Jamsheed Kanga passed away this morning.
He was ex BPP trustee and Former BMC Commissioner.
Former BPP Trustee as also former Bombay Municipal Commissioner, Jamsheed G Kanga has also passed away.
His professional excellence was matched by his friendly disposition towards all. He was always humble, caring and loving.
He was an upright and dynamic IAS officer with an unblemished track record of service to both the country and the community.
Noshir H Dadrawala
Sad news.
Our sitting BPP Trustee Mr.Zarir Bhatena passed away
Zarir Bhathena was a man of few words, but when he would speak, everyone would listen to whatever he had to say. And, whatever he had to say would always be concise, correct and candid. He never minced words and while he was kind, generous and friendly towards all, the few who wrongly tried to cross swords with him found in him a formidable warrior who fought with tenacity of a Trojan.
I first came in touch with him about 35 years ago when I was appointed Assistant Secretary at the Parsi General Hospital and he too had been recently appointed on the Managing Committee of the Hospital. While I moved on, he remained connected with the Hospital till his last breath at the very hospital he so loved and served with diligence.
As a Chartered Accountant he had a knack of analysing financial statements and had a sharp eye for detail.
As a builder he was professional and known for putting his stamp of quality in his projects.
He was generous and gave of his time and wealth generously, yet silently.
He had an abiding interest in the welfare of the community and was disciplined enough to give time to his professional and community interest without compromising on time spent with his family. He was a family man and took relationships be they personal or professional, very seriously.
What do I remember most about him?
I would think his habit of constantly digging into his pocket and generously tipping drivers, watchmen, liftmen and almost anyone who he thought needed or deserved help. I will remember him as a man who was frugal with his words but generous with his actions.
He always wore a charming and disarming smile, even from his sick bed.
The community has lost a wonderful human being. One who spoke little but gave with both his hand and again without ever speaking about it.
Good bye Zarir, we will miss you and your smile.
Noshir H Dadrawala
In conversation with Kynan Chenai about the importance of developing discipline and mental toughness to control what you can in high pressure competitions.
This week’s talk is on the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-19
UKIP took the surprise position as the largest party in the UK with an ethnic minority leader today after Freddy Vachha was installed as successor to Richard Braine today.
Vaccha was born in Mumbai to an English mother and a Parsi father. He came second to Braine in the last election in August last year.
CONGRATULATIONS AND CELEBRATIONS
ARZAN SAM WADIA
PRESIDENT FEZANA – 2020
BaNaMeh Ahura Mazda With TunDorosti And MunDorosti To All
My Dear Global Zarathushti Leaders And Community Members:
With immense joy, I would like to invite you all to welcome and congratulate our newly elected FEZANA President, Arzan Sam Wadia with the soulful blessings of your heart and spirit. Arzan takes over as FEZANA’s 9th and youngest President to date.
With Vision 2020, Arzan has dedicated the last 10 plus years towards serving our North American and Global Zarathushti community with incredible gusto and enthusiasm.
Arzan served as our immediate FEZANA Vice President and was the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Global Zarathushti Professional Award. He has been extensively involved with the Zoroastrian Return To Roots Program since its inception and is its current Program Director.
Arzan has been a featured speaker at various North American and World Zoroastrian Congresses, and has served with utmost dedication on the Board of the Zoroastrian Association Of Greater New York for four terms.
Arzan is the founding editor of Parsi Khabar ( www.ParsiKhabar.net ) – The World’s Oldest And Largest internet news aggregator website about Parsis and Zoroastrians worldwide. This website disseminates news, opinion and analysis of culture, society, religion and trends within our Zarathushti community worldwide.
Arzan also served as the Program Chair for the 2019 7th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in Los Angeles as well as on the core committee of the 2012 12th North American Zoroastrian Congress in New York.
In 2018, Arzan was featured in the FEZANA Journal Special Issue on Empowering Next Generation as one of the 40 inspiring young Zoroastrians. He was also instrumental in empowering our Global Zoroastrian Youth as one of the 20 participants at the inaugural World Zoroastrian Youth Leadership Forum in 2018 at the ASHA Center in the United Kingdom.
Arzan has designed and maintained over 40 websites for design and commercial clients including the websites of FEZANA, NAMC, ZAGNY, ZAMWI, Zoroastrian Return To Roots and the 7WZYC2019. He is also the webmaster of The Iranshah Intitiative Project that is dedicated to showcase the bounty of our sacred Iranshah.
