Aban Marker-Kabraji Conferred Tamgha-i-Imtiaz Award by Pakistan Goverment
We are thrilled to share the news that our dear friend and mentor Aban Marker-Kabraji has been conferred the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz award.
Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence), is a state-recognized honour awarded by the State of Pakistan. It is one of the highest decoration given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements. The award will be conferred by the President of Pakistan, Mr. Mamnoon Hussain in the investiture ceremony on PAKISTAN DAY on March 23, 2018 in Islamabad.
This award is a clear testimony to Aban’s outstanding contribution and dedication to the cause of environmental protection, sustainable development and nature conservation.
Born in Bombay India, Aban grew up in the small quaint Parsi outpost of Quetta in Baluchistan province of Pakistan. Her initial years growing up in Quetta formed the basis of everything she has been doing inlife since. Today as one of top Pakistani environmentalist on the world stage, Aban
brings this deep sense of rootedness, an understanding of her roots, religion and philosophy into her professional role as the Regional Director, Asia of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Aban oversees the functioning of over 100 environmental initiatives in 24 countries. In her role at IUCN she has the privileged position where she can “influence a country’s work with being a politician”.
Since 2013 Aban has also been the co-chair of the Zoroastrian Return To Roots program where she bring her vast knowledge, expertise and connections in creating meaningful and life-transforming experiences for young Zoroastrians from all over the world through travel to India.
We are happy to announce a Navroze Gift for the community from the Government. Jiyo Parsi would like to make you all know about the new features of the Second Phase Jiyo Parsi and request you to circulate the same to your Anjumans before Navroz. Taking into account the problems facing young couples and families the Ministry of Minority Affairs has kindly agreed to help us even more financially. While we are grateful that now the Medical reimbursement has increased and delivery charges are included in the medical package we also have support for :
I. Creche and Child Care
Senior Citizen Reimbursement For Child Care
Support for Elderly Dependants living with a Family
This will ensure all financial support to help increase our community numbers in the New Year.
We are enclosing Flyers wish a request that you send soft copies to your mailing list as well as print in colour and put than up at Agiaries, Anjumans and Baugh Notice Boards.
For your convenience, we are also enclosing the Forms as mentioned below in Gujarati and English: (please click on each link to download them)
These have been uploaded on our websites and will be also circulated on Social Media. A WhatsApp attachment is being sent in this mail so that the Navroz Gift to the community information goes viral.
Please download this onto your Anjuman Groups and circulate widely. Since the Health of the Community Component calls for a great deal of monitoring and liaison with the community. the Jiyo Mobed component will be handled now by the Athornan Mandal of the priesthood with the WZO Trust Funds Mobed Scheme. However, Jiyo Parsi will continue to share information with the priests about the new Schema under Jiyo Parsi- 2 at these Workshops.
Please note that as the three new components are a Pilot Scheme, it will he for a limited number of 100 applicants each and on a first come first serve basis. Therefore kindly urge your community members to apply as soon as possible.
City-based software tester and home chef Rashna Engineer tells us about growing up in Ahmedabad, where she learnt how to cook the centerpiece of a Sunday Parsi lunch: Dhansak
A meal of dhansak and rice easily takes about three hours to cook. The mutton needs to be marinated for about an hour in ginger-garlic paste, red chilli paste and salt, and we’re not even counting the four hours of soaking time needed for the three kinds of dals that go into the dish. The caramelised rice that dhansak is served with needs one’s full attention — a goopy pot of rice can send your appetite straight to hell.
IT professional and home chef Rashna Engineer remembers that her mother, a school teacher who taught Maths and Science at Mount Carmel High School in Ahmedabad, had patience for her family’s dhansak cravings only on a Sunday. “She had to leave home early in the morning every day,” recalls the 46-year-old, “But I don’t remember a Sunday when dhansak was not cooked at our home in Shahibaug.” Along with caramelised rice, dhansak is also served with a salad of finely chopped onion and tomatoes, with a dash of lemon, and garnished with coriander leaves.
By the time she was 16, Engineer had learnt how to make a luscious dhansak, which is also one of the most popular dishes on Rashna’s Parsi Kitchen’s menu, a food service that she launched with her husband, Percy, in 2015. “My husband does the marination of the meat and I do the final tadka to the dal,” says Rashna. Percy, 47, who also worked in the IT industry as a system administrator, got his culinary training a decade ago during a three-month stint in Tokyo. “I was teaching him how to cook on Skype,” says Rashna, laughing at the memory. “All those teppanyaki carts in Tokyo were great and there’s a lot of non-vegetarian food there, but I couldn’t eat out every day. I learnt all the cooking I know from Rashna. Cooking is an essential survival skill.” Their 15-year-old daughter Perzeen, who wants to study hotel management, is happy to have inherited recipes from both her grandmothers. “She is a complete bawa and loves her food,” says Percy.
Every household makes dhansak differently, he adds. “Some like it with a pinch of jaggery, some add a lot more jeero (cumin seed), some add more dhano (coriander seed) and some don’t like it with methi (fenugreek leaves).” But there are few that can rival the dhansak made by the Engineers — silken bits of brinjal, a hint of sweet pumpkin, a note of bitter from the fenugreek leaves and some tamarind for a quick sour punch are flavours that seep into the thick dal and succulent pieces of meat. Like Percy says, there’s only one thing left to do after a dhansak lunch. “You have to sleep. You can’t move.”
