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Felicitating Dastoor
According to Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, Zoroastrian representative on the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), the shawls he received on June 17, 2017 were more than the problems on which he was briefed at the Commission! That was the day he was felicitated by the members of Navsari’s Samast Parsi Zoroastrian General Fund, Bhagarsath Anjuman and Malesar Behdin Anjuman at Jamshed Baug in that city. Members of the Sikh and Christian communities joined in the felicitation, notes a report received on behalf of Dinshaw Tamboly, chairman of the WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisation) Trust. Elaborating on the facilities available to minority communities, Dastoor rued that hardly any Zoroastrians took advantage of these.
Fifteen Gujarat based Parsi anjumans as well as members of the Sikh, Jain and Christian communities felicitated Dastoor at a program organized, also on June 17, by the Bardoli Jarthosti Anjuman (BJA), notes a write up received by Parsiana from trustee Pervez Mehta. Chief guest on the occasion, president of the Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) Jamshed Dotivala expressed confidence that Dastoor would "work very well for all minorities.” BJA president Homi Pithawala spoke of the Bai Maneckbai P. B. Jeejeebhoy Charitable Dispensary run by the Anjuman which provides free services for all communities in that town. SPP trustee Yazdi Karanjia mentioned that he knew about the seven vars (days) i.e. Somvar, Mangalvar… (Sunday, Monday…). There was an eighth var namely parivar (family), he quipped. Alluding to this, Dastoor exhorted members of all communities to live as a family, united and strong. The function, organized at the Perin and Bomansha Mehta School, was attended by the district collector and various police officials. 
The Kayoji Mirza Memorial Hall at Udvada saw a turnout of around 200 persons to felicitate Dastoor. Organized by the Udvada Samast Anjuman on July 1, government and semi-government officials were among the guests who attended the function, according to reports.
Nearly 40 trusts, associations and schools came together "from Cusrow Baug to Thane including Andheri, Bandra, Lalbaug, Byculla” to extend their felicitations to Dastoor at a program organized by the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust (MEJMT) on July 2, 2017 at Palamkote Hall, writes Mahiyar Dastoor, trustee of MEJMT, in an email to Parsiana.
In his address, Khurshed explained the role of the NCM and his duties therein.  The program commenced with a humbandagi led by Ervad Kaizad Karkaria of the Rustom Faramna Agiary, and a welcome address by Dinyar Panthaki, chairman of MEJMT. Mementos and flowers were presented to Khurshed and his wife Havovi by trustees Zarine Engineer and Tina Patel. Honorary secretary of the Trust Mithoo Jesia spoke about her association with Khurshed and recalled occasions when he worked closely with the Trust. Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute recalled Khurshed’s childhood days when schooling together at the Dadar Parsee Youths Assembly High School and at the Dadar Athornan Madressa under Ervad Rustomji Panthaky, then principal of the Madressa. Khurshed’s "direct interaction with the children at the Madressa was highly appreciated,” states Mahiyar’s note. A vote of thanks was proposed by Engineer.
Meanwhile, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) has not held a public function to felicitate Khurshed on the appointment "as there is no precedent of congratulating previous members Dadi Mistry and Keki Daruwala,” noted BPP chairman Yazdi Desai in a chain email. Parsiana has been informed that trustees have individually been in touch with Khurshed.