Among the 66 winners of the Ninth Annual Sports, Community, Arts and Culture Awards — 2023 instituted by Indian Newslink (IN) were three Zoroastrian women — Benifer Irani, Dr Afrin Todywalla and Yasmin Bhadha. This year there were a record 504 nominations in various categories from all across New Zealand (NZ) assessed by a panel of independent judges appointed by IN, the longest surviving ethnic newspaper in New Zealand having completed 24 years of publication. The awards evening on June 19, 2023 was attended by over 700 distinguished guests including ministers, members of parliament (MPs), leaders of political parties besides invitees from the Indian and South Asian communities of Auckland.
Irani was presented the "Services to the Zoroastrian Community” award by the leader of the National Party of New Zealand and MP Christopher Luxon. An Auckland resident for over 26 years, Irani has been a pillar of strength for her co-religionists who in times of need or a family bereavement would contact her first knowing she would go above and beyond the call of duty. Erstwhile treasurer for the Zarathushtrian Association of New Zealand (ZANZ), she is also a very popular New Zealand marriage celebrant (a person who performs rites) and officiates at most weddings in the Zoroastrian community and outside. To motivate and involve the youth, especially new young Zoroastrian migrants, she has been organizing social and sports events. At the New Zealand Ethnic Police Nowruz function this year Irani represented the Zoroastrian community.
At the Indian Newslink awards (top row, from l): Christopher Luxon with Benaifer Irani, Winston Peters with Yasmin Bhadha;
Dr Afrin Todywalla with Dr Deborah Russell; 2nd row: Rashna Tata, Salaam Bollywood performers with Viraf Todywalla (center)
Besides being an award winning Justice of Peace she volunteers for The Red Cross Society, National Heart Foundation of NZ, Kids Can Charitable Trust, The Deaf Education Society and Muskan Care Trust. In her professional capacity she has worked at the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and has organized community meetings for the Betterment of the Environment Society of New Zealand. She is equally involved in various cultural activities with members of other Indian communities.
Todywalla, a 26-year-old chiropractor who was recognized for "Services to Communities in East Auckland,” was presented her award by the minister of statistics for the Labour Party of New Zealand and MP, Dr Deborah Russell. Known for her dedication to her community, her leadership skills and her commitment to improving the lives of those around her, Todywalla is popular with her patients. They feel she is blessed with "magic fingers” that help them get relief from acute, ongoing pain. She is soon going to take charge of a new healthcare center.
With the assistance and guidance of her father Viraf Todywalla of the V4U Event Management Company, she started a Bollywood style dance fitness class, The Bolly-X Workout Station, popular among youngsters and seniors keen to stay active, positive and improve their health and lifestyle in a fun environment. Having earned her black belt in karate, she believes females should be self-reliant for their safety.
Winning an award in the sports category for "Excellence in Powerlifting,” 18-year-old Bhadha was presented her trophy by Winston Peters, leader of the New Zealand First Party and former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. Creating a new record in the under 69 kg weight class, Bhadha emerged as the Best Powerlifter in the sub-junior category at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation Games in Auckland in December 2022, winning three gold and one silver medal (see "Raising the bar,” Parsiana, January 21-February 6, 2023). Her next challenge is setting new records at the World Championship in Turkey, 2024. A certified personal trainer who is always happy to help people achieve healthy life choices, she is concurrently pursuing a career in engineering.
Past president of ZANZ, Rashna Tata, who had won the Indian Newslink award last year and works as moderator of the popular Facebook Page "Indians living in Auckland” familiarized the audience with a special project, Raising Awareness of Dementia.
The awards evening also had various very well received entertainment segments, in between the main awards presentations, that showcased local talent within the Indian community. A special dance performance "Salaam Bollywood” had the audience singing and clapping in delight and asking for more. The dance number had been choreographed by Viraf with all the performers comprising the Auckland Parsi youth from the ZANZ Next Generation team, most of whom were performing in front of such a large audience for the first time.
ZANZ Next Generation has been formed with the vision to get the NZ youth involved in community matters and to promote unity and harmony among them. It was with the guidance of Viraf, current vice president of ZANZ, that the youth were able to organize a fund-raiser in NZ on Jamshedi Navroz to attend the 8th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in London in July 2023. The dance number they performed had been so well received, it gave the youth the boost to perform at the elite IN awards evening.
Most Parsis in Auckland are first generation migrants with the very first having reportedly moved here around the late 1980s mainly from India and later from the Middle East. Rashna Dorab Tata