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"My definition of a Parsi is one who practices good thoughts, words and deeds, one who has a sense of connection with the community and doesn’t forget to look after one’s own,” stated California based Freddy Engineer who at the age of 47 years was motivated to found the Engineer Family Foundation to support individuals in need of finance for education, health or housing. "It was born of a strong desire to give back to the Parsi community in a meaningful way,” stated the philanthropist, now 53 years old, on his visit to Bombay in December 2022.
Ninety percent of the funds of the Foundation are directed towards Parsis in India and 10% are for the people in California. On an average the six-year-old Foundation has been disbursing USD 50,000 (Rs 40,89,718) a year. "Wire transfer at every stage is not easy at all in India when every recipient is thought of as a potential terrorist who is being funded. Here I am trying to do good and there are blockers trying to slow me down,” he regretted.
 "Our charity invites applications from students aspiring for education, pursuing work related technical diplomas and seeking excellence in the fields of sports and fine arts,” reads their promotional literature. "One of the advantages of the pandemic was the time I had to devote to the Foundation. It was a big blessing. I was able to scrutinize applications. If a story touches my heart, I give,” Engineer explained.
Most of it though is largely educational support to students who want to pursue higher studies which their parents cannot afford. "Higher education is the key to a better life that would result in more goodness for the community,” stated Engineer while sipping coffee at the Shamiana at The Taj Mahal Palace, a lifestyle very different from the one he had experienced during his childhood.
With father Noshir being a car mechanic and mother Kamal giving tuitions, income was limited for the five-member family then residing at Dalal Estate in Bombay. Since Kamal would be called in as a substitute teacher, the three boys were exempted from paying fees at St Mary’s School. After completing his junior college from St Xavier’s he did his graduation in electrical engineering from the Bombay University.
Keen to study abroad, he approached Parsi trusts and benefactors for funds to build up a bank balance that would qualify him for a US visa, he recalled. His meeting with Scylla Vatcha he considered particularly "transformative in my life. This woman was incredible,” making him resolve, "Someday I’m going to be like her.” He has vivid memories of her answering the doorbell, taking him up to her library, sharing with him the addresses of other trusts that would help him. Even after getting small and large grants from around 15 trusts, he was still short of the required sum for tuition fees. The saving grace for that final amount was Khodadad Irani, partner of Wibs, acknowledged Freddy. Thus equipped, he set out in 1992 to earn his master’s from the University of Wyoming that offered the most affordable electrical engineering course in the US.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He had originally envisaged that after earning his master’s he would return to India where he would be able to secure a good job. "I would have liked to work for a Parsi organization.” But destiny had other plans for within a week of his postgraduation he got a job with Electronic Design Automation Tools — MINC in Colorado. With that he was able to support the family in India and help his younger brothers — Harvesp and Porus, six and eight years junior to him.
His field of specialization being semi-conductors and with maximum innovations happening in California, he relocated to that state in 1999 and joined Xilinx Inc. By that time he had married Marina and their son Bahman was born. During the 23 years he was with Xilinx Inc, starting as a field engineer until he left as general manager he gave his "blood and bones to that company.” After an amicable separation in April last, Freddy started "a new chapter” in his life in the field of artificial intelligence. "The world of artificial intelligence is booming. I did not spend enough time to understand the market potential with its machine vision, prediction and inference capabilities,” he admitted. Fascinated with its application to automobiles, robotics, security, etc, he added, "The more you learn, the more you get something right.” In his engineering parlance, he considers education "a turbo charger that breaks the vicious circle of poverty.”
Ever since his father passed away in 2004 at the age of 61years, Freddy, with the support of his brothers and family was keen to do something in his memory. In the first few years he would send money in Dad’s memory as medical aid to beneficiaries in Bombay. For a short period he would annually donate towards the amelioration of Gujarat farmers. Kamal would do charity through teaching. By 2016, when he had the means, Freddy carved out a good amount of time, energy and finances to create the Foundation, organize a website and open a bank account.
"The Foundation enables us to provide critical assistance to those who seek a better future for themselves and the world,” declares their website engineerfamilyfoundation.org. Empathizing with the applicants, Freddy says, "The last thing I want to do is pass judgment. Recipients have dignity/pride that we need to respect. Make connections. The world has made it easy to touch each other without being physical.”
Residing in the San Jose, Bay Area for over three decades, he believes that America has its problems created by the extreme left and right wings. But he has also learnt that if you take "good things from the liberals and conservatives and follow the central path you can enjoy an awesome smoothie.” Freddy’s  mother and brothers are now all based in California. Harvesp is in the hospitality industry in California, working as a financial controller. Porus is the chief operating officer of a private financial company offering and processing loans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The philanthropist foresees "a very positive future” for Zoroastrians in the US. Due to his preoccupation with his former job he was unable to involve himself with community activities although "the heart was there.” A life member of the Zarthoshti Anjuman of Northern California he is also happy to attend events organized by the Persian Zoroastrian Organization. "We are een, meen né saaré teen (Gujarati expression to convey a handful)” and then having two parallel organizations because one has Gujarati speaking members and the other has Farsi speaking, is unfortunate.
Many of the Iranians who have come to the US for a better future "are highly educated with a strong background in math and science and good engineering capability,” he commented. "There is need to coordinate. All comes from leadership. Expand your network. Understand what makes the other laugh or cry,” he recommended. "Iranians talk less and get things done,” has been his experience. "In North America, my generation and one generation older are very motivated to start a Darbe Mehr, attend social gatherings, organize activities. We hope the next two generations” will benefit from this.
On his regular visits to India he is "very dismayed at the overall state of the agiaries and atash behrams that have deteriorated. I spend the majority of my time in India going to agiaries. Even though the heart of spirituality lies in India, nobody seems to be going to a fire temple,” he observed. He would like them to visit one, every day. "Things deteriorate when they are not in dynamic motion,” reminded Freddy who started going to the Batliwalla Agiary at Tardeo seven days a week once he joined engineering college. "That had a very powerful internal transformation. My experience with my faith started getting stronger.”
In his busy schedule Freddy who feels it important to wear the sudreh-kusti devotes "five minutes a day talking to someone who is sitting up there and has excellent hearing. I pray every single day.” The Parsiana Book Club where he could order books and satisfy his thirst for knowledge on the community and religion "touched a lot of nerves in my heart,” he acknowledged.
Freddy is convinced "the Parsi community is blessed with the gift of genetics… Blessed with good brains… We are leaders. It’s in our blood. Leadership is what the world needs for transformation. What we need to do as leaders of our community is to make sure people get good employment in India… Throw them into the fire and trust that with the lamp of faith they will take care of themselves.”