The right direction

On Independence Day, the World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis (WAPIZ) announced the names of their four-member panel for the Bombay Parsi Puncha­yet (BPP) trusteeship elections. Two of the candidates, WAPIZ founder trustees Khojeste Mistree and Yazdi Desai were expected to contest, but the other two, financial management consultant Bomi Kavina and educationist Shirin Choksey were surprises. Kavina’s name had been making the rounds but not Choksey’s.

"All four WAPIZ candidates have not only the requisite qualifications to administer our largest community trust with expertise, but have the time, dedication and determination to steer the community in the right direction at this time of crisis,” stated a write-up on the WAPIZ Page in The Free Press Journal of August 15, 2008.

The Page also carried a letter signed by High Priests Dasturs (Drs) Kaikhus­roo JamaspAsa and Firoze Kotwal endorsing the four-member panel and observing "WAPIZ has, in a short period of time since its formation, actively fought to promote and preserve several traditional causes.

"WAPIZ has also zealously defended our system of dakhmenashini despite bitter criticism and community media attacks from a small group of misguided members of the community.”

Warning that "the community is in a crisis,” the WAPIZ write-up lists the perceived threats: the advocacy of conversion, the attacks on dakhmenashini, encroachment of community lands, neglect of the poor.

"The irreligious demands made by the reformists over the last seven to eight years have divided and torn the community apart and plunged it from one crisis to another, stalling the productive work of the BPP and relegating constructive issues like education, care of our elderly, etc to the background. The need of the hour is to have leaders who are not only capable but have the single-minded determination to avert the crisis facing the community and lead it on the right path,” WAPIZ stated.

Bio datas (edited from the WAPIZ Page)

Khojeste P. Mistree

A fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, he was the first Parsi J. N. Tata scholar to receive funding to study Zoroastrianism at the prestigious University of Oxford. He is the co-founder and managing trustee of Zoroastrian Studies (ZS) and a trustee of the Athravan Educational Trust (AET). Mistree is a member of the UK based Alliance for Religion and Conservation (ARC). A publisher of several books and an author, Mistree has written two books, Zoroastrianism – An Ethnic Perspective and The Zarathushti Religion: A Basic Text (co-authored). He has produced a documentary on Zoroastrianism, titled Revelation a Light in Darkness. Mistree was one of the first to start educational-cum-religious pilgrimages to Iran.

Yazdi H. Desai

A resident of Rustom Baug, Byculla, Desai is the joint managing director of Writer Corporation (formerly known as P. N. Writer) — a 55-year-old company having over 2,500 employees, and doing business across India and the Middle East, enjoying market leadership in corporate relocations, information management, cash management, supply chain solutions and premium properties development. Desai is also a trustee of Kripa Foundation, a registered trust devoted to the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug and substance abuse and related HIV/AIDS affliction, funded by the Government of India, UNICEF, UNDP, Clinton Foundation and CRS. The Kripa Foundation is the only Indian NGO recognized as part of the US Government’s Anti-Drug Program.

Bomi D. Kavina

Kavina is a retired banker with over 40 years of experience. After serving the Central Bank of India for over 20 years, he was invited by the Standard Chartered Bank and subsequently by the BNP Paribas to start their training systems in India. Kavina is an expert in the field of finance and management, and has conducted workshops in related fields in India and overseas. He was the founder general secretary of PYLA (Parsee Youth League of Ahmedabad) and subsequently the youngest ever member to be on the managing committee of the Ahmedabad Parsee Panchayat. He served the community in Ahmedabad, till he moved to Bombay in the year 1981. He also serves as an honorary treasurer on the FKS Foundation, a public charitable trust.

Shirin D. Choksey

Choksey is an educationist with 34 years’ experience at the Godrej Udyachal School at Vikhroli where she served as both the headmistress and principal. She has published several papers and has co-authored a book titled Guide to Principals. Additionally she has been invited by the Bombay Municipality and the State and Central Government to outline national educational policies. She believes that the BPP as an institution must primarily focus on our youth. She is an expert in "Revaluation Counseling” that promotes the emotional well-being of family relationships. As a senior principal she has been the recipient of The National Award for Teachers, given by the President of India, and the Mayor’s Award for Teachers.