BPA’s 93rd

"Don’t we sometimes as parents take our children for granted? Parents need to have a very different approach while handling their kids,” said guest of honor Yasmin Charna, head of the boarding section of the Avabai Petit Girls High School, addressing both parents as well as their children at the 93rd anniversary celebrations and prize distribution of The Bombay Parsee Association (BPA) held at Cama Baug on January 25, 2014.
"In this highly competitive world of today, parents want their kids to excel in every field… Soon the children find themselves being pushed and prodded by their over ambitious parents to constantly attain a level of distinction on a consistent basis. The parents must unconditionally accept their children, observe, listen and try to create a positive environment… Remember the values we leave in our children are much more important than the valuables we leave for them. Spending time with children is more important than spending money on them.”

To the children Charna admonished: "Don’t spend too much time in front of the computer, TV or with mobile phones.” Pursuing a sport or engaging in physical training activities with a proper diet will enable one to develop a very positive and healthy attitude, she advised. Among the eight nuggets she shared with the gathering are: a happy person is happy not because everything is right in his life. He is happy because the attitude towards everything is right; never hold your head high with pride and ego. Remember even a winner of a gold medal gets his medal only when he puts his head down; a grudge is the heaviest load to carry, so forgive everyone before you sleep and God will forgive you before you wake up; you never get a second chance to make a first good impression. Never settle for second best; pray for what you deserve, not for what you desire, because you may deserve much more than you desire.
"As we meet today we cannot fail to realize that our tiny community is facing grave challenges. We seem to be frequently grabbing the headlines in the media on the subject of our diminishing numbers and other miscellaneous issues,” said chief guest Adi Engineer, former managing director of Tata Power Company Limited.
Reading out messages from Sonia Gandhi, president of the All India Congress Committee and cine star Amitabh Bachchan published in the souvenir of the recently concluded 10th World Zoroastrian Congress which mention the need to preserve, nourish and encourage the Parsi community as they are a "community of happy people and the cause of happiness in others,” Engineer said that while "others applaud our distinct identity, some amongst us do not seem to appreciate this fact.” Citing his experience "spanning more than 50 years of professional work starting from the bottom rung and working my way up to the top,” he said he had "drawn strength from our Parsi Zarathushti way of life. I would therefore strongly appeal to our youth to strive for success in their chosen fields upholding the same. There are boundless opportunities in today’s world for our youth to become great achievers, all that is needed is parental attention to their balanced development in their formative years and sustained hard work keeping true to our Parsi values and ethos.” He ended his speech by urging the community to remain true to their faith.
The evening began with a jashan ceremony performed by Ervads Farzad and Hormuz Ravji followed by a humbandagi by the young athornans of the Dadar Athornan Institute. A two minutes’ silence was observed in memory of the late Mehli Colah, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet. Vispi Dastur, BPA president remembered the services rendered by the founders and past presidents over a period of 93 years. He mentioned that even today Parsis are achievers and not just living on past glory.
BPA Achievement Awards were given to Goolcheher Patel (social work), Dr Darius Umrigar (holistic healing), Keki Doodhwala (sports journalism), Behzad Kharas (architecture), Yezdi Bhamgara (differently abled sports) and Shireen Mistri (academic excellence). Ten Parsi ladies who have been weaving kustis for more than 40 years were felicitated by Dastur with cash awards sponsored by the Parsee Vegetarian and Temperance Society. The Navaz Jimi Kathawalla Memorial Prizes for various competitions were distributed by Charna, Engineer, his wife Pervize, daughter and editor of Jam-e-Jamshed Shernaaz along with Maharukh Noble, sister of Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla, the main sponsor of the prizes. A CD containing Kavi Firoze Batliwalla’s monajats was given to the kusti weavers, courtesy Anahita Desai, CEO of WAPIZ (World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis).
The function, attended by around 450, ended with a community dinner catered by Jimmy Gadiwalla.