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"The Bawa brand really helps. This legacy is not yours to destroy. If you can’t grow it, don’t screw it,” stated Boman Irani, chairman and managing director of the Rustomjee Group. He had come to Poona at the invitation of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) "thinking I would be able to guide the youth!” Not to be dissuaded by their single digit presence in a total strength of around 100 members who had registered for the global conclave hosted by the Pune chapter, he continued to primarily address the youth. 

Scheduled to be the first speaker of the conclave from January 4 to 7, 2024, in his speech on "Agile Entrepreneurship in Enchanting, Boundless and Ambiguous Markets,” he noted, "My basic mantra in life is: ‘Find purpose, the means will follow.’” Having gained varied experience and confidence at the "School of Hard Knocks,” the engaging speaker mentioned that he was compelled to take over the reins of the family’s forging factory on the sudden passing away of his father when he was only 19 years old. 

  All photos J. Y. B. Photo & Video

Over the years he has learnt, "You don’t need to know everything… You can learn along the way… Keep asking questions… Don’t fall prey to anything that looks sexy, it could get you into trouble… Lawyers get us into trouble and get us out of trouble… Pay heed to your dreams. Never let go of what you want to do. I am thrilled that Java/Yezdi motorcycles (with which his family was at one time associated) are back (in the market even though I may not have any role in their manufacture)… 

"Build on your strengths and understand your shortcomings… Do not shy away from mistakes. Instant success will only last for an instant… Don’t confuse intelligence with education. Intelligence is what we need, education is only a tool. A dear friend of mine never hires candidates from a top university, knowing they feel entitled, but only looks for those who have the right attitude with energy, zeal and willingness to learn…

"I tell my real estate developers, ‘don’t compete; collaborate.’ Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon) is not competitor-obsessed but customer-obsessed. Japanese automobiles have a name because any breakthrough in technology made by one manufacturer is expected to be shared across the country… Brightest ideas may come from the simplest people… Allow people to think differently… Be transparent… Enjoy your work. I enjoy seeing people succeed. I enjoy learning…building teams.”

Since he was delayed in reaching Poona, the organizers had preponed the subsequent session — fireside chat with Ervad Marzban Hathiram, Perin Pudumjee Coyaji and Mani Rao moderated by Dr Adil Malia. Ever the learner and willing to show gratitude, Irani mentioned, "I am glad I was late; I could hear and subsequently question the panelists!”

  

Spiritual quotient

"Businesses need to be very agile and also infuse spiritual intelligence to offer hope and a unique market advantage,” stressed Malia, chief executive officer of The Firm, a boutique consultancy and a trustee of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet. Spiritual Intelligence creates value for an organization and a collective meaning or purpose for the enterprise. The world order as given by Ahura Mazda and his Amesha Spentas can be transposed to a well organized business structure with clear demarcation of duties, he added. The virtues they embody can be reflected in the values generated in the organizational structure – wisdom, truth, righteousness, clarity, equality, social responsibility and diversity. The frashokereti or ultimate renovation would depend on whether an organization is able to create purity or is destructive.

"I find it demotivating when Parsis are reluctant to talk about their religion,” stated Hathiram. Seeing the change in demeanor once a person is identified as a Parsi, he recommended, "Zoroastrian companies should reassert their Zoroastrian values.” There is a different respect they command in business circles based on the notion, "Parsi joothoo nahi bolé  (Parsis don’t lie),” he added. Zoroastrian businessmen of yore were able to leave behind great legacies because they were very proud of their religion and understood that "it is good to make money but it is better to use the money on those not so fortunate.” 

He urged Zoroastrian businessmen to implement the message of the three "universal prayers that can be recited at any time, even without covering the head.” The 12 words of Ashem Vohu are the tool kit and a reminder that truth results in strength, order, beauty, efficiency and profitability. The 21 words of Yatha Ahu Vairyo could be considered Ahura Mazda’s vision and mission statement to eradicate corruption and inefficiency, and progress towards individual and collective perfection. The 14 words of Yenghe Hatam can be equated with a beneficent ecosystem for they hold an assurance that souls who have reached perfection will serve as mentors to those who tread the path of righteousness. 