Dhansak with caramelised rice
What you need
SERVES – 2TO 3
250 gms Tur Dal
50 gms Masoor Dal
50 gms Moong Dal
250 gms Rice
500 gms Mutton
1 Potato, medium-sized
3 Onions, medium-sized
2 Tomatoes, medium-sized Brinjal, small
½ cup Pumpkin
20 gms Methi / Kasuri Methi
20 grams Coriander
2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp Red Chilli Garlic & cumin paste
1 tsp Dhano-jeero powder (Coriander-cumin seed powder)
1 tsp Parsi Sambhar (Home made/Mangal brand masala)
2 tsp Dhansak masala (Home made/Mangal brand masala)
1 tsp Chilli powder
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Jaggery (optional)
1 tsp Tamarind pulp (optional)
3 tsp Oil
2 tsp Ghee
2 tsp Salt
1.5 ltr Water
How to make it
FOR DAL
■ Wash and soak dal for 4 to 5 hours.
■ Wash mutton and then marinate with ginger garlic paste, red chilli paste and salt to taste.
■ In a pressure cooker add dal, peel and cut potato, brinjal, pumpkin, methi, turmeric powder, ½ tsp chilli powder,
1 tsp dhansak masala, salt and 750 ml of water. Pressure cook for 20-25 minutes.
■ In a pan, add 2 ½ chopped onions and stir fry in oil for 10 mins
■ Then add ginger-garlic paste, red chilli paste and stir for a while.
■ Add ghee, 2 finely chopped tomatoes and continue to stir.
■ Add all above mentioned masala and stir for another five minutes.
■ Add mutton and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes.
■ Add jaggery, tamarind and cook.
■ Now add dal to this mixture and again pressure cook for 15-20 minutes.
FOR RICE
■ Heat a pan, add sugar and caramelise it. Then add ½ chopped onion to it and fry for a minute.
■ Stir for a while and add rice to it.
■ Add water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Steam the rice till required
█ I don’t remember a Sunday when dhansak was not cooked at our home in Shahibaug. My brother demanded that the dish be made every weekend
Dar Ni Pori or Dar ni Poli is a Pastry stuffed with a Sweet Lentil Filling
A favourite tea time snack enjoyed by Parsis all over the world!
Dar in Pori is typically made from Toor Dal a lentil (also called split pigeon peas)
In my version of this delectable treat I have used a short cut method of making it with canned chickpeas!
Ingredients
Pastry
2 Cups of Maida or Refined Flour 6/7 cubes of cold butter cut in cubes
Ice cold water
A little melted Ghee to brush on the pastry
A dash of rose water
For the filling
2 cans of drained chickpeas mashed ( I used a food processor)
1/2 a cut of chopped nuts and dried fruits ( I used pistachios, almonds and cranberries )
Optional nuts are chironji or charoli and fruits are raisins
2 tsp rose water
3/4 cup jaggery ( or you can use sugar)
Method
Measure the flour
Sift it
Add the butter cubes
Add iced water and rose water
Rub the butter and water in the flour
Make a smooth dough and portion it in small balls
Cover the balls with a damp towel and let them rest
Filling
Drain 2 cans of chick peas
Chop up fruts and nuts
Add the mashed chickpeas , a little ghee, jaggery and the fruit and nuts to a thick bottomed pan
Add a couple of spoons of rose water
Cool the filling then make portions
Flatten on portion of the pasty and put the filling in it
Cover the filling in the pasty and shape it like a round disc
Brush with a little melted ghee
Preheat oven to 180 C and put 2 poris in a baking tray lined with foil(brush the foil with little ghee before putting the poris to bake) and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown on both side
A Ses is a tray of traditional Zoroastrian items having symbolic importance, and used during various ceremonies and occasions. Most are made of silver or stainless steel, and is usually cleaned during Nowruz and the Parsi New Year. A pure silver Ses can tarnish easily, so here is my very easy and quick way to clean your items. This is great to do before lacquering, but will only work on a pure silver, uncoated Ses. This method of cleaning also works well with pure silver cutlery and jewellery.
A Parsi talks about the tradition of tea in their community, shares a recipe, shows off a family heirloom and gets us talking with 90 year old Nergis about chai times from a bygone era. Sweet!
This is a video from Chai with Lakshmi, India’s first award-winning online talk show.
If we go by their numbers, Parsis do not amount to more than a minuscule minority in the country. Their total population in India was around 61,000 according to the 2011 census. Unfortunately, the population of Parsis has been steadily decreasing and demographers say that by 2030, they may even cease to be a minority and may become a vanishing tribe.
There are several reasons behind it — the chief one being that Parsis are an insular community when it comes to matrimony. They marry within their own community and are quite strict about it. If anyone breaks this rule and marries outside the community, he or she may cease to be called a Parsi.
But barriers of caste and creed are now breaking down and the young generation of Parsis today do not always go by the strait-jacketed rules of their community. So, inter-religious marriages between Parsis and other communities now take place more often than ever before.
Parsis, unlike other communities of India, are not as procreative. “Be responsible — don’t use a condom tonight,” was a light-hearted advertisement inserted by the Central government in newspapers to encourage Parsis to be more procreative.
Aruna Irani with Amitabh Bachchan in Bombay to Goa.
Being Zoroastrians who faced Islamic persecution when Islam reached Persia, a large number of Parsis emigrated from Persia to India more than a thousand years ago and settled mostly in Sindh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
But in matters matrimonial, the community was orthodox right from the start which has not changed much even today. In fact Parsis are afraid of losing their identity by inter-marrying with people belonging to other religions in India. So, marrying within the Parsi community is the rule and marrying outside is an exception.
However, the importance of the Indian Parsi community lies more in what it has achieved in various walks of life than in its insignificant numerical strength.
Affluent, enterprising, and highly intelligent, Parsis have done remarkably well in the field of science and industry. Homi J Bhabha, Homi N Sethna, JRD Tata, and Jamshedji Tata are distinguished Parsi names. Godrej, Cowasjee, and Wadia are other well-known Parsi families in India owning massive business empires.
