"I admire the hard work, discipline and tenacity that all you sportsmen and sportswomen bring to your game and urge you to go on striving for excellence... There is no reason why more youngsters should not put their heart and soul into sports and make their mark,” commented chief guest Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla (retd) when addressing the participants, their families, friends and well-wishers at the closing ceremony of the 38th Late Jal D. Pardiwala All Parsees Annual Athletic Meet on February 19, 2023 at the University Grounds. "It is events like these that act as a wonderful launching pad for young Parsi talent and I commend the organizers for this annual fixture on the Parsi calendar,” he added.
Kathawalla further alluded to Pardiwala’s role in setting the benchmark for athletics in India by authoring the Manual of Athletic Competition and receiving a Gold Pin from the International Olympic Committee for his efforts to further the Olympic movement in India. Kathawalla was praise too for Pardiwala’s daughter Mithoo Jesia who plays a matriarchal role in community welfare. Citing the accomplishments of famous Parsi sportsmen and women of yore and the current achievers, Kathawalla urged, "Run if you have to, walk when you can, and crawl if you must; but never give up. That is the true spirit of the sport that we call life... May each one of us run the race of life with grit, skill and unflagging sportsmanship!”
1st row, from l: Ruzbeh Sutaria, Mahiyar Dastoor, Rusi Bhumgara, Khurshid Mistry, Justice Shahrukh Kathawalla (retd);
2nd row: Kathawalla presenting trophy to Vir Bugli and the Bombay Parsi Punchayet team;
3rd row: team from Bai Avabai, F. Petit Girls High School
Clockwise from 1st row, l: Parzan Nariman, Tanya Vakil,
Urvaksh Engineer, Pearlyn Engineer, Sherry Farog, Zeuss Sirvala,
Zerxes Daruvala, Danesh Irani, Delrina Patrawala, Rehaan Palia
Guest of honor Khurshid Mistry, a veteran Masters international athlete and winner of many marathons and sprint events impressed on the gathering: "Sports teaches us many life lessons — discipline, respect, friendship, leadership, resilience, teamwork, overcoming adversity and above all good sportsmanship.” Running marathons since 2008 she stated that she has "faced a number of setbacks, got innumerable injuries but I did not give up. I dodged all the hurdles which came in my way and emerged a winner.” While advising students "to train regularly under a good coach (even though) it may be difficult to manage your training with your studies,” she added that "parents play a very important role in encouraging and motivating the children.”
Over 400 participants, their age varying from under six years to 45 plus, competed in the 100 events conducted across 16 age groups on the third weekend of February. In an aging community, it’s not surprising that seniors are pressing for an additional 65 plus age category, noted a press release from Mahiyar Dastoor, vice president of the All Parsees Sports Foundation. The event saw participation from 32 teams from Bombay, Poona, Surat, Navsari and Bangalore representing baugs, clubs, schools, associations and trusts.
Seventeen-year-old Parzan Nariman representing the Bangalore Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman created two new records in the 200 m run (22 sec) and long jump (6.35 m) and was declared the Best Athlete of the Meet. Parzan also equaled the meet record (10.9 sec) in the100 m run. Having started his athletic career at this same meet in 2011 at the age of five, over the last 12 years he has won more than150 medals at district, state, zonal and national level competitions.
The fastest woman of the meet, Tanya Vakil, representing the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) created a new high jump record (1.45 m) in the women’s section and won the individual championship. Vir Bugli, also representing the BPP team, won the individual championship in the men’s section. The team championships were won by BPP in the men’s section and the Bai Avabai F. Petit Girls High School in the women’s section.
There were 30 trophies on display at the prize distribution to recognize varied accomplishments. Among those was one for the youngest competitor to complete a race that was won by Sanaya Bhagvager and another for men-veteran that was won by Cyrus Nariman.
For Lifetime Contribution to Parsi Sports, Dastoor was presented the Late Air Marshal Minoo Meherwan Engineer Trophy by Kathawalla. Trustee of the Mancherji Edalji Joshi Memorial Trust (MEJMT) and several other trusts, Dastoor has been one of the principal organizers of the All Parsees Annual Athletic Meet held by the All Parsees Sports Foundation under the joint auspices of The Nowroze Baug Play Centre, MEJMT, Cusrow Baug United Sports and Welfare League, and Federation of Zoroastrian Associations for Welfare and Culture.
The sponsors for the 2023 sports meet were the World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust, BPP, Rustomjee’s Realty, The Zoroastrian Co-op Bank Limited and Zarine and Yezdi Daruvala Charitable Trust. Joint secretary of the Foundation Ruzbeh Sutaria thanked the sponsors as also the supporters — Union Press, Tanaz Godiwala, trustees of the Cama Convalescent Home Bandra, Parsi Ambulance Division, Farokh Mojia of Divine Arts, Roxana Buhariwala of Dream Designs, Neeta Kocharekar of Artfarm and the Parsi press.