FOZAWAC awards

Ninety-three Zoroastrian students (56 girls and 37 boys) who had secured high marks in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations were felicitated by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations for Welfare and Culture (FOZAWAC), as per a write-up sent to Parsiana by Rusi Bhumgara, general secretary of the association. The function, held on September 23, 2008 at the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution (BJPCI), was sponsored by the World Zoroastrian Or­ganisation (WZO), India. Cash prizes of over Rs 70,000 were distributed and the toppers also received acrylic awards.

Star of the show was Khushnum Godiwalla of St Mira’s College, Poona who scored 93 percent marks in the HSC (Commerce), standing first in that stream in the entire Maharashtra State Higher Secondary Board. Along with the Mr and Mrs Shavaksha Pagdiwalla scholarship offered to toppers in each category, Godiwalla received a special cash prize from FOZAWAC for her commendable achievement.

Dadar’s J. B. Vachha School won the best school award for the fifth time for having 10 Zoroastrian girls scoring over 80 percent marks in the SSC examinations. Four students each from the Maneckji Cooper and Girton High Schools also scored similar percentages.

J. B. Vachha students with Best School Award and Dadi Engineer (3rd from right) Photo: C. C. Gandevia

Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee and noted solicitor Dadi Engineer, who is also president WZO, India, was the chief guest. His wife Silloo gave away the awards, cash prizes and certificates to the meritorious students. Adi Mehta, president of FOZAWAC welcomed all present while Bhumgara announced the names of the awardees and thanked the sponsor, donors and trustees of the BJPCI, the write-up mentions.

The first three students in each category were Dilshad Cama (91.84 percent) of Avabai Petit School, Simone Bandrawala (90 percent) of St Joseph’s Convent, Bandra and Friya Gandhi (89.53 percent) from Avabai Petit School, all of whom had appeared for their SSC examinations. Winners in the ICSE section were Khushnum Patel (96.57 percent) of the Dhirubhai Ambani School, Sanober Daruwalla (95 percent) of Walsingham School and Jeneffer Sopariwala (93.71 percent) from Podar School in Santa Cruz. Godiwalla topped the list in the HSC-Commerce section, followed by Jehraz Munshi (89.54 percent) and Khushnaz Kotwal (87.17 percent), both from Narsee Monjee College. From the HSC-Science stream, Anoshak Irani of Ruia College scored 92.33 percent, Ruzeen Palsetia of Jai Hind College notched up 91.33 percent while Darayus Vakil of Cathedral Junior College scored 90.17 percent. Natasha Deboo of Wadia College, Poona topped the HSC-Arts stream with 88.5 percent, while Tina Dastur and Kashmira Pavri, both of St Xavier’s College, Bombay, scored 83 percent and 80.5 percent respectively, the write-up concludes.