The Parsi contribution to Hindi cinema is also of considerable value. Hindi cinema in its initial years was greatly influenced by Parsi theatre, beginning from India’s first silent movie Raja Harishchandra (1913), which was a filmed version of a stage play of the same name, to the tales of Shirin Farhad, Leila Majnu and other such legendary lovers, the influence of Parsi theatre was clearly visible in the acting style. In fact, some actors of Parsi theatre switched to films when sound recording techniques enabled filmmakers to produce talkies (speaking films).
It was Ardeshir Irani, a Parsi, who created a sensation in 1931 by making India’s first talkie titled Alam Aara. The original film has been lost now, but Ardeshir Irani’s name shall remain immortal in the history of Indian cinema.
Sohrab Modi
One of the earliest actors to come from Parsi theatre to the film industry was Sohrab Modi who not only acted in films but also produced and directed them. His first film Khoon Ka Khoon (1935) was based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
In this film, for the role of Ophelia, Sohrab Modi introduced Naseem Banu, mother of actress Saira Banu. His next film was Said-e-Havas (1936), also based on Shakespeare’s play King John.
In 1936, Sohrab Modi built his own studio called Minerva Movietone. He produced, directed, and acted in many memorable films based on fictionalised history. His notable films were Pukar (1939), Sikandar (1941), Prithvi Vallab (1943), Sheesh Mahal (1950), Jhansi Ki Rani (1953), Mirza Ghalib (1954), Kundan (1955), and Raj Hathh (1956).
In the 1930s, a Parsi named JBH Wadia, a post graduate in English literature with a degree in Law, entered the film industry. JBH Wadia had initially started his life as a lawyer, but he was soon won over by the world of movies and he worked hard to learn the craft of filmmaking.
He also had a flair for scripting film stories and he was joined by his younger brother Homi Wadia who together, set up their film production unit called Wadia Movietone on 13 April 1933.
Since talkies had now caught the fancy of movie-goers, Wadia brothers mastered the technique and started making action movies which in those days were known as “stunt films”.
At this time the Wadia brothers came across a tall and well-built Australian girl named Mary Evans, a trained circus artist who could perform breathtaking stunts. The brothers saw in her the future heroine of their stunt films and they gave her a new identity, renaming her Nadia — the fearless Nadia.
Nadia was cast as the dare-devil heroine in a number of Wadia Movietone films. Her outlandish looks, skimpy dresses, and speech in an anglicised version of Hindi fascinated the cine-goers. Her outstanding films were Hunterwali, Diamond Queen, Miss Frontier Mail, and many others.
Boman Irani in 3 Idiots.
The hero of most of her films was an Englishman named John Cawas who had learnt to speak Hindi and had thus made India his home. These movies made Wadia brothers the most successful filmmakers of their time.
Aspi Irani, a filmmaker of Parsi origin produced and directed many films in the 1950s and 60s. Among his well-known films, Oomar Qaid, Shirin Farhad, Smuggler, and Garam Masala deserve a mention. Faredoon A Irani was a star cinematographer of the film industry in the 1940s and 1950s reputed for his excellent lens skills.
To him goes the credit of cinematographing a large number of films produced and directed by Mehboob Khan. A few famous Mehboob Khan films for which Faredoon A Irani wielded the camera are Anmol Ghadi, Andaz, Aan, Amar and Mother India.
Two Parsi sisters joined the film industry as child artists in the 1950s. The elder sister Daisy Irani was the first Parsi child star whose performance in films simply bowled over viewers.
She was seen in numerous films of the 1950s as a child star, among which Ek Hi Rasta (1956) and Naya Daur (1957) are well known. Soon she was followed by her younger sister Honey Irani who too took to films as naturally as a duck takes to water.
Among Parsi actresses who have earned name and fame, Aruna Irani has had quite a distinguished career in Bollywood. She started her acting career as a child star with the Dilip Kumar-Vyjayanthimala starrer Ganga Jamuna (1961). In due course Aruna Irani graduated to adult roles in films.
In Bombay to Goa (1972), she was cast as the heroine opposite Amitabh Bachchan. As a versatile actress, having attempted both positive and negative roles with equal ease, Aruna Irani has acted in hundreds of films and TV serials.
Among the present day film stars of Parsi origin, Boman Irani is well known for his versatility, gaining fame with Munna Bhai MBBS and later, 3 Idiots.
In the role of a principal of a medical college being riled by a roughneck student from the streets of Mumbai, Boman Irani gave an outstanding performance in Munna Bhai and has since acted in numerous films and won accolades for his acting.
Choreographer Farah Khan and her brother Sajid Khan are also partly Parsi- their mother was a Parsi and their father a Muslim. Similarly, actor-director Farhan Akhtar is the son of Honey Irani and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
Homi Adajania
John Abraham is also of mixed parentage with his mother being a Parsi. Homi Adajania, a Bollywood director known for films like Being Cyrus, Cocktail and Finding Fanny is also of Parsi heritage.
Mehr Jasia former Miss India, Nauheed Cyrusi, a model and Bollywood actress, and Shaimak Davar, a noted choreographer are other noteworthy community members.
All in all, Parsis are creative people who have left their mark in all walks of life, including cinema.
Thanks to the generosity of the Shapoorji Pallonji endowment for scholarships in Zoroastrian studies at SOAS there are a number of awards available for UK/EU and Overseas fee-paying students. These Will normally provide a contribution to fees of up to a maximum of £13,000 each year for the duration of the award. In addition, a stipend of up to £10,000 per annum (or pro rata for part-time students) may also be awarded. The MPhil/PhD scholarship is paid for 3 years. The MA is paid for one year (or over two years if part-time). Applicants should follow the following steps:
• STEP 1: Apply for your programme by 17:00 (UK local lime) on 1 May 2018. Applicants must submits a complete online plication for admission. Applicants for the MPhil/ PhD scholarships must have demonstrated in the research proposal of their application for admission that their research is in one of the following subject areas : Avestan language, Pahlavi language Persian language, and Gujarati language.
