The Zoroastrian Cricket Club in Toronto has decided to start playing league T20 cricket again after an 8 year gap in play. The club started playing 50 over cricket and was formed in 1978 by a group of cricket loving Parsee immigrants that came to Canada from India and Pakistan. It ran successfully for many years in a local league but in 2013 the club folded due to a lack of interest amongst newer Zoroastrians.
However, in recent years the OZCF (Ontario Zoroastrian Community Foundation) field was transformed to include a cricket pitch and it renewed interest amongst the Parsee community! For the past two years the team has played inter friendly matches and have occasionally invited other teams to play as well. Due to the creation of the new agiary, the OZCF ground is not available for the upcoming season. The club has decided to join Mississauga Cricket League, and would like to introduce and include more youngsters to the game in a healthy community atmosphere with proper coaching by ex national team players. So if you have kids that want to learn sports and have fun in an all Parsee community setting or if you want to join yourself please contact Khushroo Wadia at khushroo_wadia@hotmail.com. The club appreciates your support and enthusiasm and thanks the many former members who still donate generously to keep up equipment and help pay for the league costs, balls, and umpire fees. What a truly wonderful community we have. Come and be a part of it!
The OZCF Sports committee are excited to bring to you their first Virtual Run/Walkfundraiser.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not allowed the OZCF to have in-person events, therefore we are holding this Virtual event.
*This is one event ‘WE DO NOT WISH TO SEE YOU IN-PERSON’*
Please follow the guidelines below:
1. Register by paying $20
2. Starts October 23rd and ends October 31st, 2020
3. Please pay attention to the current COVID-19 regulations in your area
4. Take pictures and videos of your Run/Walk and send them to xariusjasavala@hotmail.comor 905-808-2827 with your full name and area (i.e. Xarius Jasavala, Oakville, ON).
5. You can track your distance with a running/walking app such as ‘Strava‘ or running/walking watch or treadmill display.
After you have completed your Run/Walk, please take a picture/screenshot of your running app/watch/treadmill showing your distance & send to us.
or
Take a picture of yourself having completed the 5km.
While we realize that it may not be possible for all participants to complete 5km, we encourage you to participate, keep fit and complete however many km you can.
We wish to have fun with this, so please do send in periodic Pictures/Videos of your participation in this first Virtual Run/Walk.
We will be posting these on our website & social media platforms.
We would like as many people to participate (young and old), from all over the world; stay fit, stay safe, have fun !
** You can take this further and get sponsors from friends and family by asking people to hit the OZCF Donation option from the website or click HERE
In conversation with Kynan Chenai about the importance of developing discipline and mental toughness to control what you can in high pressure competitions.
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
Some advantages of gaming (PUBG), when not played regularly or in excess, are helping in multitasking and increasing thinking ability and reflexes when exposed to different situations.
Keeping this in mind, ZYNG 2.0 plans to entice and engage the parsi youth with ‘Lockdown 2020 PUBG Night’ a friendly gaming session for Zoroastrian youth on Saturday, 23rd May.
What: ‘Lockdown 2020 PUBG Night’ for Parsis
When: Saturday, 23rd May from 10pm onwards
Where: At our respective homes through our mobile phones/tablets
Registration: FREE…closes on Friday 22nd May at 5pm, Contact 9082262681/9920127945
Winner Gratification: Winners of Solo and Squad matches to be awarded with special gift cards
How to survive the red zone? Every player knows that when in a red zone, always stay at home..
~ Functional Training & Aerobics meet Yoga coming Thursday, 21st May
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us all to change our routines, and a prime example of this is fitness. The closure of gyms and fitness studios has resulted in people looking for fitness guidance and workout session when it comes to ways to keep fit at home.
What: Fitness Hour with ZYNG – Danceout by Burzin Engineer Meets Yoga by Rayomand Sirvala
Mr. Burzin Engineer (https://www.instagram.com/burzzz13/), the founder of Danceout India, has introduced the workout called danceout, which is a combination of high impact aerobics and functional training together which gives you weight loss and toning in one class.
He has been professionally teaching and choreographing dance since more than 10 years.
Mr. Rayomad Sirvala (https://www.instagram.com/rayomandsirvala/), is a renowned Yoga Instructor, Corporate Fitness Consultant and Health Coach, making a difference to many across the globe and encouraging everyone to live a healthy life.
People all over the world follow them and their workouts. Imagine them coming together for the first time for a unique fitness hour LIVE on Instagram. Follow @zyng2.0 on Instagram for more details
It’s time to challenge ourselves to stay fit at home. This Thursday evening, don’t want to miss working out from your respective homes, with the top fitness experts in Functional Training & Yoga….. all this free of cost
Forwarding YouTube link featuring Sanaya Veraf Khambatta, our YZ Vice President & 8WZYC Co Chair, on ‘Finding True North’.
Sanaya works for IBM as a Technical consultant. She is also part of the Tech Allies committee- a group of industry young professionals focused on providing cross industry knowledge and development surrounding technology to professionals. Her aim is to inspire the next generation into choosing a career in technology, through her work with schools and universities, as well as releasing their own podcast series and internships.
Their newest venture is ‘Finding True North’- a virtual series of inspiring career stories delivered through interactive YouTube Live sessions. Here is last week’s session featuring Sanaya as the first guest speaker. She discusses her journey to date and gives out advice and guidance on how to be successful and reach your full potential.
