Patriot and martyrs

"Do not say D. N. Road, state Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road,” exhorted Bombay Parsee Association (BPA) president Vispi Dastur. FOZYA (Federation of Zoroastrian Youth Associations) president Adi Mehta also mentioned that when giving directions to a taxi driver he always made it a point to state Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road and not "D. N. Road.” Dastur commented that even the Bombay Parsi Punchayet letterhead states D. N. Road.

Naoroji, the Grand Old Man of India, was being honored on his 190th birth anniversary, September 4, 2015, by the BPA with Dastur garlanding his statue in the vicinity of Flora Fountain. In his brief speech Dastur mentioned that Mahatma Gandhi considered Naoroji as his mentor. Several persons, including Cmde Aspi Marker, Bomi Hansotia, Godrej Dotivala, Marzban Giara and Khojeste Mistree, spoke about Naoroji who was a founder member of the Indian National Congress and the first Indian to be selected by the British Liberal Party to stand for elections to the British Parliament, mentions a write-up received from the BPA.
Among the other Parsi associations which paid homage were the Iran League, Rahnumae Mazdayasni Sabha, Navsari Parsi Association, World Zarthushti Chamber of Commerce, Cowasji Dinshaw Trust and World Alliance of Parsi Irani Zarthoshtis.
Wreaths were placed by Dastur and others at the War Memorial at Khareghat Colony on September 5, 2015 at a ceremony organized by BPA to honor fallen heroes of the Indian armed forces. A trumpeter from the Indian Navy sounded the Last Post, followed by two minutes’ silence and the playing of Reveille. Present were veterans like Cmdes Medioma Bhada and Marker, Capt Soli Contractor, Sqn Ldr Minoo Wadia, Maj Gens Soli Pavri and Khurshed Balsara and Brig Xerxes Adrianwala. Next of kin of the late Cdr Firdaus Mogal were also present, as were many community stalwarts.