Jamshid Tamboli was adjudged Zoroastrian Man of the Year 2013 at the first ever such contest organized by the World Zoroastrian Organisation, India (WZO-India) at the Eco Park in Godrej Baug on the evening of January 12, 2013. The gala evening was meant to raise funds for WZO-India’s Bharda House project in Udvada, where they are creating a dharamshala for pilgrims in a dilapidated building that was donated to them, Hutoxi Doodhwala who organized and coordinated the show informed Parsiana via a press release. Cyrus Jal emerged first runner-up, while Vaspan Tangri was second runner-up. Sub-title winners were Meherzad Wadia: Mr Superfit; Tamboli: Mr Photogenic; and Tangri: Mr Charismatic. The three title winners took home Rs 50,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively, while the sub-title holders received Rs 10,000 each.
Johan Daruvala sang a couple of Bollywood numbers to kick off the evening while 19 "young and handsome" Zoroastrian males strutted their stuff in the first round of the contest. A ballerina danced to the tune of a flautist while the marks were being totaled to select the finalists. Both the performers were from Hormuzd Khambata’s company. Each of the eight finalists was asked a question by the judges — super models Freddy Daruwala and Sherezade Shroff, Miss India finalist Hufriya Kelawala, stage actor and performer Shahriyar Atai and Mickey Mehta, India’s leading holistic health guru, mentions the write-up. Burzis Taraporevala, anchor for the evening ensured that everything went off without a glitch.
An eight-day grooming workshop for the boys preceded the contest. It was held in the PRG (Parsi Resource Group) conference room at Dadar’s Della Tower and its smooth functioning was ensured by Daisy Todywala and Sinaiya Presswalla. Participants attended workshops in physical fitness, personal hygiene, spiritual empowerment, movement therapy with body posture and body language, Bollywood jazz, entrepreneural skills, corporate skills, speech, diction, acting and stage presentation, motivational skills, wardrobe management, camera awareness, self-defence, legal rights and duties of the Indian citizen, religion and responsibility toward the community.
Workshops were conducted by the best professionals in the field. Among those mentoring the contestants were fitness guru Mehta, choreographer Khambata, Della Tecnica and PRG founder and Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Jimmy Mistry, training experts Minocher Patel and Hoshang Gotla, Grasim Mr India 2005 Viraf Patel, film and theater personality Shernaz Patel, Kyoshi Hoshi Batliwala and Sensei Percy Bahmani, lawyer Hormuz Mehta, trainer with Dale Carnegie Institute Feroza Engineer, make-up artist Naomi Sarkari, movememt therapist Dilshad Patel, fashion designer Laila Wadia, stylist Urshila Mehta, religion teacher Beroz Gazdar and Doodhwala. The photo shoot for each participant was by Arish Patel. A visit to Della Adventure in Lonavala was arranged, mentions the write-up.
The non-stop 50-minute performance "Fiesta Under The Stars" by Khambata and his troupe followed the contest.
Rusi Bhumgara, president WZO-India spoke briefly about the Bharda House project. He thanked the Kathawallas for sponsoring the contest, and the Spenta group of companies, Zarir Bhathena of Hilla Builders, Dinshaw Tamboly of WZO Trust Funds and Sharukh Shroff of Adventure Tours and Travels for co-sponsoring the entertainment event. He also expressed gratitude to Mistry and Mickey Mehta for supporting the contest and office bearers of the Godrej Baug Residents’ Welfare Association for their assistance. The efforts of the behind-the-scenes helpers Xerrxes Doodhwala, Sharmin Doomasia, Friyan Taraporevala and WZO-India’s managing committee were also acknowledged, the write-up mentions.