Ushta-te awards

For their outstanding achievements Delnaz Jokhi, Dr Shazneen Commissariat and Dr Roozaan P. Bharucha received awards from Ahmedabad’s Ushta-te Foundation at its 8th Annual Awards Function on February 9, 2008, as per an e-mail sent to Parsiana by Shirin Kanga, trustee of the Foundation.

The evening’s program began with a monajat sung by the youngsters of ZAGA (Zarthusthi Awareness Group of Ahmedabad). Managing committee trustee Meher Medora introduced and welcomed the dignitaries — chief guest Dr Dinyar Pestonjee, guest of honor noted dancer and Padma Vibhu­shan recipient Mrinalini Sara­bhai and special guest Hosi Mehta from Chicago, as per Kanga’s e-mail. Minnie Patel briefly recounted the activities of the trust during the year.

Prizes were given away to children for the prayer competition and to those who scored high percentages in the SSC and HSC examinations. Sarabhai presented awards in memory of the late Rustomji and Meher Contractor for a visually impaired person, a successful puppeteer and to an organization for its committed social service.

Kanga reveals that of the three young Zarathushti achievers who received the Ushta-te Foundation Awards, Jokhi has earned her MPhil degree with first class first in Statistics, Commissariat got her PhD from Lancaster University, UK, for her thesis on "The Aftermath of Rape in Gujarat — the dialectics of Voice and Silence” and Bharucha, who is the chief scientist at TRDO (Technatro­nics Research and Development Organization), has done work with space vehicle modules, defence vehicle modules, radioactive technology modules, artificial intelligence systems, medical systems, self-intellectual software and hardware, radiation technology for medical sciences, hyper intelligent robotic system, cosmic radiation systems and their uses. In March 2008 he was slated to receive The International R & D Reward for the Best Scientist of 2007-8, for which he was accorded a standing ovation. Jamshed Pardiwalla proposed a vote of thanks while Pearl Sabawala ably conducted the proceedings, reports Kanga.

Immediately following the presentation of the awards a dance-drama titled "And they came to India” was staged by danseuse Sarabhai’s daughter Mallika and her Natrani Group. The next day, The Times of India aptly described it as "re-living Parsi history on stage.” As the narrator, Mallika took the audience through 3,500 years of history of the Zarathushtis starting from King Hoshang to the time of the arrival of the Parsis in the court of Jadi Rana. The presentation was uniquely and effectively conceptualized, with lively detailed commentary, colorful costumes and graceful dancing to martial and Persian music, informs Kanga.