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Implementing the business dictum "price is what you pay, value is what you get,” the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) has become an institutional member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Mumbai from September 1, 2013. "TiE is the world’s largest body to promote, nurture and foster entrepreneurship… All WZCC members will have the unique opportunity to acquire knowledge, network, obtain business advisory services and participate in programs of TiE in addition to those of WZCC,” announces the WZCC brochure released on the occasion of the annual general meeting (AGM) of the WZCC India Chamber and the Bombay chapter at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club (RBYC) on September 6, 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

"Our efforts have been yielding results but there is more to be done. We have some bright young stars among our WZCC members, like Maher Dhamodiwala, an upcoming wealth planner who helps clients get best results out of their wealth. The Indian Merchants Chamber has taken him on their capital market committee,” stated Adi Siganporia, Bombay chapter chair. ‘Donut king’ Farokh Irani has grown his business from small beginnings. Young Percy Elavia of Surat has received an award from The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry for giving Surat an efficient cab hiring service called Tango Cabs, a 24x7 radio cab service. Collegian Jamsheed Master is among the five individuals in The Times of India "I lead India Youth Brigade — Mumbai.” Vera Saiwala has successfully grown an existing business and there are many more such examples, noted Siganporia. "I am happy and proud that our life member Jamshed Keki Mistry took me to Goa to explore linkages with Parsi businesses there. We will soon be entering into a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the Goa Chamber of Commerce.”
The change of venue for this year’s AGM seemed to have added buzz to WZCC business! The room at the RBYC was filled with members and guests, perchance curious about and attracted to the colonial charm of the over-a-century-old building! Just three days earlier, the Club had won the Award of Merit in the 2013 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The restoration of the neo-Gothic style building of the RBYC, which is known as Residential Chambers, was carried out under conservation architect Vikas Dilawari. (Dilawari also supervised the restoration of the Garib Zarthostiona Rehetan Fund buildings in what is known as the Lal Chimney Compound near Nair Hospital in Agripada which received the Award of Distinction. RBYC and Lal Chimney were the only two awardees from India this year, as per the UNESCO Award website.) "We have to thank our vice chairperson and treasurer Xerxes Dastur for arranging this venue,” noted Siganporia.
Dastur informed members that for the year ended March 31, 2013 the Bombay chapter had a surplus of three lakh rupees (income over expenditure). "We have also built a healthy corpus of Rs 50 lakhs,” he announced. "We look forward to members’ bringing in generous advertisements and donations and invite suggestions as well.”

 

In the absence of secretary Adil Dadachanji, Murad Currawalla conducted the formal procedure. The current office bearers, Siganporia, Dadachanji and Dastur continue as chairman, secretary and treasurer respectively of the Bombay chapter. With Edal Cassad resigning due to health reasons, Kainaz Vaid comes in as new member. Currawalla, Dhamodiwala, Master, Veera Mundroina and Rohinton Unani are on the committee as well.
Pheroze (Phili) Kharas, director on WZCC’s international board who had earlier successfully steered the Bombay chapter, elaborated on the benefits TiE would provide to the WZCC. "TiE Mumbai is one of the fastest growing entrepreneurial eco systems in the global TiE network,” he asserted. It conducts five to six programs each month and focuses on each stage of an entrepreneur’s life, starting with idea validation. TiE members are a rich resource pool from diverse industries such as manufacturing, biotech, healthcare, Information Technology, finance, legal services, hospitality, etc. Not just entrepreneurs but even employees who work in organizations need and are rewarded for what is called ‘intrapreneurship” — innovation and creativity that transforms an idea into a profitable venture. "WZCC’s biggest challenge is to increase membership by focusing on the younger generation. When you look around, you will find very few faces here that are in the age group of 23 to 40 with the exception of those we have taken on the chapter committee. Yet ZYNG (Zoroastrian Youth for the Next Generation) which provides social, cultural and religious interaction has over 2,000 members. It is obvious that as chapter chairs and directors, we need to direct our efforts at providing value… My humble request to you all is to spread the word around. If ZYNG can have 2,000 members, surely spending time to build a successful career is equally important,” Kharas emphasized.
The first program to promote the WZCC’s association with TiE will be at Rustom Baug in Bombay on October 5. "If we find that this approach has the potential to draw more members we will have a program at other baugs and community centers,” Kharas stated. Information about the WZCC-TiE association will also appear regularly on the WZCC website and Facebook page. There is also a women’s wing known as TiE Stree Shakti (TSS) which provides women entrepreneurs in the micro, small and medium enterprise sectors opportunities for mentoring, networking, etc. "Enrol as life members of WZCC before October 31, 2013 and get sponsored for three programs of TiE Mumbai, up to August 31, 2014. Postgraduates (who) enroll as annual members before October 31, 2013 get sponsored for two programs of TiE Mumbai up to August 31, 2014,” exhorts the new pamphlet. "We thank Sam and Lara Balsara of Madison World for having designed and printed the handout at very short notice,” acknowledged Kharas. "We will always be grateful for their help and generosity.”