• STEP 2: Apply for the scholarship by 17:00 (UK local time) on 1 May 2018. You must apply for this scholarship via this online scholarship application form.
On 20th March, 2018, a 16-member Parsi delegation from Mumbai and New Delhi met the H’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at Parliament House, New Delhi. The delegation, organised and led by Dasturji Khurshed K. Dastoor, Zoroastrian representative at the National Commission for Minorities, constituted the following from Mumbai – Havovi Khurshed Dastoor, Sam Bulsara, Er. Dr. Ramiyar P.Karanjia, Hoshaang Gotla, Zubin Khapoliwala, Tina Patel, Areez Patel and Natasha Dubash. From New Delhi, four Trustees of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman – Adil Nargolwala, Cyrus Engineer, Ashdeen Lilaowala and Niloofer Mistry were part of the delegation, as also were Dr. Shernaz Cama and Homai Engineer.
The delegation reached the Parliament House at 10.45 am and within a short time, the Prime Minister graciously met the delegation. Dasturji Khurshed and Er. Dr. Karanjia initiated the proceedings by showering blessings on Shri Narendra Modi and later Dr. Karanjia explained the meaning of the Avestan benedictions. Each member of the delegation was briefly introduced and they highlighted the work they were doing for the community and the nation.
The Prime Minister, in his brief address, said that he was very fond of the Zoroastrian community and being with the Parsis, even for a short time, was a sure way of dissipating the stress and tensions of the entire day. He also complimented the Parsis for being a peace loving community and asked them to remain that way. He also mentioned that the young members of the Community should marry and multiply.
The delegation took the opportunity to put certain proposals before the Prime Minister. They requested the Prime Minister to confer Bharat Ratna posthumously on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and that a prominent road in New Delhi be named after him. Dr. Shernaz Cama requested the PM to grant them a place for a permanent exhibition of 100 years of Parsi Theatre. The PM assured that he will instruct the proper persons to assist in this process. On this cue, the PM appreciated Parsi theatre and fondly remembered Yazdi Karanjia, the thespian senior theatre artist, and expressed his desire to see Parsi theatre (Gujrati rangmanch).
Dasturji Khurshed requested the PM to help the community in getting endowment seats for Parsi students in Professional Colleges all over India. He also briefed the Prime Minister about the success of the first and second Iranshah Udvada Utsav held in December 2015 and 2017. He was also informed about the activities of XYZ (Xtremely YoungZoroastrians) and the social service done by the children of the community involved in Making A Difference.
The delegation presented flowers, gifts and momentos to the PM Modi and he warmly greeted Jamshedi Navroz to the entire delegation and asked that his good wishes be conveyed to the entire Community.
We at the ZTFE are delighted to share with you, that once again the ZTFE and the Zoroastrian community has received a celebratory message for Jamsheedi NoRuz on Wednesday 21st March 2018 from our Prime Minster Rt Hon Theresa May. Please download the attached letter on 10 Downing Street letterhead, the text is pasted below.
I would like to wish everyone celebrating Jamsheedi NoRuz a very happy year. Although NoRuz is celebrated by many communities, its origins and religious significance are, of course Zoroastrian.
History records that the Zoroastrians have celebrated the joyous spring festival of Jamsheedi NoRuz for over 2500 years. It continues tothe first day of spring and has special significance, as it is a time for the restoration of peace and the renovation of the world. It is also a celebration of the revival of nature, bringing with it warmth and prosperity after the cold winter months.
May the spirit of renovation that symbolizes the ancient Zoroastrian festival of Jamsheedi NoRuz be emulated by all people and nations, where friendships are renewed and quarrels are set aside to usher in peace, tranquility, well-being and the rejuvenation of happiness and all that is good in the world.
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe is the oldest Asian faith-based voluntary association in the UK and together with the Zoroastrian community has contributed to the progress, well-being and prosperity of our country. I wish you all peace and joy on this day of NoRuz.
Theresa May
21 March 2018
Many of you are aware that the oldest photograph in the ZTFE archives, is of our then president Dr Dadabhai Naoroji (first Indian / Asian MP in Britain), together with Sir Mancherjee Merwanjee Bhownaggree (second Indian / Asian MP), Allan Octavian Hume (Father of the Indian National Congress) and guests from other faith communities including founder members of the Indian National Congress, celebrating Jamsheedi NoRuz in 1906 at the Cafe Royal, Regents Street. This year, just like in the previous 111 years, the ZTFE together with the Zoroastrian community celebrated Jamsheedi NoRuz on 21st March. On behalf of Team ZTFE, I thank you for your continued support and loyalty, thus enabling the ZTFE to continue to celebrate this ancient Zoroastrian New Year festival on the actual day itself.
Yours sincerely
Malcolm M Deboo
Malcolm M Deboo
President
Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (Incorporated), Established 1861
Oldest Asian Faith Based Voluntary Organisation in the United Kingdom
Zoroastrian Centre, 440 Alexandra Avenue , Harrow, Middlesex HA2 9TL , UK
Religious and Cultural Centre of the Parsi & Irani Zoroastrian Community
Mama Parsi Girls Secondary School will be celebrating its 100th birthday on Sunday, April 1.
In 1918, Jamshed Nusserwanjee Metha collected donations to establish the school. Initially the school functioned at the Bai Virbaijee School from where it was shifted in 1919 to a building, Mama Mansion, which stands today at the corner of Haji Abdullah Haroon Road. The construction of the school’s current building started on January 17, 1920 and was completed on January 26, 1925.
