Muscle power

In February 2011, 47-year-old Navroze Dapotawala of Surat had won a gold medal and the title of Mr India (Masters) at the All India Body Building competition held in Bhopal, the first body builder from Gujarat to achieve this honor. The win entitled him to participate in the Mr Asia contest later in the year. .

At the 10th All India Zoroastrian Body Building Championship on March 26, 2011 at Rustom Baug in Bombay, Dapotawala won the title of Mr Zoroastrian — for the fourth time in a row! The 11 competitors in three weight categories, sweat dripping down buffed bodies, enervated by the heat and humidity of March, went through the seven mandatory poses — front double bicep, front lat (lateral) spread, front side chest, back double bicep, back lat spread, side tricep, abdomen with thigh muscle, with the enthusiastic audience shouting out encouragement to their favorites! The one-minute solos of free posing, to the booming beats of Bollywood, elicited more shouts and whistles as the judges whittled down the field to three in each category.

Percy Rasaldar, Rustom Patel and Shahrukh Sholapurwala stood first, second and third respectively in the 70 kg category. In the 80 kg group, Dennis Rasaldar prevailed over Sherzad Dastur, with Neville Bodhanwala third. In the heaviest category, Porus Dutia and Surat’s Harvesp Kapadia took second and third position respectively after Dapotawala. The Best Poser prize went to Dennis Rasaldar.

At the power lifting event (bench press) held earlier in the day, 25-year-old Meherzad Chinoy bared his muscle power, lifting 175 kg in the 80+ kg category to annex the title of Champion of Champions yet again. At the National Bench Press Power Lifting competition organized by the Indian Power Lifting Federation at Jammu from March 11-13, Chinoy had lifted 170 kg and stood a creditable fifth. There were more participants at the nationals this time, with 45-60 lifters in each weight category, he explains. "This year I had got directly selected for the state level. At the Mumbai Mahapour Maharashtra State Level Bench Press Power Lifting Championship on February 13 at Vashi in New Bombay, I lifted 162.5 kg and won a silver medal,” Chinoy informs Parsiana.

In the ladies category at the Rustom Baug power lifting, Benafsha Gazdar, Dr Anahita Sinor and Navsari’s Yasmin Jagirdar took first, second and third spot respectively. Continuing to show sporting spirit past their half century mark, Adi Irani, Fili Marawala and Aspi Mistry were winners in that order in the veterans category. Yazad Mobedji, Farhad Aibara and Yazad Bhesania topped their respective weight groups. Twenty-eight-year-old Mobedji, born with several handicaps which necessitated 10 surgeries, also gave a live demonstration of power lifting on stage, afore an appreciative audience.

The high intensity exercises of 76-year-old Adi Patel captured goggle-eyed attention once again! Dressed only in shorts, age sitting lightly on lean body, Patel went through a regimen which someone a quarter of his age would find punishing! Lying head down on a bench, Patel lifted his torso up and down a phenomenal 29 times, holding a heavy metallic plate on his chest! Swinging 16 lb clubs in each hand 50 times, head balancing with cycling and scissor action, slow motion twists and turns on the Roman rings… despite the heat and near exhaustion, the septuagenarian’s adrenaline continued to flow!

The event was organized by the NarYman K. Dubash Foundation and co-sponsored by Burjor Antia, Central Bank of India, Jamshed and Shirin Guzder Trust and Dinshaw Tamboly of The WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisa­tion) Trust Funds, as per the organizers. The prize money was enhanced and sponsored by the Kathawalla family. Viraf Chini­wala presented the Best Poser Trophy in memory of the late Prof Tehmu­rasp Sarkari. The body building contest was conducted under the aegis of Viraf Panthaki and the members of the Indian Body Building Federation. Rustom Baug’s Rustom Jasoo­money and Hu­toxi Do­odhwala played leading roles in the organization of the entire event, assisted by committee members Homiar Shroff, Percy Bahmani and Hoshi Batliwala, with Aashdin Billimoria providing back-end support. Encouraging the participants, as always, was fitness guru Mickey Mehta of 360° Gym.

Young and old showcasing their muscle power: (left) Adi Patel and Meherzad Chinoy

Doodhwala, who was the master of ceremonies, termed the body building event an "exhilarating evening.” What motivated you to participate? we asked Sholapurwala who lives and works in Sydney as a sales manager for a chain of furniture stores. "I was born and brought up here in Rustom Baug and emigrated around 10 years ago,” he relates. Having played badminton for Bombay University during his college days, Sholapur­wala believes in keeping himself fit, though competitive sport is no longer practical. "My friend Rustom Patel (well-known biker who lives in Rustom Baug, who took to body building just three months ago) asked me to participate and I extended my holiday to do so,” says Sholapurwala.

"It felt pretty good to win, though there were very few in each group,” opines Percy Rasaldar who is a freelance fitness trainer. "You have to spend money to keep doing body building, so sponsorship is essential.” Keen to enter the body building contest was 73-year-old Mistry, but "seniors were not allowed,” he states. "I go to the Maharashtra Seva Man­dal gym near my house regularly. I used to do weight lifting and body building in my young days and have participated in contests. Even now I feel an uneasiness if I don’t exercise,” he declares. Lifting 65 kg in the bench press event, Mistry regrets that there were only two other competitors in the veterans group, both 10-15 years his junior.

We ask Dapotawala whether he would be taking part in the nationals and other contests this year. It is once again a matter of raising resources, he replies. "My Hindu friends helped me last time,” he asserts. Travel costs, accommodation, food, etc do not get covered in the prize money, says the body builder who has preserved his physique for two decades.