Play Centre’s 72

Differently abled artists entertained the 250 members and guests of the Nowroze Baug Play Centre (NPC) with songs from yesteryears. Felicitation of high performing students also marked the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the Centre on November 4, 2017, writes Yasmin Engineer, joint general secretary, NPC.

Farzan Bharucha, who stood second in Maharashtra in the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) exam scoring 99.20% (see "Tops in academia,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, June 21, 2017) was felicitated with a plaque. Nasha Pooniwala walked away with the prize for obtaining 94.4% in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) open category while Kayzin Daruwalla was recognized with a silver medal for obtaining 87.14% in the BCom finals. A rotating trophy donated by Shirin and Vispi Bulsara in memory of late Bahadur Bulsara was awarded to Kaizeene Modi for achieving 90.40% in the SSC examination from amongst the members of the Play Centre. In all, 72 winners of merit scholarships for school and college students of the Baug as well as winners of the All Parsis Open Scholarships in memory of Khody Kolah (who founded the Play Center) were felicitated with cash prizes, silver medals and trophies. All cash prizes were donated by the previous chairman of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet Dinshaw Mehta on behalf of Firuzgar Trust, states Engineer’s note.
In her address, chief guest Binaifer Chhoga, principal of the primary and pre-primary section of Godrej Udayachal School, exhorted the students "to rise above their own expectations” and to "contribute with head, heart and hands.”
Those present on the dais included president of the Play Centre Homi Ustad, Dinshaw Mehta, businessman Hormuzd Mehta, educationist Prof Rohinton Sahuraja, Dr Ardeshir Jagose (who was felicitated for his services to the homeopathy dispensary run by the Play Centre), president emeritus Nariman Mehta and NPC vice president Gayomard Kathawalla. A thanksgiving jashan had preceded the evening’s events. A contributory dinner catered by Tanaz Godiwala followed.