Mama Parsi School is considered to be one of the most prestigious and historical schools of Karachi, which has maintained its high standard of education and discipline for a century. The school not only focuses on its curriculum but also offers several extra-curricular activities, including a talent show which is held every year after the mid-term examinations.
Education moot: Use research as tool for societal transformation
The school also retains a house system, which was introduced in 1943. Under this, students are grouped in different groups called houses in order to cultivate teamwork and leadership skills among them.
Over the years, the Mamaians have not just proven themselves in academics but have also performed brilliantly in various sports.
The school also takes students on tours outside Karachi and Pakistan in order to build their knowledge of the world. It has produced many extraordinary educated women who contributed to society in various fields.
THE YOUNG ZOROASTRIAN SOCIETY Estd: August 1, 1920
The East Bombay Bharat Guide Group Silver Jubilee Celebrations (1993 – 2018)
Dear Parents, Well-wishers and Patrons,
The Scouting and Guiding is an International Movement, the object of which is to endow each youth to be physically, morally and spiritually strong. The 71st East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Guide Group was founded on 1″ August 1993 as a sister group to The 16th East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Scout Group, which was founded on 1 st August 1920. Both the institutions work under the parent body — The Young Zoroastrian Society. These groups are managed by selfless volunteers who serve the movement diligently, to inculcate in Guides and Scouts the values of discipline, character building, and sincere commitment to God and Country and leading socially meaningful lives. Our Children are given all the above training and experience through picnics, educational visits, hikes etc. free of charge and through camps and tours at very nominal cost.
Our Girl Guide Group is completing 25 years and wishes to celebrate its 25th year, as an auspicious occasion by putting up a grand concert on 9th June 2018 at Sophia Bhabha Auditorium, where children will have an opportunity to showcase their talent and build up confidence. For any Institution to survive and run efficiently it needs funds. We therefore, appeal to you, to support our activities and encourage our children and volunteers by
❖ Booking Advertisements for the Souvenir to be brought out at the Show
❖ Giving generous donations
❖ Booking tickets for the show in large numbers
We are sure that you will not hesitate to help us, considering the noble work that our dedicated volunteers do. Thank you, Yours faithfully, For 25 Years Celebrations’ Fund Raising Committee
Ms. Homai A. Daruwalla – President
Ms. Freny A. Jehangir – Chairperson
Ms. Mackie R. Majra – Chief Advisor
C/o Dara Mehta, 2003 Hilla Towers, Lalbaug, Mumbai 400012. 98211 33986
Veteran Athlete Khurshid Mistry has achieved another milestone. She had represented India in the Thailand Masters Athletic Championship 2018 which was held at Lampang Main Stadium, Thailand from March 9 to 11. 2018. Several Countries had participated in the International Meet.
Khurshid gave a stupendous performance by winning 3 Gold Medals in 400 mts, 200 mts and 4100 mts Relay and 2 Silver Medals in 100 mts and 4400 mts Relay under her age category.
In the past 8 years Khurshid has participated in 5 International Competitions including the World Masters Games in 2017.
On Khurshid’s success, her Coach, Dinanath Maurya said “ Khurshid has been training with me since the past eight years and she is my only student who does Sprinting and Marathon running and excels in both the activities. She is extremely sincere, dedicated and focused. Once a goal is set she will go all out to achieve the same. She rarely misses her training sessions. In the past 8 years she has got a numbers of injuries but every time she has emerged stronger and never given up. She is an inspiration to other younger athletes.”
On winning the International Meet, Khurshid said,” After Tata Mumbai Marathon 2018 I got just one months time to train for this competition. However this time my fitness level was very good which helped me in my Sprinting training. International competitions are always a very good experience where we meet athletes from different countries and get a chance to interact and learn from them. The International Meet at Thailand was challenging and satisfying. Competing with the best athletes from different Countries gives an adrenaline high and winning the events a sense of achievement and fulfillment. Sprinting is my forte and I thoroughly enjoy the sport.“
Clearly Khurshid is chasing her goals with utmost determination. Keep going.
In yet another accolade received for consistent outperformance, Mr. Khushru Jijina, Managing Director, Piramal Finance Limited and Piramal Housing Finance Limited has been honoured with a special category jury award – ‘Visionary in Real Estate Financing’ award by NDTV Property Awards, one of the most credible industry recognitions for the real estate sector. The award recognizes Piramal Finance’s contribution towards real estate sector as a whole. This recognition comes close on the heels of Business Leader of the Year award from Global Real Estate Congress and AsiaOne Global Indian of the Year.
NDTV Property Awards honours and acknowledges excellence in India’s real estate, recognizes real estate leaders, and outstanding performances in a wide range of categories which cover everything from environmental friendly projects to residential apartment projects to township projects and commercial projects. Additionally, each year sees the inclusion of a limited number of special category awards which recognizes leaders who have done commendable work for the industry and set new benchmarks.
Appended is a quote from Mr. Khushru Jijina expressing his gratitude on receiving the award.
“The award is a testament to our journey of continuous evolution through innovation and leadership in the financial services business. We have adopted and demonstrated these facets continuously, by making them a part of our building blocks that we call Piramal Success Factors where each team member is urged to Think Big, Serve Customers, Commit and Deliver, Collaborate, Empower and Develop. These success factors have been derived from our Company’s values of Knowledge, Action, Care and Impact where the ethos is to build a dynamic business that anticipates, adapts and endures for generations. I would also like to thank Mr. Piramal for his guidance at every stage of our journey. Personally, I feel privileged to have spent time working in such close quarters and learning from him and I would only humbly accept this award on behalf of Mr. Piramal and also each and every member of our young and ambitious team that has been amazingly committed and resilient during the entire journey of building this platform.”
