A pearl for HPY
In its 30th year, The Holiday Programme for Youth has widened its scope to include visits to nongovernmental organizations
Guest of honor, ex-HPYite Burzin Mehta, group creative director of Ogilvy One, one of India’s biggest advertising agencies, shared tongue-in-cheek: "The first time Diana (Marfatia, HPY mentor) asked me to be here was two years ago. I said no simply because I didn’t think myself worthy enough. In the 25 years that I’ve known Diana, it was probably the first time I said no to something she’d asked of me. But here I am today. Not because I think I’m worthy enough now, but because there’s only that many times you can say no to Diana,” he jested.
Azmin Vania (left) with Diana Marfatia
The 41-year-old who wanted to be an athlete, but whose dream was shattered by a bad fall which broke his knee learnt that "life isn’t always fair. And failure is going to be a big player in your life. You learn more from failure than success. While success adds to the number of friends you have on Facebook, failure adds to your character. Surround yourself with people who challenge, inspire and support you. Your talent will win you a game. Your team will win you the championship.” Mehta who was in the 1991 HPY batch, ended his talk with: "When you’re doing the right thing, don’t worry about what the world will say, or what your peers will think. There will be skeptics and cynics. And then, there will be you — proving them all wrong.”
"Who is a leader?” asked chief guest Homai Daruwalla, recently elected chairperson of the Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited. "The person who thinks about others. A problem solver who has vision about the future, a passion for people. With practice and passion, you can become a leader yourself,” she counseled. "When you climb the ladder of success do not use another’s shoulder and remember there is someone down below you who also needs a helping hand.”
Welcoming the next generation of leaders, she continued: "The transition into a completely new world may pose some problems, but I promise you that the value system and training imparted to you will help you to face the new world with confidence... Set your career, set your academic goals. Raise the bar of your expectations, make these bars reasonable, use them to your advantage to make you better human beings and prospective leaders.”
According to BPP chairman Yazdi Desai who was presiding over the function, Parsi children are born with "a silver spoon in the mouth… You are 100 times luckier as you all have Parsi blood running through your veins… I request you to march ahead with that confidence and succeed in whatever you want to do. Make a name for yourself not just in the Parsi community but in the world at large.” He offered three points for the children to ponder on: "Have an idol, an inspiration (his being the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw); keep praying (Yatha Ahu Vairyo is a very powerful prayer) and always respect your parents. Nobody will love you as your parents do. They will sacrifice everything to satisfy and fulfill your needs and dreams.”
Any valedictory function "evokes bittersweet memories and feelings of elation and despondency,” said Marfatia. "We feel elation because today marks the end of yet another successful HPY which brought along its way great learning and bonding. We feel a bit despondent due to the fact that everyone who was here will now move on with their own lives and not perhaps have the time to meet up that often, though we are sure that the friendships made here will last for a very long time.” Having been around for three decades, Marfatia said amidst thunderous applause that she is proud to have played a sizeable role in grooming around 6,000 of our community youth. With support from her organizing committee (OC) she is "ready to take on another couple of decades in the service of our community’s youth.”
Although the month went by in the blink of an eye, the quantum of what we learnt and gained will stay with us forever, mentioned HPY coordinator Azmin Vania. "Confidence has replaced anxiety, enlightenment has replaced ignorance and new, nervous faces have been replaced by beaming faces and warm relations…” She assured the current batch that having been a participant at HPY, they will never be short of friends when they enter college.
This year HPY enrolments numbered 175, 85 girls and 90 boys from 93 schools across the country. The 42 out-of-towners came from Ahmedabad, Ahmednagar, Ankleshwar, Calcutta, Nagpur, Navsari, Palghar, Poona, Surat and Vasai, of which 28 were provided accommodation at the BPP run F. S. Parukh Dharamshalla.
The prize distribution was carried out amid applause and cheers. Benaz Patel was crowned Miss HPY 2016 while Calcutta boy Raizan Vatcha clinched the Mr HPY 2016 title. Runners up were Kaizeen Irani and Frayosh Sinor. Parena Sahukar was the literary arts all-rounder while Shazen Elavia was best sportsperson. Team Performers lifted the blood donation award. The WZCC (World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce) trophy as well as the fashion show was won by the Enactors group. Their play Bang, Bang, You’re Dead won the dramatics trophy too, which got Ashoi Dantra the best actress award. Vatcha was the best actor. Burzin Variava picked up the best male model award, while the award for females was shared by Benaz Patel and Dantra. Hukhta Patel was the best female catwalker with Shiruyi Patel and Fravash Mohta the best male catwalkers. From each of the four groups, best participants were Sahukar and Vatcha (Achievers), Kaiwan Davar (Creators), Farzeen Harvar and Ashoi Dantra (Enactors), and Anaoushka Dantra (Performers).
Parinaz Marolia, ex-student of the Arya Vidya Mandir School, currently studying in Mithibai College, who secured 96% in the ICSE examination of March 2015 was the recipient of the Piroja Fali Forbes Award. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet Award for bagging 92% in the SSC exams last year went to Alexandrian Pashmin Bandorawalla, now studing in St Xavier’s College.