 

 

 

 

 

"It was Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (one of India’s leading women entrepreneurs who is chairperson and managing director of Biocon Limited) who said that women have to work twice as hard as men to succeed in India,” declared Dolly Dhamodiwala, chairperson of the WZCC WE (Women Entrepreneurs) wing. There should be at least one woman director on the boards of companies as gender diversity allows a balance of views and opinions. Shernaz Mehta is currently the vice chairperson of The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank and there are a few women chief executive officers of banks in India, but by and large there are few businesses run by women in this country, she noted. "For WE functions we welcome both Parsis and non-Parsis as we find that Hindu women are more dynamic and risk-taking than Parsi women,” she asserted.
The innovative programs WZCC has been organizing over the last couple of years has made the organization stronger, assessed Cyrus Bagwadia, head of the India Chamber. "The Bombay and Poona chapters are the driving forces. We are very fortunate to have Kharas who puts his heart and soul into WZCC. Siganporia too has put in tremendous effort and dedication. Under Dolly Dhamodiwala, the WE initiative has taken off exceptionally well. I suggest we emulate this model for youth too. Youngsters in the age group 16 to 25 can have their own group as their takeaway is very different from others. Give them space and empowerment but don’t be too far away! We should be close enough to support them! In Poona, chapter chair Viraf Deboo is reaching out to youth through other organizations in the city.” Bagwadia also suggested the institution of what he termed "internal awards” on the lines of the annual global Outstanding Zarathushti Awards. "Value added services should be recognized,” he averred.
"I am pleased and proud to inform you that the Poona chapter completes 10 years this year. It’s been a long journey, full of action, at times frustrating, but overall satisfying,” observed Deboo. "We have around 65 active members on our rolls.” Vice chairman Umeed Kothavala has been nominated a director on the international board. Giving a synopsis of the year’s activities, Deboo mentioned that the program held jointly with the Poona Parsee Panchayat to felicitate Zoroastrian youth who had excelled in academics, dance, music, sports, etc had been a greater success than expected. "We personally believe that where there is common synergy and focus to take the community forward, two organizations can work together and succeed. The WZCC gained by having many more Zoroastrians being aware of what we are and what we do… This could also be a base for a youth wing.”
The WE wing of the Poona chapter had earlier been launched on August 9 in Poona, with Mahrukh Bharucha as chairperson. Bharucha is a communication skills expert who runs Expressions Unlimited, training children and adults in speech, drama, etc. Wealth management planner Sujata Kabraji, in her presentation entitled "Common financial mistakes women make,” guided women on how to save and invest wisely, how to "woo and not woe monetary issues.” She gave important tips for them to follow through their 20s, 30s, 40s, etc.
Siganporia, who is also honorary secretary of the India Chamber, informed members that the WZCC global AGM this year would be held at the Taj Lands End in Bombay on December 26, as Zarathushtis from different countries would be in Bombay around that time for the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress. "Let’s come together in a big way,” he exhorted. For the India Chamber, Bagwadia and Siganporia will continue as chairman and secretary res-pectively, Keki Elavia, Dinshaw Mehta and Zeree Jehangirji being the other committee members. "Adi Cooper who was with us for a long time will not be continuing due to his other engagements. I place on record his services to WZCC, his brilliant ideas and commitment,” Siganporia stated. He bemoaned the fact that most of the senior members of the community shied away from putting time into guiding the youth. "The joy of giving is so very important. Lose yourself in the service of others…”
