Scouting to the fore

The annual function of the 16th East Bombay Zoroastrian Scout Group and 71st East Bombay Zoroastrian Guide Group was held at Allbless Baug in Bombay on September 28, 2014 with an impressive turnout of bulbuls, scouts and guides, rovers and rangers and their scouters/guiders in full uniform, Marzban Giara informed Parsiana via email.
Chief guest Noshir Dadrawala, chief executive officer of the Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy advised youngsters to pursue happiness, not just success. "Believe in yourself and your dreams. Stay positive, stay happy,” was his message. He later distributed prizes and trophies to cubs, scouts and rovers while his wife Mavaz did the honors for bulbuls, guides and rangers, the email mentions. A jashan ceremony was performed that evening as also the wedding of a Parsi couple, the expenses for which were borne by the Group.

Scouter Noshir Randeria, Group Leader (Scouts) and honorary secretary of The Young Zoroastrians Society recalled how the Group was founded by late scouters Ardeshir Jilla and Merwanji Mehta on August 1, 1920. The scouts meet every Sunday at 7 a.m. at the Parsi Gymkhana where they play baseball and at Gamadia Girls’ School at 8 a.m. for indoor activities. The Guides wing, started on August 1, 1993, is headed by Mackie Majra, group leader (Guides). Giara writes that 11 marriages have taken place among the Parsi Zoroastrian scouts and guides. The guides meet at the Pirojsha Godrej Scout/Guide Pavillion, Dhobi Talao.
Training camps are held twice a year at subsidized rates for scouts, guides, scouters and parents. In December 2013 a week-long camp was held at Panchgani at a mere Rs 500 per head. This October they had planned to go to Dehradun and Mussoorie with 140 participants, the email notes.
Guides Afreed Mehta, Kayzin Daruwalla, Zishta Patel, Huzan Bhumgara, Jazreen Deboo and Symroz Debara have won the Rashtrapati Award. Bhumgara and Daruwalla earned 18 proficiency badges. Their scouters and guiders serve in various capacities at East Bombay District Association.
Guides from this Group have won Inter Flock Competition, Best Guide Competition, Inter Company general efficiency competition as also elocution competitions at district level. Scouts have won Best Cub, elocution, computer skill competitions. The scout troop secured A+ grade in Inter Troop Adventure Award at district level, Giara recapped.
Flowers were presented to the Dadrawalas, founder Jilla’s daughter Shirin Wadia, district commissioner of guides Shernaz Acharya, vice president of the Parsi Gymkhana Rusi Bhumgara, Ervads Keki and Viraf Pavri, principal of the Gamadia Girls’ School Zarin Rabadi, educationist Rati Wadia, chairperson of the Zoroastrian Cooperative Bank Limited Shernaz Mehta, Dr Cyrus Wadia, governing council members Saroosh Dinshaw, Minocher Contractor and Freny Jehangir. Dinshaw and Contractor are former scouts. Rover leader Navroze Siganporia thanked those present. Dinner was catered by Ervad Nariman Dalal.