Silver jubilee special

In its 25th year of publication, Knowledgiate, the magazine of the Dadar Athornan Institute edited by Ervad Cyrus Dinsha Sidhva, is a handsome, notebook sized periodical. In his thank you note Sidhva traces its history from the first issue dated December 22, 1984 with its offset printed cover to the latest edition which has, for the first time, foil printing. Earlier, the inside pages were cyclostyled, but now they are printed by the offset process resulting in a vastly improved product.

In his message to the students Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, high priest of Udvada states: "You all should be proud to be born into an athornan family to be trained in this institution to become a sampurna mobed.” He advises the children to not get carried away by materialistic gains but to "live and toil hard for preserving our precious ancient Zarathushti religion” as they are the hope not only of their parents but of the entire community. Ervad Irach S. Kuka, who has been associated with the Institute for decades, writes: "Going through the issues of Knowledgiate is like going through the history, development and progress of the Dadar Athornan Institute in the past two-and-a-half decades.”

From left: Ervads Darayus Bajan, Cyrus Sidhwa and Dastur Khurshed Dastoor at Knowledgiate launch

Trustee Ervad Parvez M. Bajan’s message reads: "Being associated with this august Institute in different capacities since the past 50 years, I had the privilege to know the students and staff at close quarters. It is very heartening to note that today this Institute is governed and managed by its own ex-students who have excelled in their respective fields... (the magazine is) the brainchild of Ervad Cyrus Sidhva, who has in his inimitable style reflected the hidden talents of the students over the past 25 years through this popular publication.” Ervad Vispi S. Dastur, trustee and treasurer of the Athornan Mandal records: "The magazine has over the years succeeded in educating generations of athornan students... covering diverse subjects like astronomy, religion, education, stamp collecting, scouts and guides, coins, railways, psychology, etc. As Epicletus mentions, ‘Only the educated are free.’”

Sidhva traces the development of the Institute in an article in this bilingual magazine, while principal Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia has written about the richness of the Gujarati language and explained the significance of the Institute’s new logo. Quotes, health, environment, astronomy, space, computers, personality development, patriotism, puzzles, poems (both in Gujarati and English) and drawings by students and other contributors fill the remaining pages.