Mehta’s mandate

"The incumbent must forget all else in order to push forward all the projects that require attention,” Dr Sonya Mehta, who was elected president of the Rotary Club of Bombay for a one year term commencing July 2015, informed Parsiana during a telephonic talk. Among the 20 or so projects she is spearheading she has found it "phenomenally satisfying” to have raised funds for the restoration of 100 books at the Asiatic Society’s library. Also, she intends to focus on "assimilation, consolidation and participation” during her tenure. Meaningful change through participation will be her main thrust, not the garnering of funds or awards, mentions The Gateway, the bulletin of the Rotary Club dated July 5, 2015. "Members in different stages of their lives are sometimes better able to give money rather than time,” she admits, "but I am against the mentality of ‘I give you money, and you excuse me from all participation.’ You cannot pay to be a Rotarian,” she maintains.

The Framroze family (l-r): Bomi, Camille, Zeenia and Dr Sonya

Mehta revealed to Parsiana that she has been member of the Rotary Club for the past 15 years, having been introduced to the social service movement by a friend. When she first heard about what the Club was doing she said she found it "right up my alley” and "a great way to amplify my involvement with women’s welfare.”
Among the projects she wishes to add value to during her term as president are a training program for poor young women in association with the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) where she wants them to, along with traditional women centric activities, learn how to drive, The Gateway mentions. "They can learn to be private chauffeurs; drive taxis; they can be nursing assistants; something that gives them a degree of independence and better sources of income.” Education too is within the scope of Rotary activities. "We need to develop programs to continue to provide mentorship and support to the many who move on to college” on passing out of school. The environment committee’s work too should be expanded, she feels.
Mehta is passionate about the health of women and children and through Rotary’s partnership with the International Women’s Association aims to revitalize a clinic in south Bombay to launch programs for improved urban maternal health and infant nutrition, the bulletin notes. Having studied at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, USA, she earned her doctorate in psychology and human development. Later, she worked as dean for the undergraduate college but decided to return to India. "I always knew that India was where I wanted to bring up my children.” Serving as managing trustee of the Gharda Foundation from 1996 to 2001 focusing on rural development in Gujarat and Maharashtra, she later returned to psychology and established her private practice dealing mainly with therapy for adolescents and young adults.
Nagpur born Sonya, daughter of Ruksana and Darayes Mehta is married to Bomi Framroze, a research scientist with over 70 international patents and publications in the fields of life sciences, software, genetics and chemistry. They have two daughters, Camille and Zeenia, who had started an online petition to garner support for Ervads Framroze Mirza and Khushroo Madon who had been banned by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) from praying at Doongerwadi and the two agiaries managed by the BPP because they performed after death ceremonies for those opting for methods of disposal other than dakhmenashini (see "The petition phenomenon,” Parsiana, August 7, 2010). Sonya shared with Parsiana that it was a learning experience for her daughters who were concerned at the racism and conservative attitude of the community though they were heartened at the positive response they received over the Internet.