"I think this issue of Change will give a good idea of how the Godrej community itself has enjoyed its sporting activities even though there may not have been a lot of perceived support by the company itself, such as, say, what Tata’s provide.” So noted Godrej director Vijay Crishna in an introduction titled ‘Coming together to win’ in the company’s house journal issue of January-February 2011. "It will be worth analyzing and speculating on how such activities can serve to bring people together.”
Crishna who was the chief guest at the finals of the Godrej Golden Jubilee Cricket Cup in December 2010 noted that Rusi Madon was the National Chess Champion in 1966 while with the company. There were two doctors, a Dr P. J. Engineer "who joined in 1946 and passed away in December 1965 — who was the doctor for both Lalbaug and Delisle Road factories — and Dr M. D. Engineer who was hired in 1962 to look after the safety aspects of machines in the factory. Dr M. D. Engineer was the famous Indian wic-ketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer’s father! Dr P. J. Engineer had been a Major in the INA (Indian National Army).”
In an article titled "Sports — the binding factor” Vrunda Pathare of the Godrej Archives writes "Godrejites decided to introduce a bit of fun to their work as early as 1936 when the Club called Godrej Union came into being on July 17. R. Udwadia, K. Tata, H. Tata, Kerse Mowdawala, Billimoria and Aspi Vajifdar were the founder members of the Club. Matches, picnics, get-togethers were planned throughout the year. We don’t know when this Club ceased to exist but the legacy continued with Godrej Staff Club, founded in 1940s…
Women employees participating in a dhansak match (more of a picnic) played annually (circa 1943); Below : N. D. Sahukar (seated center) with the Godrej cricket team (undated) Photos courtesy Godrej Archives
"‘Annual athletic meet was like a festival,’ remembered Phiroze Bulsara, the sports secretary in 1960s. ‘I joined in 1950 and within a few days, I read on the notice board that there was an athletic meet in November. I am an athlete myself. So I participated in 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, long jump, hop-step and jump, high jump, javelin throw, discus throw and throw ball events.’ After 1950 there was a break. After becoming the outdoor sports secretary in 1966, Bulsara revived athletics and also initiated the cricket tournament. Kerse Naoroji, the then works superintendent, became the chairman of the sports committee founded in that year.
"Kreeda Kendra established in 1963 at Hillside, used to conduct both indoor and outdoor games,” notes Pathare. "Indoor sports like chess, table tennis, draughts and carom were played, of which table tennis and chess were the most popular.” Rusi Madon was selected to represent India in the XVI World Chess Olympiad which was held from November 2 to 25, 1964.
Pathare notes aside from the regular tournaments "dhansak matches played annually were more of a picnic of sorts. Members would bring along their families and friends for the all-day matches and delicious lunch along with dhansak would be served in the afternoon…
Vijay Crishna batting at the finals of the Godrej Golden Jubilee Cricket Cup, December 2010; Nariman Bacha (center) receiving a trophy on behalf of Godrej for its contribution towards the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon from actor Jackie Shroff with Veera Rao of ALERT
"The Godrej football team also participated in the Bombay District Football Association League matches. We also know of Lady Jehangir Championship Shield in which our Volleyball team participated. One of our Godrejite Minoo Fitter (Delivery Department, Plant II A, Vikhroli) was selected for the Bombay Water Polo team to participate in the national championship tournament…
"Sailing was another such activity that deserves a mention. Jupiter, Kingfisher and Sea Gull were the names of the yachts we had. The yacht named Tir, manned by Naval Godrej and Kerse Naoroji, won the Brassey Yachting Bowl on March 2, 1963. J. S. Khattau and R. J. Katgara of the sailing section won the Gordon Bennet Cup on March 14, 1965. This was one of the famous yacht races of Bombay…
"Accepting an offer from Pirojsha Godrej to work at Godrej, Naoroji came to Bombay from his native Karachi in 1946,” recall his children Nadina and Nadish. "And into the sailing world of Bombay. In 1950, he and a close friend sailed a Seabird (a 21-foot open boat) from Bombay to Karachi, where he then acquired his lifetime partner Jeannie. Mandwa was a focal point for the sailing community in Bombay, as it remains today. Sailing quickly became a part of both Kerse and Naval Godrej’s lives. In 1959 both became members of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club and Kerse was soon on various sailing committees of the Club and into overseeing inter-club and all India Sailing Regattas as well as the centenary and even the sesqui-centennial celebrations of ‘the oldest club in Asia.’
Kekoo (left) and Kerse Naoroji
"He went on to become the first Indian vice president of Royal Bombay Yacht Club (RBYC) in 1966 and then the president in 1976 — presiding over it for 17 years to 1993, perhaps the longest term anyone has held active office amongst any club in India. Naoroji also served many years with the Yachting Association of India and accompanied India’s 1984 Olympic Yachting (contingent) as the manager of the team.
"He was thinking of writing a book on the history of the RBYC, but very unfortunately never got down to it. He was also honorary secretary of the Bombay Sailing Association for 60 years,” states his nephew Rishad. He also mentions that his father Kekoo and uncle Kerse and grandfather Nadirshah sailed on June 6, 1936 "to England from Bombay, attending the Berlin Olympics en route.”
"Kerse made several long sailing trips including the one in 1964 with an American couple, the Hurndells, in their newly built yacht Calaafia. In Bombay they had been abandoned by their crew and, happening to meet Kerse at the Yacht Club, asked him whether he would accompany them on the next leg to the Mediterranean. On receiving the go-ahead from Naval Godrej he sailed with the Hurndells from Bombay to Cairo. A more ambitious voyage in 1966 was Kerse and Vere D’Silva’s plan to sail Vere’s trimaran Apsara from Salcombe, England to Bombay. Accompanied by Temasp Mogul, seconded from the Indian Navy, Adi Unwalla and Balia who was Naval Godrej’s tindal.”
Far left: Dara Madon with Morarji Desai; alongside: Khushroo Madon in his magic regalia
Aside from sports, one former veteran Godrej employee Dara Madon donned the garb of a conjurer and at the age of 17 called himself "Milan — the Great Magician.”
"During 1944-45, he joined the personnel department of Godrej and from 1950s onwards his magic shows became one of the main attractions at the annual function of the Godrej Staff Club,” states Pathare. Jal Bhamgara, personal assistant to Kerse Naoroji assisted him on several shows and Dara fondly remembers him. They used to rehearse for hours at Dara’s place at Girgaum and even the carpenter would work till late at night making the equipment designed by Dara himself for the show…
"His popularity soared and he was asked by Morarji Desai (the then chief minister of the state) to stage a special show…
"Dara passed on his legacy to his nephew, another ex-Godrejite, Khushroo Madon who joined his troupe in 70s as one of his assistants. Khushroo, who learnt his magic observing and assisting Dara, proudly says, ‘I am very lucky to have trained under him. I got everything almost on a silver platter. I use his equipments even today.’”
Incidentally, Khushroo is one of the two priests termed "renegade” by the Bombay Parsi Pun-chayet and barred from performing religious ceremonies at Doongerwadi, the Jokhi and Godavara agiaries. A divisional bench of the Bombay High Court ordered the ban be withdrawn and the Supreme Court called for both parties to mediate. Will Madon’s magic now work before the highest court of the land?