Tribute to a teacher

A coffee table book on the life and work of consultant orthodontist Prof Dr Keki Minocher Mistry was released on his 80th birthday, December 20, 2014, by Dr Dnyandeo Yashwantrao Patil and Nargish Mistry at a reception held at the Rooftop of the Trident Hotel in Bombay. The book was brought out by the doyen’s postgraduate students along with some of his patients by way of guru dakshina (acknowledging a teacher with respect and thanks), mentions an email write-up on the occasion received by Parsiana. Two of Mistry’s three children were his former students as well — son Dr Rushitum, an orthodontist implantologist and daughter Dr Saiesha Mistry-Reed, an endodontist and restorative dentist. Daughter Kainaz Mistry-Talati is a copywriter and layout artist, Mistry revealed in response to Parsiana’s query.

Dr D. Y. Patil (l) and Dr Keki Mistry at book launch

Dr Keki Mistry with former students and well-wishers

Patil, who presided, is former governor of Bihar, Tripura and West Bengal and founder chairman and chancellor of the eponymous Dr D. Y. Patil University in New Bombay, a leading educational complex. Also present on the occasion were members of the dental and medical profession who mingled with legal luminaries, leaders of society, the entertainment and corporate worlds, the write-up notes. Many of them spoke about Mistry as did his former students of their revered mentor. Senior surgeon Dr Tehemton Udwadia, who was slated to attend another function, was so taken with the proceeding that he reportedly chose to stay on until the end.
Moving tributes were paid by Mistry’s granddaughters, Kaiyomi and Zahanya. Mistry himself thanked Ahura Mazda for His grace and exhorted those present thus: "When the mind is clear and the heart is pure, where is the fear? March on!”