Show of strength

The annual contest brings to the fore men of muscle. Amidst the cheering, posing and posturing of toned bodies at the Ninth All India Body Building Contest for Men on February 7, 2010 at the Sir Ness Wadia Club (SNWC), Rustom Baug in Bombay, the title of Mr Zoroastrian once again went to Navroze Dapotawala of Surat. Ruzan Bastawala, also of Surat, was awarded the Prof Tehmurasp Trophy for the Best Poser.

At the Powerlifting/Bench Press competition held earlier in the day, 56-year old Katy Karkaria of Poona showed sinew to stand first from the 10 ladies in the fray. Among the men, 24-year-old Meherzad Chinoy stole the show by bettering his own record, lifting a total of 160 kg in the 80+ kg weight category and winning the title of Champion of Champions for the second year in a row. Egged on by the crowd, Chinoy thereafter lifted a total of 167.5 kg, but this could not be counted in the competition record.

Both contests were organized by the NarYman K. Dubash Foundation, co-sponsored by Burjor Antia, Central Bank of India, Jamshed and Shireen Guzder Trust and Dinshaw Tamboly of the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust. The prizes were sponsored by the Kathawalla family, as per a write-up from the SNWC. The Superfit contests for men and women were not held as even last year there had been paucity of entries, says SNWC president Rustom Jasoomoney.

About four months prior to the Rustom Baug event, Dapotawala had participated in the Mr World body building event in Poland. Speaking to Parsiana on the phone from Surat, the body builder stated that the "body advantage, the cold weather, the diet, supplements and training the Europeans have are just not possible for us.” Dapotawala says he has now given up body building as "there is no scope” and is focusing on running his Seven Sea gym in Surat.

Thrilled to participate and win in the Rustom Baug event are the Rasaldar brothers — Dennis and Percy — who stood first and third respectively in the 70 kg weight group. The brothers train together and competing against each other is not a problem at all! "The crowd response is amazing. It feels so good to see the people cheering and encouraging us,” says Dennis. Both work in the fitness field. "I was with Willingdon Club, but am now a trainer at HDFC House at Parel,” says Percy. Dennis is with what he believes is "the world’s best gym” — Fitness First. Their mother, they say, is extremely supportive of their body building, preparing the special diet that they need.

"I am a fitness freak,” laughs Rumy Zarir who stood second in the 70 kg class. Zarir has opened a new venture opposite Sobo Central (mall), next to Captain Colony on Tardeo Road. "It is known as Mickey Mehta’s 360° Gym as I am a franchisee. It will be open from five in the morning to 10 at night. We are basically looking at what is known as the free hand concept — calisthenics, boot camp (agility drills like the ones cricketers/footballers do), high intensity yoga, etc,” he says. Mehta believes in equipment free workouts and the results are phenomenal, he states. Zarir is himself a certified personal fitness trainer from Gold Gym’s University. Building beautiful bodies does not come easy: "If I am to compete in next February’s body building contest, I have to begin the bulk-gaining sessions right now, so that by October/November I can start cutting down. Diet restrictions become very strict. But I will be busy managing my new venture so all this may not be possible.”

In the 80 kg category, Sherzad Dastur and Purazar Fouzdar representing Mehta’s 360° Gym, Health Beyond Fitness, took first and second place respectively. Harvesp Kapadia of Surat was third. Dapotawala and Bastawala were the winners in the 85 kg class.

At the Powerlifting event, 74-year-old Adi Irani was the winner in the Veteran Men category. Carl Kapadia, Mehernosh Paghdiwala and Khushru Cooper topped the 60, 70 and 80 kg weight groups respectively.

Entertaining the crowd were seven-year-olds Sherevar Mehenty and Ruby Kermani, trained by gymnastics instructor Anahita Cassinath. As in earlier years, septuagenarian Irani demonstrated with the strength of his freehand exercises that age is no bar to being fit! "An added attraction was the breathtaking exhibition of muscularity by body builders of national caliber — the current Mr India and Mr Maharashtra and alongside them Zoroastrian winners of each class were encouraged to demonstrate their physique,” notes SNWC’s Hutoxi Doodh­wala, adding that the entire event would never have been possible "without the tireless efforts of Viraf Panthaki.” Leading the Club’s organizing team were Jasoomoney and Doodhwala, with Homiar Shroff, Shahen Mistry and Aashdin Billimoria putting in special efforts for the success of what has become a landmark event in the Club’s calendar.

The body building contest was conducted by the members of the Indian Body Building Federation, under the leadership of their president Madhav Pujari and secretary Sawant.