Over 300 community members attended the Ushta-te Foundation award ceremony honoring community members and achievers from sister communities. Music and food marked the bi-annual awards function and musical evening at the Parsi Sanatorium grounds in Ahmedabad on December 12, 2021. Among others, Ahmedabad Parsi Panchayat and Ushta-te trustee Shirin Kanga was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award for social service. "Charismatic and always ready to help, she has tirelessly worked for the community since past 50 years,” noted a write-up from the Foundation’s trustee Dr Delnaz Jokhi. The soft-spoken, genial Kanga who is associated with social welfare organizations like Blind Peoples Association, the Gandhi Ashram and the Brahmakumaris, has "spent her life molding children both in her college as a professor as well as our ZAGA (Zarathusti Awareness Group of Ahmedabad) children,” stated Jokhi. Kanga retired as principal of S. L. U. Polytechnic in 2009 after 30 years of service. ZAGA is a wing of the Foundation that conducts religious and cultural Sunday classes for children, once or twice a month.
The evening began with a monajat by the ZAGA kids and a welcome address by managing trustee Minni Patel. Chief guest and 2019 Padma Shri awardee dramatist Yazdi Karanjia was felicitated by trustee Meher Medora. "His brief but humorous speech not only motivated the youngsters but also had the audience in splits of laughter and gave an enjoyable start to the proceedings,” noted Jokhi.
Top, from l: Meher Medora, Yazdi Karanjia, Minni Patel, Shirin Kanga;
Above: trustees and guests of the Ushta-te Foundation
The awards function was conducted by Kanga and honorary secretary Pearl Sabavala. Their Rustomji Contractor Award was given to visually impaired Pradeep Patel, secretary of the National Association for the Blind in Bharuch. Also visually challenged, Vishnu Vaghela was recognized for his achievements as a football player at various international events and as a trainer in the sport. Bharatnatyam dancer and proponent Ramtilak Kori was recognized with the Meher R. Contractor Award. Also recognized with this Award was the 20-year-old Amdavad Sarvar Mandal for their work with "the needy and less fortunate,” noted Ushta-te’s write-up.
Other awardees included Kety Daruwala who was presented the Khursheed Randeria Award for community service and Urvaksh Contractor, who received the Darius Contractor Award for academic excellence. Ushta-te awardees for excellence in their chosen fields included businesswoman Khushnam Avari for her contribution to education and hospitality training; Kaivashin Sethna (Dastur) for academic excellence in the field of cyber security; human resource professional Shenaz Gandhi; women’s rights activist Ruzan Khambatta; educationist Pervin Watchmaker for her three-decade contribution to the field; photographer and "Corona warrior” Sam Panthaky; filmmaker Burzin Unwala; researcher in chemical industry Sarosh Vandriwala who was awarded for his contribution in development of Zydus Cadilla’s coronavirus vaccine Zycov-D. Jennifer Kapadia was gifted a special token of appreciation from Ushta-te "as she and her team have selflessly helped entertain our humdins of Ahmedabad through online and offline tambola and other enjoyable games,” noted Jokhi.
With the vote of thanks done by the Foundation’s treasurer Avari, "several mesmerizing old and new filmi and non-filmi songs by Shehzad Karanjia and Dilnaz Besania” followed. F. J.