The Fali Chothia Charitable Trust is pleased to announce that the following students are the recipients of this year’s awards:

Hooman Attaie is pursuing a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Youngstown State University after migrating to the US last year as a refugee from Iran. He struggles to make ends meet by working odd jobs, and is determined to give back to his community once he is established in his own career.

Parmis Behmardi is currently enrolled in a Master of Information program at the University of Toronto. She has been active in extra curricular activities, including serving as president of the Zoroastrian Youth of BC and volunteering in Zoroastrian and community activities. She feels strongly that it is her responsibility to educate non-Zarathushtis about our religion, and takes every opportunity to do so.

Malcolm Cooper attends the University of Delaware as a music major, and hopes to pursue a career in opera. Malcolm’s performances have already taken him across the US and as far away as China. He is an ordained mobedyar, and spends much of his time volunteering with community organizations.

Sheena Driver is obtaining a Masters in Business Administration at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, Ca. She lost her father at an early age and has held jobs since she was 16. Sheena has been active in Zoroastrian community and charitable affairs in Northern California and in India.

Parissa Javedani, a four-time recipient, is in her fourth year in medical school at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine. In addition to keeping up with a demanding curriculum, Parissa finds time to be a leader and volunteer in numerous organizations.

Kaizad Patel is pursuing a Masters in Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is passionate about nature and preserving the environment and has been involved in organizations engaged in nature conservation research. He hopes to put his education to good use by working with issues such as risk assessment, nuclear installations, and as a general advocate for “profitability through sustainability.”

Rayomand Ravji is studying psychology at the University of Illinois. He intends to pursue a career in health care, and is involved in volunteer activities with hospitals and medical associations. He is a navar, maratab, and proudly carries out his priestly duties by serving his local Zoroastrian community in Chicago.

Rohan Vilms is pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree at the University of California. His childhood in Mumbai opened his eyes to the plight of the impoverished and he is passionate about focusing his career on improving health conditions in developing countries. He has served as a fellow with a rural community health project in south India.

The Fali Chothia Charitable Trust was established in 1988 to help provide scholarships to needy Zarathushti students. Awards are based on financial need, educational achievement, and community service. The trust is established under the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Washington Inc. (ZAMWI), and makes awards to students from all parts of the US and Canada.

The US Chapter of the World Zoroastrian Organisation supports the Fali Chothia Trust’s scholarship program by contributing to this worthy cause. Donations made to the trust are tax exempt, and go directly toward the corpus of the fund. Individual members of the Board of Trustees absorb all administrative, mailing, and other fund-raising costs.

Thank you.