For more information please do see see her LinkedIn.
the 16th East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Scout Group engages with cubs, scouts and their parents during the lockdown period
~ The 16th East Bombay Scouts go online to adapt to ongoing coronavirus lockdown
Social distancing may have put a stop to community meet ups but that hasn’t meant a break to Scouting for the 16th East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Scout Group, where scouts and cubs have gone online to adapt to coronavirus lockdown.
Technology may have changed, the scouts themselves haven’t, despite the current lockdown. The 16th East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Scout Group (a hundred-year legacy and counting) has been engaging the cubs and scouts daily through WhatsApp groups and on Sundays through meetings conducted on Zoom… From daily challenges and activities on the WhatsApp group like Snack Art, Dalgona Coffee, Improvise your Chapatis, Fork Painting, Safe Hands, Make a Mask, Clown Face, Musical Band with Household Things, Floss Dance, Paper Toss, Bottle Flip, Scavenger Hunt, Singing Tree Pose and multiple Puzzles/Quizzes to First Aid, Knot Tying and Observation like sessions during the Sunday scout meetings on zoom.
The Scout Group successfully conducted a Virtual Entertainment Programme for Parents & Family Members (of Scouts and Cubs) on Friday, 1st May which included fun activities like Queen of Sheba, Bollywood Buff (guess and sing the song), Antakshari Party, Dumb Charades and Double Trouble (Fun Games for Couples including thread the needle with one hand, peeling onions and potatoes without knife, dress the child in a saree etc).
Replacing the annual summer camp scheduled to be held from 1st to 5th May, the Zoroastrian Scout Group took up the challenge to conduct a one-day virtual camp for the scouts and the cubs on Sunday, 3rd May. The schedule of the virtual training camp included Prayers, Exercises, Breakfast Preparation & Eating Together, First Aid & Disaster Management session (attended by the boys and their parents), Recreation Activities (Scavenger Hunt and Making T-shirt, Pant & Cap from newspaper and wear the same), Scouting Games (Kim’s Game – Observation) and an Online Campfire with one round of family performances (Skits, Singing, Dancing etc) and the other round of boys singing together patrol wise.
“Our Scout group, the 16th East Bombay Zoroastrian Bharat Scout Group (ZBS), was founded on 1st August 1920 to train our Parsi youth in various physical, mental & other skills so as to become good citizens and positive human beings and contribute positively to society. We are in our Centenary year and will complete 100years on 1st August 2020! Under normal circumstances we conduct our activities on Sundays as also hold outdoor camps normally at least twice a year! We have a dedicated team of Scouters & Rovers who have been trained during their scout days & are now devoting their time to train the younger lot! Kudos to them!”, Scout Master Mr. Freddy Khapoliwala elaborating on the origin of the scout group, the activities conducted and the benefits of Scouting.
Highlighting the steps taken by the Zoroastrian Bharat Scout Group to adapt to these times, he further adds “This has been a unique situation and our Scouts/Cubs/Scouters have risen to the occasion by having Virtual activities over laptop, phone & videos through zoom & other mediums. Besides upgrading skills through web-sessions, demos etc., they have been lending a huge hand in household chores making us & their parents proud. We have also conducted a virtual entertainment programme for parents on 1st May evening and a virtual camp day on Sunday 3rd May besides our normal troop & pack meetings at our normal Sunday meeting times! This is over & above at least 2 activities and homework done every day!”
Parents of the scouts and cubs have appreciated the activities conducted:
“My son is really enjoying the daily activities and challenges which are fun, creative and fitness oriented. Thank all the Sirs for their motivation and encouragement and the efforts they have put in especially during this lockdown period.”
“The energy and enthusiasm the cubs and scouts brought to the screens during the virtual camp was awesome. The inspiration, guidance and the encouragement towards the young minds was simply fantastic”
“The one-day Virtual Camp and the Parents Entertainment Programme were so well organised and engaging, with laughter and fun making us forget the current situation”
“During this lockdown period, the cubs and scouts have learnt and are helping in household chores thanks to the motivation and encouragement from the Scouters & Rovers.”
The 16th East Bombay Scout Group, under the arch of Young Zoroastrian Society (YZS), welcomes all young boys between 5 to 17 years of age (join before 14) who wish to join the group and fill their lives with excitement while growing into independent adults leading happy lives and having a group of good Zoroastrian friends for life.
Scouter Khapoliwala adds “We invite all to have their youngsters join us during/after the lockdown. We have our meetings on rainy days from 8am to 10.30 am at Gamadia School & on non-rainy days we also have a game of baseball starting 7am at Parsi Gymkhana grounds before proceeding to Gamadia school to end at 10.30. We are sponsored by & belong to the (YZS) Young Zoroastrian Society & are happy to also say that 25 years ago our society has also started a girl guides group- the 71st Guide Company (ZBG) who are doing an excellent job in training the girls of age 6 years up in similar skills! They also celebrated Silver Jubilee on 1st August 2019 amid a great Celebration year! Look forward to Parsi families of Mumbai taking full advantage in training their children through the 16th & 71st Scout & Guide groups!”
For further details, visit http://www.yzsg.in/ and may call: Scout Master – Mr. Freddy Khapoliwala – 9820153066 / Cub Master – Mr. Pesi Patel – 9819937318 / Asst. Scout Master – Mr. Firdous Satha – 9167626268 / Asst. Cub Master – Mr. Burzin Tavadia – 9892176624
Sanaya Khambatta
In keeping with the ongoing measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, HPY 2020 to be held in May stands cancelled.