Tata’s select nine

For the second consecutive year the women scholars selected by The Jamsetjee Nusserwanjee Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians outnumbered men among Parsis. "Of the nine scholars, five are women,” states Dr Nawaz Mody, director of the Endowment. From among the 148 scholars selected this year, only nine are from the community. Due to the depleting population of the community, "the number of Parsi applicants… have decreased this year from 22 (2.53 percent) in 2011-12 to 19 (2.41 percent) in 2012-13,” she laments. With one each from Goa and Poona, the remaining seven belong to Bombay.

To give so that others could learn was the aim of philanthropist Jamsetjee Tata who founded this endowment in 1892 with a corpus of Rs 25 lakhs. Initially named The J. N. Tata Education Scholarship, in 1939 it was changed to The Jamsetjee Nusserwanjee Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians.

Off to the United States of America are seven students with one scholar opting to go to Spain and another to France. Biological science, financial mathematics, health and rehabilitation science, human genetics, applied theater, electrical and electronics engineering, marketing and strategy, international security, and electrical and computer engineering are the various subjects to be pursued by them.

Zoroastrian scholars

An alumnus of the Father Agnel School and Dr D. Y. Patil University at New Bombay where she completed her bachelor of technology degree in biotechnology, Anahita Daruwalla will carry out further research and do her PhD in the field of cell and molecular biology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, USA. To give back to society and India in particular is what Daru­walla plans to do through her learning.

Rashna Desai plans to join the financial industry and become someone who makes a valuable difference to the lives of people as well as the organizations that she is part of. After completing her schooling from the J. B. Vachha High School and a bachelor of engineering degree from the D. J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Desai has secured admission at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA to study financial mathematics.

Health and rehabilitation science is his calling. With a bachelor of physiotherapy degree in hand from the K. G. Somaiya College of Physiotherapy, Berzisht Hillowala worked as a sports physical therapist. Off to the University of Pittsburgh, USA, he would like to acquire expertise in his chosen field to enable him to "treat patients with a much better understanding.”

Planning to work as a genetic counsellor, Arnavaz Kollah would like to carry out further research and work on gene therapy strategies against diseases like Alzheimer’s or Par­kinson’s. For that she has secured admission at USA’s Virginia Commonwealth University where she will pursue a master’s degree in human genetics. Kollah completed her BSc from Jai Hind College and her MSc from Ramnarain Ruia College specializing in life sciences.

Choosing the Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London, UK to study drama education is Persis Mistry. An alumnus of H. R. College of Commerce, Bombay, Mistry has been teaching speech and drama at three different schools which has given her an opportunity to work with children from varied backgrounds. She now wishes to be trained to work with children who have learning disabilities, are physically and mentally challenged, or underprivileged. While working with Akanksha Drama Club, she realized that drama not only builds confidence and creativity, but also channels energy and improves communication among children.

Fardin Niroo completed his bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli specializing in electronics engineering. He plans to complete his mas­ter’s in the same field from the Northwestern Poly­technic University in USA.

Spain beckoned Anosh Patrawalla who will be pursuing a degree specializing in marketing and strategy at the IE Business School. After schooling at Bombay International, Patrawalla completed a chemical engineering degree at Bom­bay’s D. J. Sin­ghvi College of Engineering. The young lad firmly believes that he "can give back to society” and plans to ensure that the company he chooses to join in the future will work towards the welfare of society.

From Poona headed for France is Daneesh Sethna. Securing admission for a master’s degree in international security at the Paris School of International Affairs, she studied at St Mary’s High School and Fergusson College, both in Poona.

To infuse a "fresh perspective and a deeper understanding of international problems” is the objective of the young scholar who would like to return to her country after qualifying. Being a professional in the field of international relations, Sethna would be able to contribute to India’s growth and development, she believes.

After studying in Goa at the Vasantrao Dempo School of Arts and Science, Afshin Yazdani went to Vellore, Tamil Nadu to specialize in electrical and electronics engineering. He has enrolled at the Cornell University, USA to do his MS degree in electrical and computer engineering. "To help India to develop and prosper in the future by implementing new ideas and innovations,” is Yazdani’s aim after he returns to India.