Archive

The city of Nagpur has a long and close connection with Jamshedpur. Jamsetji Tata established his first big business venture, the Central India Spinning and Weaving Company (later renamed the Empress Mills) in 1874 in Nagpur, when he was 35 years old. The textile mill was dear to his heart and he personally looked after every little detail of its growth. The profits and experience gained by the Empress Mills helped establish the Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO). Tata’s was the first visionary enterprise to exploit the wealth of minerals in the area surrounding Sakchi.
While TISCO (now Tata Steel) had many Parsis working for the company from all over India, the first major appointment from the city of Nagpur was that of Dr Jamshed Irani. Irani was always held as an example of intelligence and achievement. Nagpurians, both Parsis and non-Parsis, are proud of him. As a child, he was affectionately called bablu. After studying metallurgy in Sheffield, England, he returned to India to join TISCO. Later he took over the reins as managing director from Russi Mody. The company made giant strides in production and profits during his tenure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An older couple, Assa and Khorshed Billimoria, both from Nagpur, were in charge of the TISCO Guest House, a home of hospitality for officials visiting the steel factory on work. Ardeshar  Billimoria, of the same family, ran the Great Eastern Hotel in Calcutta for many long years before he retired in Jamshedpur.
My husband Edul, I and Rusi Kanga from Singapore, were in Jamshedpur in January this year for the Jiji Irani Cricket Tournament and to spend time with my sister Shereen Anklesaria, who lives there. We met up with many of the Nagpurians in Jamshedpur, like we always do, at their homes.
We met at a beer and lunch morning for the Nagpuri Santras (Nagpur is famous for its oranges), as we are referred to, hosted by Amy Mehta at her home. Irani, Anklesaria and Savak Battiwalla were there. For the most part it was a remembrance of school and college friends and relatives, of the Parsi Club where we met in the evenings and the good times we all had together as youngsters in Nagpur.
Our hostess for the morning, Amy (née) Driver, lived and studied in Nagpur, graduating as an LLB. Later, she married Pervaze Mehta of Jamshedpur and came to live in the Steel City.  Amy’s strong point, over the years, has been keeping abreast of news of everyone she has ever known! She lives in a beautiful home and is a most gracious hostess. At 80+ she has a passion for fashion and a zest for life that would put an 18-year-old to shame! An avid card player, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. is reserved for teen-patti every day.
Anklesaria, a Lalkaka before she married, was a shy, young graduate from Nagpur. The handsome Dr Xerxes Anklesaria of Ahmedabad stopped by in Nagpur for two days on his way to the nearby forests for hunting wildlife. Instead of being a shikari (hunter), he became the shikar (hunted) of Shereen’s silken voice, when she was asked to sing some songs at a Parsi get-together! He ended up asking for her hand in marriage. Years later they settled in Jamshedpur where Xerxes worked as a senior doctor of cardiology at the Tata Main Hospital.
Battiwalla, a Nagpurian by birth, has also spent most of his working life in and around Jamshedpur, at the coal and iron ore mines. His wife passed away, his only son lives and works in USA but Battiwalla continues to live in the Jamshedpur Parsi Colony. He now needs a stick to walk with but his smile is as bright as ever. And he is always there at any meet of Nagpur Parsis in Jamshedpur.
Kanga, a onetime Nagpurian was visiting Jamshedpur after many years. He was a pilot with Air India and then joined Singapore Airlines from where he retired. He had come to Jamshedpur at the invitation of old friend Irani, to participate in the fun and festivities that go with the annual Tournament. This is a tournament between the Parsi teams of five cities, initiated years ago by Irani and his wife Daisy, in memory of his father Jiji.
Edul ran a successful business, the Bhagwagar Cold Storage and Ice Factory for many years in Nagpur. Deeply involved with the well-being of the Parsi community, he was the president of the Nagpur Parsi Punchayet (NPP) for many years and is presently an active trustee of the J. N. Tata Parsi Girls High School.
Dr Bachu (Edibam) Master, another old Nagpurian-at-heart, but for many years now a doctor of distinction in Jamshedpur, was unfortunately not present for this get-together as she was attending a pediatricians’ conference in Indore. Master, like everyone else in this group, is in her 80s. But her positive attitude and concern for old friends gives her the energy to drive, walk up flights of stairs and visit every week. She loves to travel within and outside India. She continues to be a senior and active member of the Jamshedpur Parsi Association and the Rotary Club of Jamshedpur.
Dr Katy Bhatena, who holds a PhD in chemistry, is a professor at the Jamshedpur Women’s College and an office bearer of the Rotary Club. The doctor is an ex-Nagpurian of whom we are proud.
Many years ago, Jamshed Antia left Nagpur to work in Jamshedpur. He is married to Kamal, and they have two sons. Jamshed has suffered serious medical problems that affected his lungs and vocal cords. We went to visit them and spent a happy afternoon with the couple.
Razmin Chinoy, from Nagpur, has recently started working for the well-known Indorewalla family of Jamshedpur. A daughter from their family is married to a Bapuna, one of the leading business families of Nagpur. Aspi, the seniormost member of the Bapuna family is currently the president of the NPP.
It is very possible that I may have missed out on some connections. But even those written about make for very strong ties between the present Parsis of Nagpur and those who have moved on to happy and successful lives in Jamshedpur. 
Keeping in touch and connecting with old friends is one of the greater joys of life. Age appears to be best in three things: old wine, old authors and old friends to be with!