Vivacious Kanika Choudhary, who was the guest of honor for the evening, showed the energy of youth enterprise! "I am very happy to be a product of a Parsi school — the Bai Avabai Petit Girls High School in Bandra. The school felt like family. I learnt my first teachings from Zoroaster — that every individual has a choice between the opposing forces of good and evil and it is the duty of each human being to choose well. We were so integrated; the school brought out the best,” she said, recalling that Roda Doctor was her principal. "I absolutely loved my journey. I want to give back to the community and the school which brought me to where I am.” Choudhary is an honorary ambassador of the city of Philadelphia in the US and a graduate of The Wharton School. "How do you connect a city and a country? I want to help build ties, take the relationship to more personal levels as far as tourism, trade, foreign investment and education is concerned. The state of Pennsylvania is a hub for pharma and alternate energy industries, educational and medical facilities, home to some of the best and oldest Jewish families and to several Fortune 500 companies. We would like to connect with India. Share with me — business ideas, exchanges, libraries, spaces. I would like to inspire Parsi women. I still have a Parsi in me! I thank the founder of Avabai Petit School and express humble gratitude to the community which helped take me to my dreams,” she declared.
Global president Minoo Shroff narrated some of his personal work interactions through the decades, some of them with VIPs not particularly enamored of the Parsis! Jobs are difficult to come by today; even management institutes have streams for entrepreneurs, he said. Faltering does not mean failure. Knowledge is so proud, wisdom so humble. Introducing the chief guest Capt Percy Master who is chairman of the Master Group of companies, Shroff described him as a "successful entrepreneur and fine gentleman, quintessentially a good Zoroastrian.”
"Most of us don’t know the history of our religion, how it started. I was fortunate to visit Iran for 21 days. Driving out from the airport in Tehran, I was surprised to see the good roads with landscaping, the city well laid out, people extremely friendly,” he described. "The Alborz range, the view of Mount Demavand on a clear day was exhilarating. What we have read is true, that there is no photo of Zoroaster anywhere, but you can see the entire history displayed in bas relief carved into the mountains.” They also encountered a group of Kurds who performed the kusti to show that they have been practicing Zoroastrianism for years, Master narrated.
"I am a first generation entrepreneur. I was very focused in what I really wanted to do. I knew from when I was in standard five that I wanted to be a seafarer!” the master mariner continued. Aiming to join the training ship Dufferin, he appeared for the entrance test despite the fact that he did not know how to swim and that there would be some 4,000 applicants for 80 seats, including those reserved for foreigners. There soon arrived a make or break situation — cadets were told to swim one-and-a-half lengths of an Olympic-sized pool fully clothed! Training "morning, evening and night” at the Golvala Bath at Backbay, he learnt to swim in four days! Joining Scindia Steam Navigation Company, Master spent months out at sea but as his son Xerxes started schooling, the father decided to look for a shore job but could not find a paying one.
So with one-table space in the office of his wife Erin’s uncle at Horniman Circle, with Erin as secretary he set up shop. "I had to sell my expertise in shipping, but for six to seven months nobody wanted to even look at me. Today we have 50 branches all over India and we represent over 100 shipping lines, with a 3,000+ staff. It’s a good feeling to know 3,000 families are relying on you to support them.” I have full faith in today’s youngsters, Master added, but they are confused in many ways. "We will gather for the 10th World Zoroastrian Congress, be entertained, but what would we have achieved without addressing the burning issues? (Forty) percent of youngsters marry outside. Retain them. Find solutions for future generations. Fire temples are unmaintained, consolidate funds. Our religion is never going to die, I’m sure, but there are so many organizations with their own agendas, own egos. Dialog can solve problems if egos do not come in the way. There is only one path — the path of truth. Youngsters should say ‘yes we can and we will.’”