Bonding by Bustani

Dr Meherbanu Iranpur Bustani, 75, secretary of the Sixth World Zoroastrian Congress (6WZC) in Iran who was committed to promoting the Zoroastrian religion as also cultural ties between Iranians and the Parsis of India and the diaspora, on March 5, 2010 in Tehran following multiple myeloma.

An ardent community and social worker she was amongst the authorized translators for the 6WZC held in Tehran and played an active role in matters of communications and liaising with overseas guests. Thereafter she took an active part in the London and Dubai World Zoroastrian Congresses, considering the last one in Dubai in December 2009 an ideal occasion for reunion with the family and the community.

Having represented the community at the United Nations related affairs in Geneva and in New York, she took keen interest in getting UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) recognize Navroz as an "intangible heritage of humanity,” noted a detailed tribute by Mobed Mehra­ban Firouzgary.

Dr Meherbanu Bustani: committed humanitarian

Lauding her "commitment to the community” and regarding her as a "wonderful friend to Parzor,” director Dr Shernaz Cama wrote in her condolence letter, "Our community owes her a great debt of gratitude for so bravely defending the Zoroastrian origins of Navroz at the time of the preparation of the candidature file for UNESCO.” As Cama had acknowledged in a mail to Meherbanu a week prior to her demise, "Your kindness and courage in representing the Zoroastrian viewpoint at the first conference is greatly appreciated. Your alerting me to the nuances led to the acknowledgement by Paris of the need for revision, and for all this Zoroastrians are indebted to you.”

The World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) too valued her experience and counsel. At the time of the Bam earthquake when the WZO was seeking an Iranian social worker to guide them, they were introduced to Bustani. As recollected WZO vice president Toxy Cowasjee, "I valued her sensible advice.” Based on her recommendation they directed the funds to the Pouruchisti Foundation "to build their Senior Citizens Centre in Yazd which is proving to be an asset for our community.”

Bustani "strove relentlessly to spread knowledge of the Zoroastrian religion and culture within Iran and abroad,” acknowledged Firouzgary’s tribute, giving her credit for numerous translations and publications relating to the Zoroastrian identity. When Mobed Ardeshir Azargoshasp’s book, The Role of Women in Ancient Iran was out of print and refused reprint permission by the Iranian Ershad (Censorship) Committee unless she agreed to certain alterations in the original text, she took it upon herself to have the entire book photocopied and distributed. She traveled to Tajikistan on two occasions as the honored guest of the President of the Republic.

She played an active role in the foreign relations committee of the Tehran Zartoshti Anjoman at the time of celebrating the UNESCO announced 3,000th year of Zoroastrian Culture when she was required to communicate with foreign dignitaries and look after the visitors attending the celebrations in Tehran.

A long-standing member of the Sazeman e Zanan (women’s council) in Iran, she led its foreign relations as also youth affairs committees. Her voluntary services as an interpreter and translator included a detailed brochure on the activities of the association. "After the Iranian revolution Dr Bakhtiyari (as she was better known by her maiden name) put aside medical practice and devoted her time and energy to the Zoroastrian community. She strove to help the needy and made it possible for several students from less advantaged backgrounds to pursue their education,” mentioned Firouzgary.

Meherbanu and her husband Dr Iran­pur had spent four decades in Iran ever since they migrated to the country in 1969 on being offered jobs in the National Iranian Oil Company hospital. Prior to that they were in the UK where Meherbanu worked as a gynecologist while Iranpur obtained the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Bombay born Meherbanu was the youngest of seven children of Gohar and Rustom Bakhtiary. After her schooling from The J. B. Vachha High School for Parsi Girls she passed her intermediate science examination from St Xavier’s College and joined the G. S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital where she met Iranpur.

They have two children. Son Hooman is a Cornell graduate working as an electronic engineer in USA and daughter Navaz is a UK qualified barrister with a successful practice in London.

Admiring her mother’s resilience Navaz wrote, "She never took ‘no’ for an answer and it was this same strength that kept her fighting till the last day. Even in her last few days in hospital when her doctors had pretty much given up, she was still planning her next dinner party and what all to do in the New Year…”

The buoyant Bustani is survived by her husband Dr Iranpur, son Hooman and daughter Navaz.