Arzan is an architect and urban designer based in New York City. Having worked in Graz, Austria and New York, he has been part of design teams for projects in Austria, Switzerland, Cambodia as well as USA . With a Masters in Urban Design and Architecture from the Pratt Institute, and an entrepreneurial spirit, Arzan currently practices as an architect and runs a technology business. He has earned numerous professional awards in his field of endeavor and has built a reputation of being a team player with other Global Zarathushti leaders.
May Ahura Mazda Guide our Arzan, as he now takes on this awesome responsibility; to lead FEZANA with your blessings of Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds.
ARZAN IS A PASSIONATE LEADER AND A COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEING WHO EPITOMIZES THE RADIANCE AND VIBRANCE OF A ZARTOSHTI
With that sentiment…
Please join me in wishing him the very best with all our
Love and Light
Meher Amalsad
Westminster, California, USA
THANK YOU ARZAN FOR YOUR KIND AND UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT TO OUR FUTURE GENERATION
MERCHANT OF CALCUTTA AND PHILANTHROPHIST OF NAVSARI
THE MAN WITH THE MIDAS TOUCH
Meherwanji was born in his maternal grandmother’s house on the day of Dhanteras 1-10-1857 Roj Ram, Mah Farvandin,1226Y.Z. As it was Dhanteras his grandfather was cleaning money when he got the news about the birth of his Grandson. He immediately proclaimed that, real wealth has come with this boy and he will be rich enough. Instead, Nanabhai suffered a huge loss in his work on the Railway line as the contractor who was entrusted with their funds 50,000 rupees disappeared with the money. He had taken money on loan from his uncle Cawasji, and that too was lost. At that time King Malharrao came to Navsari and he had an astrologer with him. His uncle Cawasji asked the astrologer, why their condition had become so poor; the astrologer asked if there was a birth of a boy in the family. He asked to see the horoscope of the child. He saw the horoscope and replied that this difficulty has fallen due to the birth of the boy. But, when he will become 21 years of age, he will be the benefactor of the family. This prediction has proved true in his case.
Edulji Navroji Mehta
Meherwanji studied in Bombay till the age of 13 until hard times fell on the family and they shifted to Navsari. He and his brother Dorab studied at the Sir Cowasji Jehagirji Madrasa in Navsari. When he was 17 years old his uncle Edulji Navroji Mehta came to Navsari from China. Edulji was impressed with Meherwanji and he sent him to Calcutta where he studied at St Xaviers College for 3 years. His uncle Edulji gifted him 10 sets of clothes when he left and Meherwanji had to manage with these for the 3 years he spent in college .After graduating he worked in a commercial firm for a meagre salary of Rupee’s 7. He was not happy and he wrote to his uncle Edulji to call him to China, in the hope of starting his own trading business. In reply his uncle sent him 13 crates of gold-plated bangles worth Rs 4000. These Chinese bangles were very popular in India and in 1879 he started his own business and soon became The Bangle King of India. Together with bangles he used to sell other articles from Japan, England, Germany and Austria. In 1897 he went to China and opened a branch of his business there leaving his brother Dorabjee in charge of his affairs in Calcutta.
Meherwanji Nanabhai Mehta
Ratanbai Meherwanji Mehta
Nalibai Meherwanji Mehta (1st Wife)
Firozshah Meherwanji Mehta (Son)
In 1914 Meherwanji was trapped in Germany in World War 1, however he managed to escape and make his way back. In 1915 he went to Japan and opened a branch of his office and put his nephew Manaji in charge. He also opened a branch in Mumbai in 1916. He started a glass factory in Calcutta named MN Mehta Glass works and a Match Factory in Ootacamond. He had a business in hosiery Goods and electronic Goods. People said he had the Midas Touch and anything he touched turned to Gold.
Meherwanji contributed over 1.5 crores to charity. In addition, every month he would donate Rs 350 for helping the poor Parsis and Rs 1000 for the muktad fund. Moreover, he would give gifts on the navjote and wedding of poor Parsis, and also for the education of poor Zarthusti boys
His charitable donations included: –
The wells of Navsari were of salty water, hence people brought water from outside.
The people from Navsari brought water from a big well with steps inside it, which was outside the city. But there was only one well and Parsi women would quarrel with Hindu women. A new well was built for the Parsis.
Inscription at Navaj Baug:-
This building was bought by Meherwanji Nanabhai Mehta in memory of his late mother Navajbai and his Late father Nanabhai Manaji Mehta 26-12-1899
Inscription at Mehta Club
This building was built by Seth Meherwanji Nanabhai Mehta in memory of his uncle Edulji Navroji Mehta and wife Nalibai Merwanji Mehta. It is built for the use of the members of the Club.16-6-1906 AD
Mehta Club Navsari
RUSTUMJI JAMSHEDJI JEEJEEBHOY A. V. SCHOOL
He gave his own residence at Dudha Street for the Seth R J J A N School
Inscription on the building of the school
This building was built by the citizens of Navsari and the businessman of Calcutta Seth Merwanji Nanabhai Mehta in memory of his late wife Nalibai Merwanji Mehta.
