Admirable achievers

Ashavans: A Legacy of Leadership is an attempt to recognize the outstanding contributions of 101 eminent Zoroastrians, exceptional men and women who have made a name both in their fields and the community. The idea for this book, author Meher Bhesania tells us, was sparked during the 9th World Zoroastrian Congress held in Dubai in 2009 when it was decided to bring out a coffee table book on the subject. As chair of the Congress, Bhesania accepted the responsibility of authoring the book and getting it published.
The book is divided into two parts: the main section comprises profiles of those who are still alive and the other "those who have left their footprints on the sands of time…” Initially the idea, Bhesania tells us in the introduction, was to focus only on those who are still alive. Later, tributes to giants like Jamsetji Tata, Dadabhai Naoroji and others were added. The book has succeeded admirably in including personalities from various countries and diverse fields such as businessmen, industrialists, lawyers, judges, doctors, artists, actors, singers, dancers, journalists, professionals from accountancy, advertising and engineering, among others. And not to be left behind there are the priests and one lone cricketer. The countries represented include India, Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, apart from Europe and North America. The first part of the profiles contains a descriptive sketch of the persons profiled and their contribution to their respective fields, while the second part is a career trajectory, with listings of important milestones in their lives. This is an excellently produced coffee table book and both the designer and the printer deserve kudos for a job well done.
However, a book is more than just creative designing and attractive high quality printing. While this meritorious attempt has much to commend it, this reviewer has some reservations about Bhesania’s choice of personalities. Any such selection is bound to have an element of subjectivity, and will certainly not please all, but the problem here is that quite a few, while certainly successful in their fields, do not qualify for the appellation "eminent.” While it would be in poor taste to mention names, some real heavyweights share the same space with what appear to be friends (and family?) of the author. The word eminent presupposes at least some element of fame beyond national borders, and certainly beyond the local parish. A few of Bhesania’s ashavans (upholders of Asha, righteousness) do not quite measure up when this yardstick is applied.
In all fairness, the author does discuss this in her introduction. Bhesania observes: "We are acutely aware that there are bound to be errors of omission, for while the 101 personalities who are featured in this book have pursued and espoused excellence and deserve to be lauded, there are many other equally eminent people who are worthy of recognition and richly deserve to be commended for their admirable achievement, but could not be included. It is our humble request, therefore, to kindly find it in your hearts to forgive us for exercising this discretion.” Unfortunately, the problem here concerns not who was left out (as many will be, given the nature of the book and finiteness of space), but the ones who have been included.
Some factual mistakes also occur in the book. Minoo Shroff was not the founder president of the Forum of Free Enterprise; it was his uncle A. D. Shroff. And it is not the A. D. Minoo Shroff Memorial Trust; it is the A. D. Shroff Memorial Trust set up to further the causes which A. D. Shroff believed in and espoused. One only hopes that there are not too many other mistakes in the book. On balance, Ashavans has a great look-feel to it and will look good on the bookshelf and the coffee table. What it lacks in credibility, it makes up for in appearance.