Rotary’s record

Terming the appointment of Nowroze Vazifdar as president of The Rotary Club of Bombay (RCB) "history in the making,” immediate past president Paul George noted Vazifdar’s father Dr Jamshed had also held the same post three decades earlier. "This is the first time in the history of the club that a father-son duo have held the post. We have to laud one family which for three generations has rendered yeoman service” to this Club. They can in truth be referred to "as the first family of this very Club,” observed George.

(Above) Nowroze and Niloufer Vazifdar; (below) Nowroji (left) and Dr Jamshed Vazifdar

Nowroze’s grandfather, Khan Bahadur Captain Dr Nowroji was a member of the Club over six decades ago. "We look forward to Nowroze’s son Jamshyd joining. It would be a world record,” George added.
At a posh luncheon held on July 3 in the ballroom of the Taj Mahal Hotel the 63-year-old chartered accountant and company secretary told the distinguished gathering of fellow Rotarians and their guests, "It is a tremendous privilege to lead RCB… It’s a wonderful Club with a wealth of talent.” He spoke about the Club embarking on a "landmark project of our own,” one that would involve an eight-figure sum of money... "It’s never been done before.” He said the proposal, if approved by the concerned committee, would be placed before the membership for their appraisal. Alternatively, the Club could "build upon existing projects… We are cautious and conservative in the way we deal with other people’s money,” he reminded the audience.
Addressing his concern over "falling attendance” at the regular Tuesday afternoon meetings of the Club at the Taj, Vazifdar commiserated with members who do not live or work in the vicinity of the Hotel and may have to travel up to two hours to attend a half an hour meet. He suggested every quarter a meeting be held on Tuesday evening at which "the formal agenda will be completed in a trice,” leaving the members and their spouses time to socialize.
President elect Nirav Shah echoed Vazifdar’s concern over falling attendance at the 330-strong member Club. RCB had a "net growth in membership of 10 percent. Others have overtaken us,” he noted.
Addressing "this august Club,” Rotary district governor Dr Bal Inamdar spoke on the need for "quality and quantity membership.” He advised the members to be concerned about the organization’s public image rather than public relations. "We must position ourselves as a friend” of those in need. "The community must think of Rotary as numero uno in public service… Do something for Bombay,” he counseled.
During his years with the Club, Vazifdar served as chairman of various committees, joint honorary secretary, honorary secretary, director on the board of the Club, president-nominee and president-elect. He has a master’s degree in management studies, is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI); has served as president of the ICSI; a member of the Central Government’s Advisory Committee on Company Law and the Accounting Standards Board of ICAI; and as chairman of the Secretarial Standards Board of the ICSI for a number of years.
"He also has been member/chairman of several committees of industry associations such as ASSOCHAM (The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India), CII (The Confederation of Indian Industry), BCCI (The Board of Control for Cricket in India) and other professional bodies,” noted RCB’s weekly publication The Gateway, July 10 to July 16, 2012.
Nowroze’s grandfather Dr Nowroji Vazifdar held the rank of captain in the army (medical service) as also the more forceful title of Khan Bahadur. He was a forensics expert and was much in demand as a government pleader/prosecutor in some rather complex matters. He authored several books, one of which was titled The Physiology of the Central Nervous System, notes Gateway.
"He was happily married (to the same lady) for more than 65 years and had three daughters and one son (my father),” said the grandson.
"Nowroze’s father Dr Jamshed Vazifdar served the Rotary Club of Bombay as president in the year 1980-81. As secretary of the Indian Red Cross Society, he helped give momentum to the movement which excelled in providing quick medical facilities in times of accidents and emergencies,” states Gateway.
"The blood donation campaigns devised by him embraced even ordinary citizens and helped popularize the concept of giving a small amount of blood — to be used by an unknown person, in an unknown place and at an indeterminate date in the future.
"For innumerable years till 2001 he permitted the Rotary Club’s office to function out of a part of the Indian Red Cross Building adjacent to the Asiatic Library at Horniman Circle,” noted the weekly.
Nowroze is married to Niloufer (née Mistry) and has two children Anaita (Manek) Davar and Jamshyd.