“The common man’s candidate”

"Help is his second name,” declared Nilufer Nasirabadwala when introducing Tehmtan Jamshedji Dumasia as a Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) trusteeship candidate at an interactive session organized at the Eco Park at Godrej Baug on March 15, 2009. But the former president and secretary of the Godrej Baug Residents Welfare Association needed no introduction to the gathering of nearly 50 individuals constituted largely of his friends and well-wishers.

Tehmtan Dumasia: team member

During the terrorist attacks on the city in November last, standing vigil through the night, Dumasia was among those who came to the assistance of families whose loved ones were trapped at the Trident. "No one told him to do it. He did not need to do so. But that’s the way he and his supportive wife Shernaaz are,” appreciated Nasirabadwala, reminding the audience that "we need a common man like him on the trust board.” Having secured 935 votes at the last elections, Dumasia had earned 21st rank among the 32 who had contested the elections in October 2008. "This is our second chance to vote for him,” she urged, summing up his active involvement with other bodies: as secretary (South Bombay) District Congress Committee, joint secretary Congress Committee (I) Block 11, volunteer for Senior Citizen Helpline 1090, member of Mohalla Peace Committee Malabar Hill. He is also among those responsible for introducing a B.E.S.T. bus service from Grant Road to Godrej Baug.

Collegian Nutash Kotwal gave Dumasia credit for "bringing up Eco Park at Godrej Baug, for encouraging our youth at sports, Vibes (dance extravaganza) or whatever… We need a member of our colony on the BPP.”

Disillusioned with the performance of the recently elected board of trustees, another resident of Godrej Baug, Cyrus Desai noted, "We can’t elect all and sundry. What does their score card tell us?…” Having learnt from his lesson he advised, "People elected are good talkers. We need good doers.” He went on to cite an instance of how fronds from a palm tree were jutting in through his window and complaints to the colony manager and gardeners fell on deaf ears until Dumasia, learning of the problem, personally climbed onto the window ledge and with knife in hand struck down the protruding branch.

With his banners describing him as "The man who can make the difference,” Dumasia told the audience, "I will only promise what I can deliver.” Voicing the prevailing discontent among Godrej Baug residents that the new team of trustees reneged on their pre-election promise to convert leave and licence occupancy of flats to tenancy, Dumasia conveyed that he would be more interested in maintenance of buildings at Godrej Baug and Panthaky Baug and in establishing an amenities center for senior citizens in every baug. He felt there should be a subcommittee with one representative from each baug. Having resided in sanatoria in earlier days he felt he was well qualified to resolve grievances of community members and those in queue for housing allotment.

A businessman with interests ranging from floral decorations (Shernaaz Florist), to photography (Foto Flash Video Labs), to catering (‘K’ Caterers) Dumasia is conscious that "our youth need to be steered in the right direction.” He proposed the setting up of cells that would give them the right opportunities. Although he was not in favor of "dishing out money that could make the recipients dependent,” he hoped to pursue the dream of bringing together all the trusts under one roof.

After professing his allegiance to dakhmenashini he declared that as an independent candidate he would be able to work with different trustees and endeavor to "stop the bickering…I have my own free mind…I have always worked as a team member.”

"The common man’s candidate,” as he likes to describe himself, declares in his manifesto, "Despite having a busy business schedule, I still find time to help people socially, standing up for what is right against all odds and winning the trust of the people…I have established a standard of sorts with sheer hard work and perseverance…I believe in accountability…”