What happens when 4 Dasturjis, 2 architects, 2 therapists, 2 Lawyers, an advertising exec, an entrepreneur, a paramedic, a filmmaker, a sommelier, a colonel in the US army, a political consultant, a yoga instructor…. all walk into the Forest of Dean in England?
A social movement finds its wings!
Article by Narges Kakalia
In March 2018, a group of young Parsi and Iranian Zoroastrians from India, Pakistan, Canada, the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand gathered for ten days at the inaugural World Zoroastrian Youth Leadership Forum at the beautiful Asha Center in England. They came at the generous invitation of Zerbanoo Gifford, who founded the Asha Center, a beautiful, serene retreat space in Gloucestershire, that delivers transformative education “to bring about lasting inner, social and environmental change.” The Asha Centre was founded on Zoroastrian-inspired principles of environmental and social sustainability. The Forum was organized by Asha Center intern Sanaya Master of New Zealand, who helped run the Forum. The participants had all been identified as people who play leadership roles in their local communities.
The Forum was nothing short of transformative for the participants. The group of 20 young Zoroastrians worked together under the auspices of instructors Mark Gifford, an interfaith minister who has extensively studied Zoroastrianism, and Adrian Locher, an actor, director and specialist in conflict resolution. Through various exercises and energizers, Adrian and Mark helped the Forum participants connect with each other at a deep level. Then, together, the participants identified challenges facing Zoroastrian communities worldwide (some examples included youth engagement/empowerment, global support for Udvada Iranshah, diminishing knowledge of/engagement with scriptures/religious texts, the need for appropriate places of worship in the diaspora, etc.) and then brainstormed ways to surmount those challenges to build a stronger, more sustainable community. While religious education was discussed, the main focus of the Forum was on building momentum for engagement and active participation at every level of the global Zoroastrian community. The Forum concluded with the participants starting a written document that sets forth a mission, vision statement, and plans and projects for the future.
Of course no Zoroastrian event could ever be complete without some fun, silliness, and an obsessive focus on food and drink. In addition to the daily question, “what are we eating today,” the Forum saw the first ever Zoroastrian Masterchef challenge, a Zoros-Got-Talent night (featuring Lion King sung in a dagli, and sari-clad Spice Girls), a few heartfelt Freddie Mercury invocations, and roadtrips (to Oxford and Wales) during which some enterprising young Zoroastrians used bathroom breaks to buy and bootleg alcohol onto the Asha Center premises. Groups of participants routinely stayed up until 2 or 3 am, discussing their various communities and bonding with fellow participants over hot topic debates and games of Mafia! When the Forum concluded, the organizers, participants, staff and volunteers at the Asha Center bid each other somewhat tearful goodbyes. Though begun, the challenging work of initiating and building sustainable projects for a stronger community still remains. Stay tuned to this space for progress reports over the months and years to come.
Participants included:
Diana Bharucha, Seattle USA
Karl Desai, Sydney Australia
Jim Engineer, Chicago USA
Tanya Hoshi, Toronto Canada
Kayras Irani, Vancouver Canada
Narges Kakalia, New Jersey USA
Tinaz Karbhari, Auckland New Zealand
Jehaan Kotwal, Mumbai India
Shazneen Limjerwala, Mumbai India
Jimmy Madon, Lemington Spa, UK
Sanaya Master, Auckland New Zealand
Layla Mazdayasni, San Diego USA
Shazneen Munshi, London UK
Shireen Patel, Lahore Pakistan
Sheherazad Pavri, Mumbai India
Cyrus Rivetna, Chicago USA
Arashasp Shroff, Toronto Canada
Benafsha Shroff, Denver USA
Cainaz Vakharia, Washington D.C. USA
Arzan Sam Wadia, New York USA
A PARSI-FRENCH GATHERING AT S.S. COOPER’S PARIS HOME IN 1950S
What do you do in a foreign country where your community barely totals 60 families, and you want to cling on desperately to your religious and cultural traditions? What can you do to ensure your barely visible community doesn’t suffer haemorrhage and dies? Indeed, in what way can a Parsi in Paris hope to survive the sweeping global culture and the influence of the West and stave off extinction? Not much, you’d say, just pray and hope for the best.
But these aren’t the only things Kersi Kapadia is doing to preserve the tradition of Parsis in France. Says he: “It’s an uphill battle that we face. We are so few left and so dispersed. But perhaps that is precisely the reason why we are fighting hard to preserve our roots.”
Kersi migrated to France four years ago, preferring the romantic city of Paris to the US where he had superannuated as an engineer. He and his family have dedicated themselves to preserving Parsi heritage and explaining the religion to the new generation brought up in a land culturally rather distant from theirs. But Kersi faces several impediments in this endeavour of his. “I know all the prayers by heart. But when my children or other younger people ask me what that means, I really have no idea since the prayers are in Avestan (ancient Persian), a language that few people around the world speak. But if I can’t understand Avestan, how can I convince the younger generation about our religious heritage,” he laments.
This is an acute problem for the community which isn’t particularly young. Parsis in France are basically of two types—those young professionals who came here in pursuit of their careers, and those who are descendants of families settled here in the first decade of the last century. There’s an obvious limitation in reading scriptures and offering prayers by rote, unintelligible and incomprehensible. It definitely isn’t the most effective way of inculcating in the younger generation a deep and abiding love for their much-exiled heritage.
This is precisely what prompted Kersi recently to travel down to Bombay and visit the Cama Arusthana Institute, the only organisation in the world to train Dastoors, or Parsi priests. “Over there I found some books on teaching Avestan. I have bought some and am learning the language now, so that I can later teach the younger generation as well,” he says in a voice full of hope rather than conviction.
