommodation available in hotels, clubs and service apartments (some of which are listed on the WZCC site), delegates are urged to reserve well in advance as winter is high season in Poona.

Bookings/ enquiries can be made by phoning the WZCC Bombay office on 91-22-32968175 or by emailing wzccindia@on-lyne.com or getting in touch with Mumbai chapter chair Edil Katrak (synochem@vsnl.com), technical director Yazdi Tantra (yazdi@on-lyne.com) or Poona committee member Viraf Deboo (deboo@vsnl.com), treasurer Tehmas Bharucha (tehmasp @yahoo.com) or Poona chapter chair Adi Engineer (adiengr@hotmail.com)