Archive

For Zoroastrians in Ahmedabad, Navroz, August 17, 2018 turned out to be a bleak day when in the heavy downpour they came to attend the funeral of their 54-year-old stalwart Porus Jehangirji Karanjawalla (pictured) whose sudden tragic demise the previous day had cast a pall of gloom on the community. His body was reportedly found in the washroom of the city’s Khamasa Agiary after a missing person report had been filed with the police. The Khordad Saal function by the Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat (APP) was cancelled this year and the antakshari cum entertainment event by the Ushta-Te Foundation was postponed.
"Just as he lived, Porus passed away without any suffering and without troubling anyone,” commented Jehangir Bisney of Hyderabad, founder president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Youth Associations of India (FOZYA), adding, "The Zarathushti youth of today owe it to him for being one of the founder figures of FOZYA… I knew him for three decades and never once did he show any ego or pride. Always down-to-earth and sincere, he was very knowledgeable on Parsi matters. We discussed current affairs of the community and his views were always balanced though he was an orthodox.”
Having worked as secretary of FOZYA when Karanjawalla was the president, Pervez Irani of Dahanu reminisced, "We successfully organized many youth seminars all over India. He was humble and always encouraged the youth and supported them without being in the limelight. His main focus was that work should be done in the best possible way… He was a silent worker for several causes, the youth as well as the elderly people of our community.” Viewing him "more like a brother,” Irani stated, "He was a religious person who made it a point to offer his prayers at the fire temple on a regular basis. Being a compassionate person, he always offered a helping hand to our community members.”
Involved in community activities for the last 30 years, he was former trustee and committee member of the APP and had served as general secretary of the Parsi Youth League of Ahmedabad (PYLA). At the time of his demise he was a trustee of the Roda and Savaksha Mohudawala Charitable Trust (RSMCT) that is known for organizing annual felicitation for Ahmedabad achievers and the Christmas party for children, as also the Dhanjishaw and Manijeh Gamir Charitable Trust (DMGCT) that has a Republic Day flag hoisting function every year followed by a lavish brunch. Recently this Trust renovated the dilapidated Parsi Sanatorium in Ahmedabad and playing a key role in this activity was Karanjawalla who oversaw that quality construction material was used for the repairs. The Sanatorium that is managed by the APP reportedly generates Rs 10 lakhs as annual revenue. "Such was his wisdom, thinking and selfless work that has given great opportunities to Parsi humdins in Ahmedabad,” noted a write-up by Aspy Bharucha, a trustee on both the trusts.
As noted APP trustee Kety Daruwala who viewed Karanjawalla as "a staunch Jarthosti… despite his busy schedule as a businessman, he used to devote a lot of time to his commitments. The Ahmedabad Parsi community has lost a true social worker.” For the Ahmedabad Mirror of August 18, Daruwala recounted that two months ago when the APP was arranging a tour of eight atash behrams, train reservations for AC, first class and second class were made depending on the payment received from devotees. On behalf of his trust he declared that everyone would travel by the AC coach and the difference in amount would be borne by the trust. "He felt that there should be no discrimination among pilgrims. He was a man of principles. He never compromised on it.” Keen to see community youth find life partners, he was taking an active role in organizing the matrimonial meet in Ahmedabad on October 27 and 28, 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

At a condolence meeting jointly convened by the RSMCT and DMGCT at the Sanatorium hall on August 25, nearly 19 members of the community recalled Karanjawalla’s contributions. Bharucha gave Karanjawalla credit for his "free, frank and fearless personality, his ethics and principles, his convictions…(and) zero tolerance for wrong doing.” He chose not to contest the last APP trusteeship elections since "his ideas, ethics and principles were not acceptable to many and to avoid a clash at a later period.” Others who spoke on the occasion included former APP president Kersi Shethna, erstwhile APP trustee Dr Armaity Davar and Ariz Bokdawala who had worked with Karanjawalla on many trusts like PYLA and FOZYA.
After his schooling from St Xavier’s Ahmedabad, Karanjawalla had earned a diploma in   computer software before launching his professional career. The religiously inclined bachelor had named his company Ahura Enterprise. "Of late he was into export of industrial products and was doing very well for himself, traveling all around the world for business,” mentioned his brother Khushru.
Alluding to "his hard work with various trusts,” Ahmedabad community activist Meher Medora commented, "He had the tenacity to hold his views despite all odds.”
The dedicated trustee is survived by his brother Khushru Karanjawalla.