Over 200 Zoroastrian students who had excelled at the school, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels for the academic year 2014-15 were honored at The Zoroastrian Student Teacher Association’s (ZOSTA) annual prize distribution ceremony held on February 6, 2016 at Allbless Baug. Apart from the regular toppers, a special cash prize of one lakh rupees was announced for any student securing admission on merit only in a medical college and in an Indian institute of engineering and technology. The prizes were courtesy Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla’s munificent donation of Rs 12 lakhs.
Recipients of the 22 karat gold medal donated annually by Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee and ZOSTA supporter for over 17 years Zarir Bhathena (amounting to a lakh of rupees) went to Farhaan Lala of Bangalore who secured 96% in the Higher Seconday Certificate (HSC) science stream; Meron Wankadia (97%) in Indian Certificate of Secondary Education/Central Board of Secondary Education (ICSE/CBSE), and Ketayun Mistry (95%) in the Seconday School Certificate (SSC) board exams. They were also winners of cash awards and rotating trophies. The Jimi N. Kathawalla Memorial Award for Rs 1,00,000 was bagged by Poona lass Tarana Kaovasia for securing admission to an engineering college in Madras, scoring 84% at the HSC level.
For securing 85% and above in their SSC exams were 20 recipients with an additional one in the special category (learning disability), as were 25 students in the ICSE/CBSE streams. There were 10 recipients getting over 70% in the HSC arts stream, 12 achieving 80% and above in the science section and commerce saw 26 toppers get over 75% with one in the special category. While two HSC toppers procured admission to a medical college, seven students got into first year engineering.
Additionally, there were 17 BCom toppers, four BSc achievers and six who excelled at the BA level. Topping the commerce section was Kaizaan Navdar with 87%, while Urvazi Kotwal with 85% and Parizad Irani (83%) excelled in the science and arts streams.
Xerses Irani scoring 9.61 (GPA) bagged the trophy for excelling in BE. Peenaz Mavalwala (73%) topped the BEd course. Taking home the MA trophy was Kaizeen Jehangir scoring 82%, while chartered accountant (CA) Frean Hodiwala lifted the shield in the CA category. Students with a learning disability Shazneen Mistry and Kerfegar Modi bagged the trophy for SSC and HSC respectively, the former scoring 88% and the latter, 76%.
Principals and teachers who have served for more than 35, 25 and 15 years were honored. The Navaz Jimi Kathawalla Memorial Prize for 2015 went to Freny Mehta, principal of The Alexandra Girls’ English Institution for 35 years of service. Other awardees in this category were Kashmira Vankadia, head-mistress of the Sir Cowasjee Jehangir High School (Primary section) for her contribution spanning 25 years and two teachers of the Bai R. F. D. Panday Girls’ High School — Hutoxi Mistry (25 years) and Tanaz Fitter (15 years).
The boys of the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution — Farzad Driver, Kaiwan Davar and Marazbaan Dastur — bagged first place in the quiz competition, Zafreen Pithawalla and Ava Navdar of the Bai Avabai Petit Girls’ High School took home the solo singing and debate honors respectively. Winner of the art contest was Mehernaz Marshall of the Alexandra school. The rotating trophies for literary activities and overall excellence in ZOSTA activities went to Alexandra school students.
Gracing the evening as chief guest was Dinshaw Tamboly, chairman of The World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) Trust Funds and taxation expert and ZOSTA benefactor Homi Ranina was the guest of honor. Bhathena, who was the other guest of honor, could not attend.
In his sage counsel Tamboly asked the achievers to "dream… dream big!” Acknowledging the role parents and teachers play in a child’s life he said that "parents make the bigger sacrifice. They put their present on hold so they can plan for their children’s future.” Teachers, he opined, are "angels who lead us from darkness into light. Who illuminate our minds… One can achieve success only by sound education and discipline,” which he considered "the foundation on which a nation is built. Education is never an expense but an investment for the future, for no country can progress without education; it can only regress,” he added.
Encouraging and motivating the young to develop their skills is a sure way of creating and unleashing the leadership talent and realizing their potential, the chief guest believed.
He ended his talk by advising the youth to "stay away from negative people… If you associate with achievers, you will become one of them.” Tamboly made a handsome contribution of Rs 50,000 to ZOSTA.
Associated with ZOSTA since the past 30 years, Ranina, who had funded three rotating shields, added Rs 90,000 to the Association’s coffers this year. He urged the youngsters to "give up the obsession with migration. This country has a great many things to offer, more than any other country. India is the fastest growing economy in the world. It is being looked at as the country of the future. It is going to emerge as a superpower. Ahura Mazda knew what India will be in the 21st century, that’s why he sent us to India and not to any other country of the world because this is the land of the future, the only country where a Parsi is respected.”
Started in 1979, ZOSTA has 21 Zoroastrian schools listed as members. The organization is helmed by chairperson Zenobia Daroga. Others on the managing committee are vice chairperson Silloo Commissariat, honorary secretary Zarine Basla, honorary treasurer Tehmina Damanwalla with Dilnavaz Billimoria, Gool Ghadiali, Diana Marfatia, Navaz Sanjana, Mehta and Vankadia as trustees. "Frashmi Aethrya (progress culturally)” is its motto. ZOSTA has its own website too (launched at their 35th annual day) —
www.zosta.org — which is maintained by Rayomand Davar of Digikraft Productions.
Delivering the vote of thanks before the gathering dispersed to devour Tanaz Godiwalla’s much awaited repast, Commissariat had a word of caution for the young achievers. "At this time of your life you are running the race of academic success, ambition, the craving to get rich quick, the ambition to top the list in everything with your effort and hard work. You are what we call jawani nu josh (youthful fervor). But remember as you grow up, there is another world, the world of happiness… of prayers… of peace and harmony… the love and strength of your parents and your complete faith in the Zoroastrian religion… Accept your life with humility and selflessness. Let go of your ego, discord and the clutter of negative thoughts and relationships and you will be like a happy, singing bird. Whether you want to be like the singing bird or whether you want to run after money, the choice is yours.”