Businessman Gusti Noria (pictured), nominated to the Telangana State Minorities Commission by state Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, believes that there are three significant issues that he can assist the community within his three-year tenure. In a telephonic conversation with Parsiana on June 21, 2018 and a detailed email, Noria stated that The Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman of Secunderabad and Hyderabad (PZASH) had applied for construction of six charitable apartments totaling 6,000 sq ft to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 2004. Conditional permission was granted in 2013 and PZASH was directed to surrender 243 sq m of land free of cost, in case road widening works were to be taken up in the future.
"This 243 sq m of the frontage of the (Edulji Sorabji Chenai Anjuman Daremeher) compound at 125, Mahatma Gandhi Road houses commercial establishments and the income generated from these businesses funds the housing for the elderly and deserving Parsi families,” he detailed. PZASH refused to surrender the frontage free of cost and as a result GHMC permission is pending.
"I have taken up this matter with the advisor to government on minority affairs… he spoke to the GHMC commissioner and I met him on May 15 for this purpose. The commissioner cited two recent incidents of acquiring land from a Muslim and a Christian property free of cost and are currently debating as to how this issue can be amicably sorted out.”
Noria adds that he has also taken up an alleged land grabbing issue complaint by brothers Farhad and Rustom Irani from Bombay who reportedly have approximately 12 acres of land in Khazipet, Warangal. "I have spoken and met the collector of Warangal as well as the local member of the legislative assembly and have also arranged a meeting with all concerned towards an amicable solution.”
Noria has written to the government advisor on minority affairs "to initiate a process of reservation of two seats in all professional streams of education,” and overseas scholarships for deserving Zoroastrian students on March 19. He adds that he is "hopeful” of this proposal being accepted.
With his appointment to the Commission effective January 2, Noria informs us that one meeting a month is mandatory. Businessman Kermin Pestonji was a previous member of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh State Minorities Commission between 1991-1994 and 1999-2002 while chartered accountant Percy Italia held office from 2013-2016. Not always were Parsis on the Commissions since inception, he informs.
A promoter-owner with brother Farokh of Normak Fashions that manufactures fashion jewelry under the brand Estelle, Gusti has been on the board of governors of the Hyderabad Public School since eight years and vice chairman of the board for the last six. Having represented India in the skeet shooting (a form of trapshooting using clay tablets to simulate birds in flight) event at Cairo World Cup in 2006, he serves as senior vice president of the Telangana Rifle Association.