Of the 2,136 listings in the new directory of Parsi institutions and residents of Navsari, the commonest surnames are Kasad and Patel. Of the 114 Kasads, 75 live in Agiary Street alone. Chairman of WZO (World Zoroastrian Organisation) Trust Funds (WZOTF) Dinshaw Tamboly revealed this snippet while releasing the Navsari Parsi Directory 2019 at their 16th annual prize distribution function on January 20, 2019 at the Seervai Party Plot of the Dossibai Kotwal Parsi Orphanage in the south Gujarat city. Zarin is the commonest name for the women residents of Navsari, while Rohinton, the most common among men, he observed. A write-up on the event by community researcher Marzban Giara was sent to Parsiana.
From left: (1st row) Dinshaw Tamboly, Marzban Giara, Aspi Ambapardiwala, Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji,
Ervad Khurshed Desai, Cyrus Vandriwala: releasing the Navsari Parsi Directory 2019;
(2nd row) Dadachanji, Dastur Kaikhushru N. Dastur Meherjirana, three of the 237 young achievers felicitated
The 204-page well produced Directory records details of "the institutions that our forefathers established,” and various businesses besides contact details and blood groups of residents. The volume was the result of the efforts of the local committee of the WZOTF (Rohinton Contractor, Cyrus Vandriwala, Aspi Ambapardiwala) and volunteers Sharmin Tamboly, Simin Bharda and others. Data on 54 Parsi institutions was collated by Giara who also identified these on a city map with Vandriwala’s support. He also provided inputs on preparing the Directory, Dinshaw noted. In an email to Parsiana, Dinshaw stated that in addition to providing a copy of the Directory to each family in Navsari, it will be available on request to people with roots in the city.
The last directory was published in 1974. It is not known what the Parsi population would have numbered then. In response to Parsiana’s queries, Dinshaw stated that the current head count is likely to be less than that in the 1970s, but also added that many community members would have migrated to Navsari from outlying villages since then.
Teachers are "angels leading youth to light,” commented Dinshaw before 237 students from kindergarten to postgraduate levels were felicitated for their achievements. Toppers included Zeaan Pithawalla (92% at Class 10), Kerin Pithawalla (88% at Class 12), Jenifer Gabla (PhD in chemistry), Dr Julie Pardiwala (for her presentation at the Quality Circle Forum of India, Surat), and Mithrem Jagirdar (boxing, wrestling and judo at the Gujarat State level and a bronze medal for judo at the national level). The only woman officer in the 20th Gujarat Battalion of the National Cadet Corps and lecturer at S. B. Garda College, Shahnaz Irani was among those who were recognized for their achievements.
Nineteen full-time priests, 14 part-time priests and three recent initiates into the priesthood were felicitated at the event. "No religion can survive without an enlightened clergy,” noted Dinshaw, crediting the WZOTF local committee for suggesting the felicitation of mobeds along with the other community achievers. Ervads Ratan Seervai. Homi Desai, Ardeshir Bhandari, Eruch Minocherhomji, Rusi Antia and Cyrus Panthaki, full-time mobeds practicing for upwards of 25 years, were felicitated by Navsari’s high priest Dastur Kaikhushru N. Dastur Meherjirana, while Navsari Atash Behram boiwala Ervad Khurshed Desai lauded the other priests.
Chief guest and panthaky of Bombay’s Vachaghandhy Agiary Ervad Asphandiar Dadachanji recapitulated the three "grades” of the clergy and "congratulated Dinshaw for always supporting our priests.” Vandriwala’s vote of thanks included the chief guest, Orphanage office bearers and trustees, the decorators, printers and volunteers. The function was compered by Gulshan Vandriwala.