Ontario achievers

Eight-year-old Natasha Irani is a budding tennis star. The daughter of Firdosh and Minakshi Irani of Mississauga already has a dozen trophies and medals under her belt and has been selected to represent Ontario at the National Training Centre by Tennis Canada and the Ontario Tennis Association. Recently she won the girls under-10 tournament played at the Niagara Academy of Tennis, notes the November newsletter of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario (ZSO).

Composer-writer Raiomond Mirza

Canada raised music composer Raiomond Mirza is an ethnomusicologist from London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) whose doctoral dissertation was on the musicology of Zoroastrian prayer in India and Iran, notes the newsletter. He has just finished composing music for the film Manorama Six Feet Under directed by Navdeep Singh and produced by Shemaroo Mumbai, it adds.

"His music ranges from envelope pushing edgy to big blockbuster Hollywood and always adds depth and sharpness to any film, TV, radio, theater or multimedia project,” notes Mirza’s website www.mirzamusic. com. His music for Voices Story Story was performed for Queen Elizabeth II on her last African tour. He also won the public vote for his composition Viderunt Emmanuel in the BBC national new talent competition notes the website.

Mirza has studied Western classical music, electroacoustic music and communications at Concordia University, Montreal, and Indian Classical music and the music of the Near Middle East at SOAS. He is also a prolific writer and has always sought, through words and sound, to get to the heart of a story.

Ross, son of Aban and Keki Mistry of Ontario, has been nominated for a Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP) Award, notes the newsletter stating that there are fewer than 4,000 Microsoft MVPs — exceptional technical community leaders from around the world who are recognized for voluntarily sharing their knowledge and real world expertise in offline and online technical communities. Participants in technical communities number more than 100 million, it adds in contrast. Mistry, who lives in California, has also been nominated for the Ryerson University’s Alumni Award of Distinction which recognizes an individual of stature and integrity who has combined community service with high professional achievement.

Youth exchange program

ZSO’s Long Term Planning Committee is working on a youth exchange program to enable young Zarathushtis to broaden their horizons by sharing experiences and customs. The initial thrust will be to arrange for home stay for Canadian youth in the US and vice versa. Once the reciprocal arrangements are established between the two North American neighbors, the program will be widened to include other countries, notes the newsletter.