Helping Kersi is his wife Katayun, a senior auditor with the Franco-German pharmaceutical giant, Aventis, who’s also the vice-president of the Association Zoroastrian de France (AZF)—the organisation that brings together the Zoroastrians in France. “When I came here, I immediately got involved in the community affairs,” she says, “I try to bring the group together socially. This helps us to keep in touch and also feel part of the community. We celebrate all Parsi festivals and also participate in family events like births, navjyot (Parsi equivalent of the Hindu sacred-thread ceremony), marriages, etc.”
The challenge the Kapadias are countering in Paris had been countenanced earlier by those who had arrived here at the turn of the century, lured by the country’s lifestyle and business opportunities. Among the most prominent were the Tatas—its modern icon JRD was born in Paris in 1904, and spent his childhood here in the care of his French mother, Sooni. Subsequently, he’d often come down to Paris where in its famous cemetery Pere LaChaise lay buried JRD’s ancestors, including his father and mother. It’s here JRD’s ashes too are entombed. Yet another prominent Parsi to have lived in Paris was Bhikhaji Cama, who’s credited to have designed the Indian flag. Cama fled London for Paris in 1920, dodging the British police which wanted to arrest her for her links with the freedom movement.
But the biggest wave of Parsi migration from India to France came around 1910. Then a motley group of Jain and Parsi jewellers from Bombay arrived in Paris, hoping to tap the market for natural pearls. Among them was Dhanjishah Cooper. Since conservative Hindus didn’t want to flout the caste taboo on travelling overseas, a leading Bombay jeweller commissioned Cooper to explore business opportunities here.
Cooper established his business of pearls in Paris in 1910, joined subsequently by his brother Shavak Sohrabji. Their business flourished; another brother too joined them. “Thus the Cooper family began its foundations in Paris,” says Shavak’s daughter Rati Cooper. Soon, there were about 30 Parsi families in Paris, most of them choosing to settle down in the ninth arrondissement (district) of the metropolis. Every evening, after business hours, the group would gather for a few drinks at the famous Cafe #de la Paix in the locality.
It was Shavak who became the community leader, attaching tremendous importance to keeping the Parsi tradition alive. His twin daughters were diligently taught about their religion and tradition. Recalls Rati, who works as a business development manager with the Belgian fast-food chain, Quick: “Our parents were very conservative and very religious. They taught us how to pray and told us about our religion and culture. Even if at that time, I did not fully understand the importance of the religion or share my parents’ fervour, today I find I am a very staunch Parsi.”
In the absence of a priest in Paris, Cooper took his daughters all the way down to Bombay to perform their navjyot ceremony. Rati still has vivid memories of the occasion: “This was our first trip to India. We had so far not seen anyone from our extended family and they were all there at the airport to receive us. There must have been more than 50 people, with garlands, waiting for us.” But Cooper’s fervour wasn’t confined to his family alone. He tried to keep his domiciled community united, celebrating both the Zoroastrian and Hindu festivals together.
The advent of artificial pearls three decades ago did undermine the Parsi business but the community had already diversified into other professions. And, practically, almost all tried to keep the Parsi tradition alive. Some, though, were luckier than others, managing to spend time in India and learning about their community. Take famous painter and sculptor Jehangir Bhownagary, whose early schooling was in Paris where he lived with his French mother. But holidays were often in Bombay, and it enabled him to discover his roots.
Recalls the octogenarian painter: “I had to often wait for my father in the car, outside his office. Just opposite there was an agiary (fire temple). I began going in there and that is when I learnt about my religion and what it really felt like to be a Parsi.” And that education he had 50 years ago has come in very handy. “Despite having spent so much time outside India and away from my culture, I feel very much a Parsi. I have followed the traditions and tried to bring up our children according to the Parsi tradition,” says Bhownagary, who has done stints as a deputy director of the UNESCO and was also an advisor to Indira Gandhi.
For the navjyot of his two daughters, Bhownagary had a priest travel all the way from London to conduct the ceremonies. “That’s a big lacuna in our community, that we don’t have a priest in Paris. For every religious occasion, we have to bring a priest over from London or elsewhere,” he laments.
This apart, the other big problem the Parsis in Paris face, as do their brethren in Bombay, is to decide whether or not to admit children of mixed parentage into the community.With the younger generation less rooted in religion, and with more and more of them choosing partners outside the community, the Parsis find it difficult to arrest their declining population, and this adds to the besieged feeling.
Says 17-year-old Farrokh Kapadia, Katayun’s son, who is studying to be a submarine officer in the US navy: “The first Parsis were surely converts from other religions. So, if you could accept conversions at the beginning of the religion, why not now? We have to be more liberal if we want to preserve our community.” But this doesn’t mean Farrokh isn’t conscious of a certain sense of obligation. “I would be very keen to pass my religion to my children and it would also play a role in the selection of my future wife,” he says.
What the community lacks today the most is a place of religious significance in or around Paris. “If we had a place like an agiary, it would have gone a long way in building up the community and helping the young people understand and develop an affinity towards the religion. Once you have such a place, people come and gather there regularly; religion then becomes the centre of gravity there. We saw the same thing happen in the US where once we had such gathering places, people began to turn up in strength and with their children who became interested in the religion,” says Kersi.
Yet another issue before the Parsis in Paris is how to deal with the large population of co-religionists from Iran. There are over 2,000 Zoroastrians from Iran, who are also part of the AZF, but the relationship between them and Indian Parsis remain ambivalent. “While it is very important for us to be together since it significantly enhances our numbers, the problem is that there is little in common between us and the Iranians. Their language is different, their culture, the way they dress, everything is different,” says Katayun.
