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"I had the passion to learn and to do research but it is the community that provided the inspiration and the opportunity,” acknowledged Ervad (Dr) Jehan Bagli who was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) at the 30th  anniversary gala night in Houston on April 29, 2017. Now 90 years old, Bagli has chosen to retire from his commitments at FEZANA.  "We would like to honor and celebrate his life, achievements, contributions and devotion to the Zoroastrian faith,” announced FEZANA president Homi Gandhi.
The Lifetime Achievement Award, FEZANA’s highest honor, "recognizes a highly respected North American Zarathushti who through his/her personal achievements and meritorious service has brought recognition to the Zarathushti community worldwide,” Gandhi reminded the gathering. The first recipient of this Award was maestro Zubin Mehta who was conferred the honor in 1990, followed by Prof Kaikhosrov Irani, (emeritus professor of philosophy at the City College, New York) in 1996, Dr Farhang Mehr, (former deputy prime minister of Iran) in 2002 and Ambassador Jamsheed Marker in 2007.
An accomplished Zoroastrian scholar-priest and researcher, Bagli has authored and co-authored several books on religious practices and spoken at North American Zoroastrian Congresses and multi faith meets. As chair of the FEZANA Research and Preservation Committee since 2000, "the crowning achievement” for the Committee was its contribution that helped restore the manuscript S1 at the Columbia University. FEZANA’s magnanimous support of $ 5,612.50 was made possible by obtaining donations, particularly a generous funding from an anonymous philanthropist in memory of Shams-ul-Ulama Dastur (Dr) Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla, an alumnus of the University. The S1 manuscript, one of the oldest and most important manuscripts of the Avestan Yasna with a Sanskrit translation, was "believed to have been lost until it was discovered in the Rare Books Collection of Columbia University,” explained Bagli.

 

 

 

 

 

In his professional life Bagli served as director of research at the Wyeth-Ayerst Research Laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey until his retirement in 1997. Having obtained his doctorate in medicinal chemistry from the University of London, he has to his credit over 60 publications and 49 US patents.
In his extempore speech that Bagli specially recalled for Parsiana, he referred to his modest upbringing in a small two-room apartment, his father being a hardworking bank clerk. He was ordained as a priest at 14 years of age in Navsari. Despite the economic limitations, his parents Framroze and Dhunmai "never created any hindrance in my quest for learning and knowledge. I thank them for the sacrifices they made and I share this moment with them.”
Dedicating the honor to his wife Freny, Bagli reminisced about his trip to India in 1956 when they met for about a week "and for reasons still unknown to me she agreed to leave her family (her sister Arnavaz Mama was the former managing editor of Parsiana) and friends to come away with me (of course we were married before leaving!). She has been my companion and wife for the last 61 years… She has been an ardent critic and a keen supporter of many things I have done…She accepted all my idiosyncrasies as well as my interests… In doing so she has made significant sacrifices.”
He also showered fulsome praise on their son Dr Darius, a practicing pediatric urologist at Sick Kids (SK) Hospital who is also senior research scientist at the SK Research Foundation, professor of physiology and surgery at the University of Toronto medical school and an accomplished concert pianist. The father was particularly appreciative that despite the son’s "intensely busy schedule, he has donated time over the years to be a guide and server (on) computer technology. Anytime I have a problem, all I need to do is to put in a service call and he would find time to rectify the situation either by coming over or through distant programs!” He also wished to celebrate the spirit of his daughter Shiraz who although not physically present for the last 13 years has been guiding their endeavors.
Founder president of the Zoroastrian Association of Quebec in 1968, six years later Jehan introduced Gavashni, the first Zoroastrian newsletter in North America. Elected to the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) international board over a decade ago, five years ago he established WZO Canada as a registered charity and serves as its president.
Since 2001 he has been chair of the Zoroastrian Society of Ontario lecture committee and further served as president of the North American Mobeds Council from 2002 to 2008. He believes in devoting "much of his time and energy to understanding and disseminating the knowledge of Zoroastrianism (and) is committed to the cause of perpetuation of the Zarathushtrian faith as a universal way of life in North America and around the world” (see "Religion with responsibility,” Parsiana, July 21, 2010). Two years ago he represented FEZANA at the Parliament of World Religions.
As Gandhi acknowledged, "Jehan, you have been a great mentor to me, especially directing me to the right prayers I have been offering at many interfaith and international events. Although I have been the outside face of the North American Zarathushti community for the last 15 plus years, it is individuals like you who have guided me.” The friendship between the two dates back to 1967 when Gandhi was visiting EXPO 67 and called Bagli to enquire if the Zarathushtis in Montreal were celebrating the Shahenshahi New Year. "We wanted to meet our own people and enjoy a Parsi meal after traveling on a Greyhound bus for over 45 days! Jehan invited us to his home; we enjoyed the meal, found many connections in true Parsi tradition…” Gandhi further appreciated that despite Bagli’s multifarious commitments he continues to volunteer at hospitals to help meet the needs and comforts of patients in emergency, a practice he started in New Jersey.

 

 

 

 

As the founder editor of FEZANA Journal it was Bagli’s privilege to display the 30th anniversary issue and the new FEZANA logo. "The FEZANA Journal has bloomed under the leadership of two remarkable ladies — first under Roshan Rivetna and currently under the editorial command of Dr Dolly Dastoor. Their dedication and service to the North American Zoroastrians needs to be emulated by our youth,” Bagli stated in his email responses to Parsiana.
"The candle lit under the FEZANA name will continue to spread its light over generations to come,” wrote an optimistic Bagli, adding, "The Zoroastrian community in the diaspora continues to prosper and to mark its own imprint in the western society. There is always the question of what are we trying to preserve — ethnicity or religious identity? Perhaps the answer to this question varies with the age, the origin and the background of the individual.
"In the North American diaspora, the community is establishing its own identity and taking measures to see that their religious identity as Zarathushtis dominates over the ethnic one. This is particularly important for one reason that here the cultured and educated Parsis have encountered the highly cultured and educated Iranian Zarathushti community. While the cultural and social heritage of both the groups is worthy of preservation, the commonality of the Noble Faith dominates over ethnicity to preserve the overall harmony. However, the ethnic culture and social customs are not altogether forgotten. The Zoroastrians in North America recognize that their first major undertaking here is to bring awareness to the western world of what and who is a Zoroastrian. It is only when we have achieved that objective that we can then speak about how and when the Parsi and Iranian Zarathushtis separated and how Parsi Zoroastrians assumed the custody of our Noble Faith.
"One is always concerned about the dilution of the community through interfaith weddings. That is not a problem unique to Zoroastrians. From what I observe, the ideal solution to this problem is not by fighting it but by joining it. I see a number of non-Zoroastrian spouses of both genders seamlessly integrated in the Zoroastrian community. Some are even more enthusiastic and zealous than their Zoroastrian partners. Accepting the interfaith union and adopting an inclusive attitude towards their children is the ideal pathway towards the preservation and perpetuation of the faith and community. The ethnicity and cultural heritage of Parsi and Iranian Zarathushtis will continue... A smooth and strong perpetuation of the religion of Asho Zarathusht should be, and is, the ultimate goal.”