Events & Personalities
BPA’s annual events
Homage was offered to Dadabhai Naoroji on his 189th birth anniversary by the Bombay Parsee Association (BPA) when his statue at Flora Fountain was garlanded by its president Vispi Dastur on September 4, 2014. The statue was also garlanded by Aspi Marker, Adi Mehta, Rustom Cooper, Godrej Dotivala and others on behalf of the Iran League, Rahnumae Mazdayasni Sabha, Navsari Parsi Association, the Cowasjee Dinshaw Trust, FOZAWAC (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations for Welfare and. Culture), Youths Own Union and the Bombay Municipal Corporation, as per a write-up sent to Parsiana by the BPA.
(Clockwise from below): Placing wreaths for military martyrs; War Memorial at Khareghat Colony; retired defence officers and
others with Vispi Dastur (in dagli); garlanding Dadabhai Naoroji’s statue at Churchgate on his 189th birth anniversary
A poem in Gujarati on the nationalist was read out by Marazban Wadia. A humbandagi was conducted by Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji and two minutes’ silence was observed in Naoroji’s memory, the write-up notes
A day later, on September 5, the BPA had a meeting at the War Memorial in Khareghat Colony to honor the fallen members of the Indian armed forces, irrespective of caste, community or creed, mentions the write-up. Wreaths were placed on the two memorials there by Dastur, Marker, Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Khojeste Mistree, Sq Ldr Parvez Jamasji, Cdre Medioma Bhada, Maj Gen Soli Pavri, Brig Xerxes Adrianwala, Mehta, Dotivala, Aloo Shroff and Rustom Vakil. A trumpeter from the Indian Navy sounded the Last Post, followed by the Reveille.
The write-up mentions that the highlight of this ceremony was the presence of the next of kin of several of the fallen soldiers, with photographs of the brave members of the armed forces displayed at the memorial. Dadachanji led a humbandagi. Dastur recalled the ultimate sacrifice made by members of the armed forces and stated that the BPA was perhaps the sole example in the entire country where a civilian organization regularly paid homage to martyrs. Among those who received thanks was Marker for arranging for the naval trumpeter and the BPP for its cooperation and support. Wadia recited a poem specially composed by him for the occasion, the write-up notes.
A day later, on September 5, the BPA had a meeting at the War Memorial in Khareghat Colony to honor the fallen members of the Indian armed forces, irrespective of caste, community or creed, mentions the write-up. Wreaths were placed on the two memorials there by Dastur, Marker, Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Khojeste Mistree, Sq Ldr Parvez Jamasji, Cdre Medioma Bhada, Maj Gen Soli Pavri, Brig Xerxes Adrianwala, Mehta, Dotivala, Aloo Shroff and Rustom Vakil. A trumpeter from the Indian Navy sounded the Last Post, followed by the Reveille.
The write-up mentions that the highlight of this ceremony was the presence of the next of kin of several of the fallen soldiers, with photographs of the brave members of the armed forces displayed at the memorial. Dadachanji led a humbandagi. Dastur recalled the ultimate sacrifice made by members of the armed forces and stated that the BPA was perhaps the sole example in the entire country where a civilian organization regularly paid homage to martyrs. Among those who received thanks was Marker for arranging for the naval trumpeter and the BPP for its cooperation and support. Wadia recited a poem specially composed by him for the occasion, the write-up notes.
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