So, for the moment, the community has set itself modest targets. As Rati elaborates, “If we can just ensure that the community is there and united and that our children are aware of their religion and its importance, then this in itself will be a good place to start from.”
Nearly a century after they settled down in France, and with the fourth generation coming into its own, it is indeed ironical to find the community grappling with the same problems that their ancestors had faced—of how not to forget their roots and keep alive their tradition.
Parsis and Iranian Zoroastrians have their religion in common which is why both communities left Iran where our ancestors were persecuted. Iranians have to learn French language just as Parsis do, so they can communicate in French. And, we all eat at various restaurants, so learning to enjoy each other’s food types should not be an obstance to getting together either. Also, nowadays a lot of religious books and prayers are online at website http://www.avesta.org so those interested can learn to do ritual prayers also locally.
The FEZANA Scholarship Program was started in 1998 to recognize academic excellence and provide Zarathushti students in university programs financial assistance to study at institutions in the U.S & Canada
Applications are invited for the following FEZANA ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS
Mehraban and Morvorid Kheradi Endowment Scholarship for Academic Excellence: The FEZANA Scholar
FEZANA 25th Anniversary Endowment Scholarship For Academic Excellence
Morvarid Guiv Endowment Scholarships
Purvez and Aban Rustomji Endowment Scholarship
Banoobai and Maneckshaw Kapadia Endowment Scholarship for Financial Assistance
Dr Minocher Rustom Vesuna and Dowlat Minocher Vesuna WZO Canada Endowed Scholarships
Sheroo Darabsha Kolsawala Endowed Scholarship
Jerry and Celete Kheradi 30th Anniversary Endowed scholarship for Graduate students
The 30th Anniversary Alumni Scholarship
Yasmin and Shapur Pavri Endowed Scholarship
Villy and Homi Gandhi Endowed Scholarship
All scholarships are open to Zarathushti applicants who have obtained admission for attendance at institutions of higher learning (accredited degree-granting colleges or universities) in USA or Canada.
Scholarships for the academic year 2018-2019 will be awarded in September 2018.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants MUST BE:
US or Canadian citizens, Permanent Residents Zarathushtis who are enrolled or applied as full-time students in a college, university or other institutions in the United States or Canada.
Non-US/Canada Zarathushtis must be enrolled in an institution for 1 year or 2 semesters.
DOCUMENTS TO BE PROVIDED AS PART OF APPLICATION
All applicants need to provide the following
Past academic records and accomplishments (see below)
Program of study
Annual financial need including assistance already pledged by other funds, charitable institutions or the institution of choice
Other financial assistance available from family and friends
Community service including contributions to Zarathushti functions and organizations
Proof of expected tuition expenses, viz: fee receipt or page from college catalog
Proof of housing expenses like rent receipt or dorm fees from college catalog
Any other relevant documents (Please specify)
In Addition
Undergraduates to provide:
For undergraduates – transcripts of high school and college courses (past 4 years only)
For undergraduates – test scores for any standardized tests taken (SAT, ACT, AP or IB Score
Graduates to provide
All undergraduate transcripts
For graduate students we need GMAT/GRE, transcripts of any graduate courses completed (this is for students who have already completed 1 graduate degree)
JUDGING CRITERIA
FEZANA SCHOLARSHIP Scholastic achievement 40%, Financial needs 40%, Extra Curricular activities 10%, Community service 10%
The Mehraban and Morvorid Kheradi Endowment Scholarship of $5000 and the 25th anniversary FEZANA Scholarship will be awarded for Academic Excellence 80%; Extra Curricular activities 10%, Community service 10%
The Purvez and Aban Rustomji Endowed Scholarship of $5000 will be awarded to a qualified undergraduate student who demonstrates financial need and academic achievement
The Morvarid Guiv Endowed Scholarships of $1000 will be awarded to one graduate and one undergraduate student who demonstrates financial need together with academic excellence
Dr Minocher Rustom Vesuna and Dowlat Minocher Vesuna WZO Canada Endowed Scholarships will be awarded to a graduate and an undergraduate student with good academic standing who demonstrates financial need.
Sheroo Darabshaw Kolsawala WZO Canada Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student with good academic standing who demonstrates financial need.
Yasmin and Shapur Pavri Endowed scholarship will be awarded to a qualified undergraduate student who demonstrates financial need and academic achievement
SELECTION CRITERIA
Applications are evaluated by a committee appointed by FEZANA and are judged on academic accomplishments, program of study, appraiser’s evaluations, answers to the essay question, and general impressions from the application form.
Awards to recipients will be made one time only with a possibility of one renewal. The award will be effective in September of the year. Awards for the year will be determined each year.
The online form will allow you to start filling out the form and then save it to continue later. To use that ability, you will have to scroll all the way down to the end of the form.
The following need to be attached:
Transcripts of high school and college courses (past 4 years only)
For Graduates we need Undergraduate transcripts
For undergraduates we need test scores for any standardized tests taken (SAT, ACT, AP or IB Scores)
Proof of expected tuition expenses, viz: fee receipt or page from college catalog
Proof of housing expenses like rent receipt or dorm fees from college catalog.
Before you start the online application please scan and convert to a single PDF file that you will need to attach with your application.
Please use the following file name convention: FEZANA2018_Firstname_Lastname.pdf
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT names of those who are awarded scholarships will be publicly announced and included on FEZANA’s website, FEZANA.ORG; FEZANA JOURNAL and in other communications
Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence), is a state-recognized honour awarded by the State of Pakistan. It is one of the highest decoration given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements. The award will be conferred by the President of Pakistan, Mr. Mamnoon Hussain in the investiture ceremony on PAKISTAN DAY on March 23, 2018 in Islamabad.
https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/how-to-be-a-parsi-in-paris/214465