D N Mehta Maternity Hospital
Mehta Bldg. – Parsi Orphanage, NavsariInscription at the D N Mehta Parsi Lying in Hospital
The D N Mehta lying in Hospital (erected by M N Mehta) was laid by Rao Bahadur Khaserao Balvant Jadav, 3rd March 1913 AD.
The building was built in memory of his brother Dorab N Mehta who died young. At first it was a twelve-bed hospital but as the concept of women going to a hospital to deliver became popular a huge building was added with 40 beds. The orthodox Parsis did not want a maternity hospital at Navsari as they thought it would pollute the area which was a “Dharam ni Tekri”. But public opinion was in favour of the hospital and permission was granted.
The Maharaja Saheb of Gaekwad of Baroda awarded him the gold medal of ‘Datar Mandal” on the occasion of his birthday in 1916.
When he died at the age of 71, he left behind 6 buildings in Calcutta, 5 in Kobe and Canton and a large palatial home in Navsari.
A meeting of the entire Parsi Anjuman of Navsari was held in Khurshedwadi to mourn his death and to record the community’s appreciation and gratitude, under the chairmanship of the Head Desaiji Saheb Ardesher Maneckji. A decision was taken to include his name in the list of those remembered in Zoroastrian prayers, and to place his oil portrait in the main hall of the Atash Behram and to install his statue at the maternity Hospital. His admirers and well wishers raised funds for the statue and portrait and on 25th January1930 Sir Phiroze Cursetji Sethna unveiled his statue and portrait. Two such statues must have been ordered. I have the privilege of having the statue in my house. Samara Mehta Vyas, Nirvhan Mehta Vyas, Ariyanah Mehta and Viviana Mehta (pictured below with the bust of Meherwanji) are the youngest descendants of his brother Dorabji.
All the above from Mehta Vanshavali – Courtesy: Prochy Mehta
Mehta Vansavali – in Gujarati
Loading...
Mehta Vansavli translated in English
Parsi ticket inspectors at the Church Gate train station in Bombay in 1929. In those days “Churchgate” was in fact spelled out as two separate words in English
Individual vs Communal voice
Synopsis:
This series of articles aims to provide an insight into the profiles of the individuals who will be organising the 2023 8th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress (8WZYC). Each article will detail how the organisers are trying to inspire and motivate the future generation of young Zoroastrians. We hope that these profiles will provide our readers with an insightful perspective into the lives and visions of the 2023 8WZYC organising volunteers.
This first article highlights the journey of the two congress Co-Chairs and how they use their voice to represent the community and add value to bring about progressive change through a communal voice.
Introduction
Sheherazad F Kapadia and Sanaya Khambatta are both from London, England and are together chairing the 2023 8WZYC. In 2019, they started serving the UK Young Zoroastrian (YZ) committee as Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively; and are committed to representing the voice and views of young Zoroastrians in the UK.
Sheherazad & Sanaya at Sanaya’s 18th Birthday
Both Sheherazad and Sanaya come from Zoroastrian families who have been strongly involved in serving their Zoroastrian communities. In the past, Sheherazad’s father was the Treasurer in the 1997 2WZYC and her mother was a teacher for the UK Zoroastrian Children’s Fun Club. Sanaya’s family has been prominent in the Delhi Parsi community and several charitable causes. As a result of their family’s extensive communal involvement, Sheherazad and Sanaya have both been actively involved in the Zoroastrian community, from a very young age.
In this article, they hope to shine a light on their journey in representing the YZ community and planning the 2023 8WZYC.
Why do you wish to be involved in the community?
Sheherazad – At age 10, my family and I moved to the Middle East, which seemed like a scary decision at the time. We never thought we would find a Zoroastrian community as vibrant and loving as our London group. However, looking back, it may have been the best choice my parents ever made! Within the first month of moving, my family and I were introduced to a group of expatriate Zoroastrians who called themselves, the ‘Abu Dhabi Bawa Gang’. From then on, we enjoyed communal weekly dinners, outings and celebrations. The Bawa Gang taught me a lot – most importantly that no matter where I go, what I do, or how scared I become of the future, our Zoroastrian community and faith will always be there for me.
