The triumphant trustees

It was in the shubh muhurat (auspicious phase) that commenced at 12.40 p.m. on October 23, 2015 that the new board of trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) convened their first meeting. Soon after their closed door meet which lasted around 15 minutes, the trustees had an exclusive briefing for the Press when Kersi Randeria announced that Yazdi Desai as the seniormost trustee has been unanimously appointed the new BPP chairman after being proposed by Noshir Dadrawala. The six trustees then happily complied with photo requests from the Parsi Press: facing the west, facing the south, with flowers or without. Until the fate of the seventh trustee Muncherji Cama is decided by the Charity Commissioner, uncertainty looms over his seat.

Photo: Jasmine D. Driver

Between 11.30 and 12, the third floor landing of the Parsi Punchayet office saw pockets of Parsis awaiting the arrival of their favorite trustee with eager anticipation. At 12 noon the lift doors opened and out stepped the "Tremendous three” — Dadrawala, Randeria and Zarir Bhathena — who had earned the highest number of votes at the elections five days earlier. The other two winners, sitting trustee Yazdi Desai, and the youngest on the current board, Viraf Mehta, had reached the BPP premises a few moments earlier. The five of them with sitting trustee Armaity Tirandaz made their way to the BPP boardroom in the company of four members of the erstwhile board — Dinshaw Mehta, Arnavaz Mistry, Jimmy Mistry and Khojeste Mistree, election president Mahiyar Dastoor, chief technology officer Yazdi Tantra and chief polling officer Cawas Panthaki.
Along with some senior BPP staff members and representatives of the Press walked in scores of jostling supporters and family members most of whom stood in the oppressive heat for nearly 40 minutes whilst the outgoing and incoming trustees were felicitated by the staff led by public relations officer Godrej Dotivala who served as master of ceremonies.
"The elections have gone off well,” summed up Dastoor presenting a printed copy of the "Final Report and Results” to Mehta. "This is the first time that the elections have been so smooth, so well conducted, and we must give them credit,” Dotivala lauded the contribution of Dastoor, Tantra and Panthaki.
"On an auspicious occasion, it is always good that we have an invocation,” commented Dotivala, inviting Dastur Khurshed Dastoor to recite a benediction. After his prayer, Khurshed Dastoor continued in English, "I pray to Ahura Mazda that may there be peace, tranquility in this house; may obedience prevail over disobedience; may generosity prevail over greed; may peace and harmony prevail over discord and unpleasantness; may truth and well meaning words be spoken and let them overcome false spoken words. We revere good thoughts, words and deeds, done here and elsewhere; now and in the past. Let this new board of trustees do according to the Zoroastrian religion… May they be remembered in the history of the BPP. For the outgoing trustees, may Ahura Mazda bless you for your kind services to this community. May you live a long and happy life with all good thoughts and good moments with your family and dear ones.”
A bouquet of flowers and a box of sweets were presented to each of the outgoing trustees by senior BPP staff members. "We have had a very smooth interaction with them. There has been no problem despite what the media (projected),” commented Dotivala before adding, "I am sure the new board will give us the same cooperation as that received from the previous board.” A cake from Monginis was first cut by Dinshaw Mehta, to be followed by the outgoing trustees.Since Dinshaw could only feed morsels to Tirandaz, Jimmy Mistry and Viraf on his left, Dadrawala subsequently cut another piece on behalf of the "Three” whilst they symbolically held hands and offered it to Bhathena and Randeria to his left and Viraf on his right. When he realized that Desai had been left out, he cut another piece and fed it to the prospective chairman too.
"The shubh muhurat starts at 12.40 p.m.” Dadrawala informed the gathering. Availing of the time at their disposal and giving a "big hand salute to Dinshaw” for his commitment to the Punchayet, Mahiyar invited him to say a few words. "I hope the new trustees will do a better job than the outgoing team. I hope they honor their promises as stated in their manifestos,” stated Dinshaw, a sentiment echoed by his erstwhile colleagues. Urging the new trustees "to support each other,” Jimmy counseled them to "do exactly the opposite of what we have done…to make it progressive.” Recommended Arnavaz, "Always be united.” Urged Tirandaz, "When we talk of being united, it should be all the trustees and not only pockets” of unity.
Khojeste remarked that "the chapter that has ended” endeavored to introduce "fiscal discipline and better administrative methodology” in the Punchayet which the "new board could build upon.” He hoped the incoming trustees would work towards "harmonizing in a positive way so as to benefit the entire community… May there be lots and lots and lots of good news for all of us.” According to him the BPP may well be "the longest serving institution in Asia.”
"I look forward to working together with the new trustees,” declared Desai who was sure they would be able "to bring the BPP back to where it was 20 years ago.”

"Overwhelmed to be back as a trustee after four-and-a-half years,” Dadrawala chose not to dwell on the past, saying, "we learn and we move on.” Committed to working together unitedly, he interpreted the significance of roz Amardad, mah Khordad according to the Shahenshahi calendar, the day when the new team assumed office, as a reminder to strive for "perfection forever.” In a message to his supporters that morning, Dadrawala had written, "Khordad embodies and represents ‘Divine Perfection’ and this is the ideal that the board shall endeavor to follow with diligence! Amardad embodies and represents ‘eternity.’ Our collective excellence in thought, word and deed shall indeed usher in a new era of perfection that will remain enduring and long lasting.”
For the BPP trustees, "there should be only one cause — to unitedly serve the poor, the needy and the middle class of the community,” opined Bhathena. "We have been given a job to do and we should just go ahead and do it,” added Randeria.
Embarking on "a new chapter in my life although it is an old chapter for the family,” Viraf expressed his satisfaction that "the poor, the needy and now the youth will have a voice in the BPP.”
Acknowledging the contribution of Khurshed Dastoor in trying to minimize factionalism within the erstwhile BPP board, Dinshaw chose to dedicate his bouquet and sweets to the "Vada Dastur who has been a source of strength to both the sides.” Dinshaw also thanked the BPP staff who had given him a fond farewell two days earlier in "appreciation of what I have done for the last 21 years.” Reiterated Dotivala, "The staff felicitated him for the great job he has done, day in and day out.”
Representatives of other organizations and individuals were then invited to felicitate the outgoing and incoming trustees until finally the boardroom was cleared for the six trustees with Arnavaz requesting Desai, "the super chairman to take the seat.”