According to him, the wearing of the sudreh with its pockets and seams reflects Zarathushtra’s plan and is a reminder that "I am a significant part of that plan.” The three rounds of the kusti around one’s waist are warnings against the triple dangers of ego, lust and falsehood. The two knots in the front symbolize one’s faith in Ahura Mazda and Zarathushtra; and the two behind denote faith in one’s religion and to carry forward His plan towards salvation.

   Caricature of the first day’s sessions 

Calligrapher, Pudumjee Coyaji referred to "the series of events or divine synchronization” that resulted in her self-published coffee table book, The Zarathushtrian 1001 Names of Ahura Mazda: Avestan Calligraphic Expression and English Translation (see "What’s in a name?” Parsiana, September 21-October 6, 2023). She remembered questioning herself "Who will want to read and buy the book?” and then recalled the words: "If you build, they will come.” A believer of "Everything happens in God’s good time,” she pointed to the specially created banners displaying her calligraphy that were affixed on the rear wall of the room at the Central Park Hotel. They were delivered only around 10.30 p.m. the previous night. With her self-belief and determination to stay the course the soft-spoken artist was able to prove that typography seen on the computer is distinct from calligraphy that "comes from the heart and hand.”

Of the 1001 names, the five that Zoroastrian entrepreneurs could take inspiration from are: Karedarese (eighth) meaning one who sees the right thing to do; Zavarecha (68th) having strength and moral vision to negotiate, challenge, risk, courage; Tavangar (91st) wealthy — wealth of energy, resource, memory, health to be shared; Arzami (646th) bringing up the rear leading from the front peaceably; Amasht (982nd) intelligence, be compassionate, empathetic.

Viewing a monajat as "direct communication with God,” Chicago based Rao mentioned that after singing the Gujarati compositions she started writing versions in English. When Ervad Jamshed Modi composed a monajat in English, he asked her to sing it. For the WZCC assembly she sang the popular Khudavind Khavind monajat explaining that it is sung in humility to express faith in His divine plans and to seek help to be kind each day and to correct one’s mistakes. As she reminded the audience, "In business, we need to surrender and be humble.”

Yet another monajat was sung in the early evening by the Zappy Zoroastrians children. Run by the Poona Zarthosti Seva Mandal, the activities of their religious studies class were summed up by Hutoxi Sethna. Guiding the children with the monajat was Khurshid Irani with Varun Irani on the keyboard.

The lighting of the traditional lamp signifying wisdom and illumination by the WZCC global president Capt Percy Master, the president of the India region Behroze Daruwalla, international director Viraf Deboo and Pune chapter chair Tehmasp Bharucha had set the tone for the deliberations. This was followed by a humbandagi led by Hathiram since their local priest Ervad Ardaviraf Sinor had lost his father the prior night. The morning jashan though had been performed by Sinor. 

In his address welcoming the delegates to "the Queen of the Deccan and the Oxford of the East” as Poona is majestically described, Bharucha expressed his delight to have in their midst the youth delegation from Iran for whom the registration charges had been waived. Believed to have the second largest population of Zoroastrians in the world, he mentioned that the Pune chapter of the WZCC was established in 2004 and they have over 100 members in different categories. 

Giving credit to Master and his predecessor Edul Daver for their "vision and drive in galvanizing WZCC like never before,” Deboo compared the current conclave with the hastily convened meet in Pune in 2007 which comprised only two sessions. He referred to the long hours put in by their team to organize the 2024 conclave with its myriad features. Additionally two artists on site captured each day’s presentations. Also introduced for the first time was the WZCC flag that will now travel with the torch to the host of each WZCC conclave. Deboo regretted that "we are spending so much time on the youth … yet their response has been most disheartening.” Those under 25 years of age were offered a special discounted rate. "In our frenzy to address the youth, we have to remain relevant to our existing members. They should not feel neglected.”

Reports of the second and third day of the conclave will appear in forthcoming issues of Parsiana.