Events & Personalities
Ushta-te’s annual day
The annual awards and prize distribution function saw several achievers receive their prizes from the Ushta-te Foundation of Ahmedabad on February 16, 2014. The entertainment program was put together by the children of the Zarathushti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad (ZAGA), mentions a report on the event sent to Parsiana via email by Shirin Kanga, trustee of the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat.
Ushta-te managing trustee Meher Medora welcomed chief guest Esther David, author and art critic as well as guest of honor Yasmin Contractor of Canada whose family was the initial donor to the Foundation. Brig (Retd) Jahangir Anklesaria, president of the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat was also invited on stage along with Kathak exponent Kumudini Lakhia. The secretary’s report, highlighting various activities of the Foundation through the year, was read out by Minnie Patel, Dr Armaity Daver delivered the vote of thanks and the youngest trustee, Delnaz Jokhi managed the proceedings of the day, mentions the email.
Villoo Mirza former director of the National Institute of Fashion Technology at Gandhinagar and coordinator for the Parzor Project received the Achiever’s Award. The youngest awardee, Ruzbeh Hodiwala was presented the Khursheed Randeria Award for Extracurricular Activities and community service. Design guru Cyrus Mobedji received a special appreciation award. He is much in demand not only in his professional capacity but also for community projects, the email notes. Raj Soni, the first deaf-blind student to pass the HSC examination in Gujarat received an award as did Vaishali Trivedi, dancer, choreographer and teacher of Kathak. Despite her physical handicap Darshita Shah is an outstanding social worker and a recipient of the President’s Award. She too was honored by the Foundation. Cash prizes for academic excellence were presented to eight students while five youngsters received prizes for noteworthy performance in sports.
Ushta-te managing trustee Meher Medora welcomed chief guest Esther David, author and art critic as well as guest of honor Yasmin Contractor of Canada whose family was the initial donor to the Foundation. Brig (Retd) Jahangir Anklesaria, president of the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat was also invited on stage along with Kathak exponent Kumudini Lakhia. The secretary’s report, highlighting various activities of the Foundation through the year, was read out by Minnie Patel, Dr Armaity Daver delivered the vote of thanks and the youngest trustee, Delnaz Jokhi managed the proceedings of the day, mentions the email.
Villoo Mirza former director of the National Institute of Fashion Technology at Gandhinagar and coordinator for the Parzor Project received the Achiever’s Award. The youngest awardee, Ruzbeh Hodiwala was presented the Khursheed Randeria Award for Extracurricular Activities and community service. Design guru Cyrus Mobedji received a special appreciation award. He is much in demand not only in his professional capacity but also for community projects, the email notes. Raj Soni, the first deaf-blind student to pass the HSC examination in Gujarat received an award as did Vaishali Trivedi, dancer, choreographer and teacher of Kathak. Despite her physical handicap Darshita Shah is an outstanding social worker and a recipient of the President’s Award. She too was honored by the Foundation. Cash prizes for academic excellence were presented to eight students while five youngsters received prizes for noteworthy performance in sports.
(Top, from l): Dr Armaity Davar, Esther David, Kumudini Lakhia, Brig Jahangir Anklesaria, Meher Medora,
Yasmin Contractor, Shirin Kanga, Minnie Patel; dance performance
The entertainment quotient, provided by 30 children from ZAGA commenced with the chanting of Yatha, Ashem and Yenghe Hatam, followed by a unique dance in Bharat Natyam style to a taped rendition of the monajat Nabio na Nabi. Several group dances followed, one among them being by young Delzad Checker who directed and performed a medley with two of his friends. Khushnum Solai was responsible for choreographing most of the dances, the email notes. Comperes for the evening were young Harshan Wykes and Jamsheed Daruwala of ZAGA.
In a notable variation, members of Hamazor, the senior citizens’ group, took to the stage under the direction of Kety Daruwala to perform skits. They also enacted a dramatic version of the well-known Parsi song, Papri, Papeta na Lagan (wedding of the field bean and the potato).
The two-and-a-half-hour program was the culmination of dedication and labor on the part of volunteers, parents and well-wishers, the email acknowledges.
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