In his review of Dr Rukshana Shroff’s book At Home in the Capital: the Parsis of Delhi ("Documenting Delhi’s Parsis,” Books, Parsiana, July 21-August 6, 2025) Bakhtiar Dadabhoy refers to the mystery surrounding Ardeshir Bhiwandiwalla who donated the money for the Bhiwandiwalla Hall (pictured) in the Delhi Dharamshala complex.
About two decades ago I was invited to speak on Parsi creativity at a session chaired by Keki Daruwala trustee/poet/novelist on the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman’s Kaikhushru Pallonji Katrak Dar-e-Mehr in Delhi, at the Bhiwandiwalla Hall. Based on the inputs I received from Bhiwandiwalla’s close family, I learnt that he was the second son of Khan Bahadur Hormusji Bhiwandiwalla. The eldest son, Dosu, passed away of a sudden heart attack in 1939. Ardeshir’s younger brother Behram and first cousin Pirosha Bhiwandiwalla helped Hormusji and Ardeshir in the family businesses.
Initially, the family lived in a large multi-storied bungalow in Bombay’s Cuffe Parade but later shifted to Malabar Hill. They owned several buildings in the then largely Parsi localities of Colaba, Dhobi Talao and Cumballa Hill as well as a distillery, rice fields, salt pans mostly in Uran. They were involved in the sugar trade and Ardeshir joined hands with the Sheth family for this.
The Sheths and Ardeshir founded the Great Eastern (GE) Shipping Company Ltd in 1948 with Ardeshir as its first chairman and Behram as a director. Ardeshir helped the company grow from the acquisition of its first ship to its transformation into a reputed firm. He was the propelling force and remained chairman until 1973. The company honored him by embossing his initials, AHB, on the company’s house flag and on the funnels of all its vessels.
Pirosha helped in all the family businesses. He was a staunch advocate of education for women and both his daughters, Rita and Pouru, are highly educated. The latter, a doctor, then resident in India, would visit Uran once a month to render free medical aid to the residents there.
ARMIN WANDREWALA
arminvey@gmail.com