As the evening came to a close after a brief entertainment segment, participant Farzad Driver, winner of the on stage talent round, who had come to HPY "a little hesitant, with a little trepidation” shared his thoughts with the audience: "Today my opinion of HPY has taken a 360° turn… As Bryan Adams sang in the song Summer of 69 — ‘Those were the best days of my life’ — so shall we say the same about the summer of 2016. The things I have learnt at this awesome Programme will always encourage and motivate me to strive for excellence.”
Parinaz Marolia (left) and Pashmin Bandorawala
Members of the Organizing Committee; Bawa bonding at HPY valedictory
Young navjotee Mickey Patel
Community caterer Jimmy Gadiwala who ensured that growling young tummies were satiated thoughout the month — and who got the most thunderous applause that evening — provided a fitting finale with a five course lagan nu bhonu.
Day 1
On May 1, 2016 anxious young lads and lasses trooped into the JBV School hall, parents in tow, with no or little knowledge about what was in store in the magical month of May.
Noted author, film director and photographer Sooni Taraporevala Bativala, chief guest told the youth to "follow your dreams, follow your passion. Don’t let anybody discourage you.” Recounting her success journey, the "Gowalia Tank ni chhokri (girl living in Gowalia Tank)” who studied at Harvard said "Had I listened to people or been discouraged, I never would have gotten into Harvard and my life would not have changed.”
"Talent can take you places, but there are other things that don’t require talent,” said the writer. These are: being on time, having good work ethics, a positive attitude, having passion, being approachable, being ready to change and doing that extra bit. "Be very proud of your Parsipanu, but at the same time, don’t feel superior to other people, don’t feel you are above anybody else,” the Padma Shri awardee cautioned.
"College is a place which is going to give you opportunities for five years. You need to prove yourself. To do that you need passion. With passion anything is possible,” said guest of honor Hoshaang Gotla, founder of Xtremely Young Zoroastrians. Thirty-year-old Gotla rewound to 2001 when he was very reluctant to enroll in the Programme having just left Campion School. But "life as I knew it changed completely. From my first day I felt a sense of belonging and pride that this is where I am supposed to be… Your parents are your biggest friends and your worst nightmares as well. They will always nag you to do this and that. But after 30 years I know how important that nagging is. Make the most of this one month… Everyone will tell you it is impossible to do this and that. Do it and prove them wrong,” ended the H. R. College alumnus.
To those who had signed up for HPY, Vania assured, "If you wish to let go of inhibitions, you have made the right decision. If you wish to get inspired and create, being here is the best decision, for HPY is that mystical wand, a spark that ignites, excites and unites young minds.” Quoting American novelist Truman Capote, who said that "failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor,” she added, "Enjoy your failures here (at HPY) so that when you dive into this turbulent and competitive world outside, you are already armed, ready to take on newer challenges that may await you.”
Silloo Commissariat, headmistress of the pre primary section of the Bai R. F. D. Panday Girl’s High School who was asked to recount the HPY journey shared, "Every day will be a discovery — something new. There will be umpteen sessions of information — fresh and powerful. There will also be majah masti (fun and frolic), laughter, happiness and lots of interaction. I have seen HPY growing from a small baby into a tall, handsome, strapping youth of 30 years, standing straight and proud on his own.”
Chairing that morning’s function was ex-BPP trustee Jimmy Mistry who as always mingled among the children. On being asked what they wanted to be in life, their answers ranged from "nothing” to "the President of India!”
A diary showcasing the 30-year journey was released on the occasion. Conceptualized by organizer Huzan Forbes, the booklet features HPY through the years captured on camera, opinions of community heavyweights and much more. Manek Davar of Spenta Multimedia was thanked for printing this diary gratis.
That one month
Over four weeks illustrious speakers shared their thoughts and success mantras with the youngsters. The scorching heat did not wilt their sporting spirit. Every week healthy competitions on the grounds of the Dadar Parsi Gymkhana saw groups playing football, volleyball, cricket and baseball. A new activity this year was visits to nine NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) where their sensitivity and compassion were put to the test. To ensure that the youth don’t overlook an integral part of their culture — their cuisine — a segment on forgotton Parsi khana (food) was also woven into the program. A fashion show, workshops on effective communication, body language, leadership training, theater, drama, Latin American dance, Zumba, a blood donation drive and the navjote of a less fortunate Zoroastrian child are also part of the activities HPYites enjoy. A Wall of Fame listed the names of the winners of various competitions.
Student speak
"HPY is just perfect!” gushed Niyosha Irani of the JBV. "The interesting sessions we had gave us all a chance to learn a lot and widen our horizon,” she said.
Ankleshwar lad Jehan Variava who had studied at Poona’s J. N. Petit Technical High School, was particularly appreciative of the OC who "helped us in each and everything” and expressed a desire to join it after a year or two.
Farzan Mogal of St Xavier’s High School wanted HPY to be extended by another month and even suggested that there should be another when students complete their 12th board exams!
As organizer Khushnuma Daruvalla mentioned in her vote of thanks at the valedictory function, "Those who missed the bus will have something to regret for all times to come, but for those who jumped right on, sit here today devoted, loyal, enthusiastic and committed” wishing that HPY would last "just a little longer!”