Play way to welfare

A large number of members and well-wishers of The Nowroze Baug Play Center, a multi purpose social welfare centre established in 1946, attended the thanksgiving jashan on November 1, 2009 at the M. J. Wadia Agiary in Lalbaug to mark the 64th birth anniversary of the Play Centre, Armin K. Bavan informed Parsiana in a write-up sent by e-mail.

A week later, on November 7, a drawing, painting and handicrafts competition was organized by the Centre in which 34 children from four age groups participated. Judged by Roshni Mistry, drawing teacher of the J. B. Vatchha High School for Girls in Dadar, the competition was keenly contested. There were gifts for all participants and 17 winners received cash prizes. The main celebration took place on Children’s Day, November 14, with music, dance, the distribution of scholarships and prizes and a contributory dinner, the write-up mentions.

Homi P. Ustad, vice president of the Centre welcomed chief guest educationist Gool N. Ghadially, principal of Gopal Sharma Memorial International School at Powai, and her husband Naval (a former resident of Nowroze Baug), invitees and the audience. Bavan’s write-up states that the entertainment program, choreographed by Zenobia Mistry and compered by Pinky Bharucha, was interspersed with the distribution of merit scholarship prizes. This formula was successfully implemented for the first time by the Play Centre’s president Pervez Dee, Ustad, joint general secretaries Yasmin R. Engineer and Khushnawaz M. Khambatta, secretary, cultural activities Bharucha and other committee members.

This year 90 students from Std I to the postgraduate level were presented cash prizes, silver medals and certificates for securing the highest marks in their respective sections. All the cash prizes were donated by Dinshaw R. Mehta, chairman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) in memory of his father the late Rusi Mehta and were distributed by Pansy Mehta, BPP trustee Arnavaz Mistry, Prof Rohinton R. Sahuraja and Ghadially.

(Top from l): Rohinton Mehta, Nariman Mehta, Rohinton Sahuraja, Dhun Gagrat, Arnavaz Mistry, Gool and Naval Ghadially, Dinshaw and Pansy Mehta, Pervez Dee and Armaity Tirandaz; (2nd row l) Ghadially, Marisha Bilimoria, Dee; (r) dance item

Ghadially handed over 26 prizes to ICSE and SSC students who had secured 87 percent or more. Marisha K. Bilimoria of Cathedral and John Connon School, Bombay and Delnaz R. Palsetia of Divine Child High School, Andheri received silver medals in memory of the Centre’s founder the late Khody P. Kolah, for securing 94 and 93.69 percent respectively.

Sahuraja of Nowroze Baug, former principal of Podar College of Commerce and director of the Wellingkar Institute of Management Development and Research presented a silver medal in memory of his late parents to Tehmton S. Wadia for securing 87.17 percent in the BCom examination of Bombay University.

This year two differently abled students, Dinaz A. Driver who has dyslexia (a learning disability) and Sanaya G. Mistry, a spastic (with cerebral palsy) were awarded certificates and cash prizes to encourage them in their endeavors and so that other similarly challenged students should emulate them, the write-up notes.

In her address, Ghadially observed that 75 percent of the awardees were girls and wondered why boys lagged behind. She urged the boys to work hard and do better in their exams to ensure a good future career and not to while away precious time in unproductive activities. Parents should encourage their children to pursue and qualify in the many career options available to them today that were not there when she was a student. Most important, she advised parents not to compare their children with their neighbors’ offspring as this develops inferiority complex in youngsters, who react in different ways. Students should respect their parents and heed their advice, she said, ending on a positive note.

After flowers were presented to the chief guest and other dignitaries, Ustad announced forthcoming activities of the Play Centre such as a paper collection drive, rangoli and cooking competitions. Singing of the Parsi anthem and the national anthem was followed by over 444 persons partaking of the delicious dinner catered for by Tanaz Godiwalla.