The moment I returned to London for higher studies, I felt a sense of responsibility to give back to my Zoroastrian roots and so I joined the YZ committee. Beyond that, I truly hope that through the 8WZYC, I can provide a platform for our Zoroastrian youth across the globe, to build a sense of belonging, empathy and a voice. Afterall, a community that cares, is a community that makes for a brighter tomorrow.
Sanaya – Growing up, my family always ensured that I had a strong sense of community and try to follow the three tenants of the religion- Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. As a result, I always had Zoroastrian friends and engaged with them socially on a regular basis as well as attended Zoroastrian classes from an early age to learn about my religion and these tenants. Through this, I felt an innate sense of belonging which helped to shape my identity and allowed me to understand more about our religion overall. I have always been a proud Zoroastrian and my motivation for my involvement with the main YZs is that I want others to feel the same way I did growing up. I want them to have a sense of community, to meet other like-minded individuals and make and share experiences with them and to follow the religion, not because they have to but because they want to.
What do you think you can bring to the table in terms of co-chairing the 2023 8WZYC in United Kingdom?
Sanaya – Both Sheherazad and I come from different backgrounds – whether that be career, academic or our extra-curricular activities we participate in. However, it is this differentiating outlook that will benefit us greatly as we embark upon our journey in co-chairing the 2023 8WZYC in United Kingdom. We both examine a problem or task from a unique perspective and work on collaborating together to provide the best course of action that benefits our community, peers and the project at hand. We have grown up together and over the years have come to mutually understand how the other thinks, their strengths and we plan on using these attributes to our full advantage when working with others and each other. We are confident where our area of expertise lies and understand when to delegate or ask for help from each other if faced with something that we are unsure about. We both believe communication and transparency is key in working with one another and a passion for what we are doing – which we have in abundance!
How do you overcome representing a community and not just your own viewpoint?
Sheherazad – For us, having a communal voice is essential to good leadership. Often today, we see world leaders who bring their personal agenda in politics- which tends to only create more divide.
Having a communal voice does not just mean representing the views of others, it means accepting that sometimes your ideas or opinions will not be followed and you will have to implement a different ideology. Whilst at times this can seem hard, we always remind ourselves of the wider goal that we are working towards and that by listening and considering other points of views, we can create a more inclusive and empowered community.
Sanaya and I have both always been guided to show kindness in our actions. We both believe that when taking on a role of leadership, whether it be; captaining your high school sports team or starting up an enterprise, being openminded and respecting the opinions of all those around you, especially those who you represent will always be a huge asset towards the success of your endeavours.
Sheherazad & Sanaya at Sanaya’s 18th Birthday
What is the value of having a female based committee and acting co-chairs?
Sheherazad – The young Zoroastrian community in the UK has a vibrant atmosphere, and I am both proud and grateful to say that having women in leadership positions is not a rare occurrence in the UK YZ community. I truly feel that having a congress committee that is made up of so many wonderful and accomplished young women is essential and will showcase how we are paving the way to a more equitable society. Sanaya and I firmly believe that with the equality and empowerment of women, we will achieve a stronger future for our community as well as our religion.
What do we hope the Zoroastrian youth will look like on a global scale?
Sanaya – Looking to the future of the global Zoroastrian youth, we hope that individuals will continue wanting to follow the Zoroastrian faith and be part of the global Zoroastrian community – through attendance at events such as youth congresses and world congresses.
This can develop one’s spiritual and emotional connection with the religion as well as their peers, and allow individuals to see us as a unified global community rather than simply a religion that they ‘have’ to follow. We wish for the YZ community to advance and slowly start tackling progressive issues that we face, not only within the religion, but in society too and to evolve to be respectful and inclusive of all.
Closing paragraph
We hope our answers have provided you with an insight into us as individuals, as well as our views for the progression of the 2023 8WZYC in London, UK. If you have any questions to be addressed in future articles please email them to 8WZYC@ztfe.com and we will be happy to respond.
Authors
Sheherazd F. Kapadia
Chair – Young Zoroastrian’s of the UK,
Co-Chair – 2023 8th Zoroastrian World Youth Congress (London, United Kingdom)
Occupational Therapy Student/Assistant Therapist
Sanaya Khambatta
Vice Chair – Young Zoroastrian’s of the UK
Co-Chair – 2023 8th Zoroastrian World Youth Congress (London, United Kingdom)
Technical Consultant at IBM
See you on Saturday 20th June at 11 am for our next class. The Humbundagi and Kusti prayers will be followed by an insight on the Jashan ceremony by a revered guest speaker. Login 15 minutes before time to avoid disappointment!!
Reload document 
Open in new tab