The Maneckji Limji Hataria Trophy was presented to Cmdr Nevil Malao (retd) of the Indian Navy by Saroosh Dinshaw, Iran League (IL) trustee, on the occasion of the League’s annual prize distribution on April 12, 2025 at Cama Baug, noted a press write-up.
Sam Choksey, president of the League introduced the chief guest, educationist Prof Vispi Balaporia, to the gathering. In 2019 she had been elected the first woman president of the Asiatic Society of India, where she remains active to this day. Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla (retd), who was present, had contributed one lakh rupees towards the cash prizes for winners in various categories. IL office bearer Tehmina Peer noted that 520 participants, ranging in age from three to 85 years, had taken part in the IL competitions; 262 won prizes and 30 won trophies. Zarine Commissariat was compere for the evening.
Top, from l: Saroosh Dinshaw, Prof Vispi Balaporia;
Sam Choksey, Cmdr Nevil Malao, Zarine Commissariat;
above: audience
Malao expressed gratitude to IL for the award and also thanked his family, his seniors and colleagues in the Indian Navy. He said he was proud to have served in the armed forces. When he enlisted in 1985 there were 12 or 13 Parsi boys, but regretted that there are hardly one or two Parsis serving today. He urged Parsi boys to join the armed forces. He was a student of the National Defence Academy which had helped to shape his personality and imbue him with leadership qualities, teach him the value of team work and training.
Ervad (Dr) Parvez Bajan, panthaky of the Mevawala Agiary, spoke about the life and achievements of Hataria, in whose memory the trophy is awarded. In the 19th century the Zoroastrians in Iran were compelled to pay the jazia tax because they did not follow Islam. They were subjected to hardships and feared for their safety. Their co-religionists in Bombay formed the Persian Amelioration Society and sent Hataria to Iran where he established schools, built dharamshalas, had atash kadehs and dakhmas repaired and even persuaded the government to substantially reduce the jazia tax. Hataria reintroduced the celebration of jashans and gahanbars and persuaded Zoroastrian girls to marry within the community. As a result, many attempts were made on Hataria’s life. Unfortunately, Hataria’s son Hormusji was killed when he landed in Iran and the broken-hearted father died soon thereafter in 1890.
The function which had begun with a jashan concluded with the singing of monajats by students of the Dadar Athornan Institute and the much awaited prize distribution. After the singing of Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti and the national anthem, led by singer Jamshed Kotwal, there was dinner catered by Jimmy Gadiwalla.