Ervad Soli Dastur’s (pictured) emails invariably end with "love and tandoorasti (good health),” showing his warmth and concern. When the well loved and respected senior priest’s health took a downturn in the last week of December 2020, and he was on a ventilator at the Manatee Memorial Hospital in Florida, fervent appeals were made that "every agiary, every adaran, every dar-e-mehr, every atash kadeh and every Zoroastrian say a short prayer — a Tandarosti, for him on December 20. Solibhai has served our community, especially in North America, for decades… Let us now rally and reciprocate what he has infused in us all these years, with our prayers for his recovery. May the power of our collective prayers heal him. And also ask Ahura Mazda to give strength to dear Jo Ann (his wife) and his family to tide them through these difficult times.”
Members of the North American Mobeds Council (NAMC) too participated in the prayers on December 20 and observing that his condition was stabilizing felt, "In these difficult times we should do all we can for him and his family. NAMC mobeds will maintain a 24-hour prayer vigil in blocks of one hour — without breaking the chain — for (his) wellbeing and good health” beginning 8 a.m. on December 23 and ending on December 24. "We appeal to our entire North American Zoroastrian community to join us in our prayers for his quick recovery. Please say prayers of your choice at any time, followed by a Tandarosti.”
A fortnight later when Parsiana sought a health update, NAMC president Ervad (Dr) Arda-E-Viraf Minocherhomjee responded on January 8 that Dastur had been released from hospital the prior week after being treated for a cardiopulmonary problem. He added, "He has been in the rehabilitation center and is feeling much better — I spoke with him today. He will be going home in a few days. He feels weak but should continue to improve with good, home-cooked food!” The versatile Dastur who is a good cook himself is known to have impressed the community with his culinary talents. At the last North American Zoroastrian Congress in Orlando in 2019, Dastur had specially brought his much relished chutney for the enjoyment of all the delegates.
An active member of NAMC in charge of its communications, Dastur has been a pragmatic priest in North America. A decade before the pandemic, he had started a teleconferencing Zoroastrian religion class in 2011. Also popular are his weekly scripture extract with translation and audio recitations. An alumnus of the M. F. Cama Athornan Institute in Bombay, Dastur had been ordained as a navar, martab and saamel in Udvada. After spending two years at St Xavier’s College, he did his graduation from the Bombay University Department of Chemical Technology. Earning a J. N. Tata scholarship, he later completed his MS and PhD in chemical engineering from the Northwestern University, Illinois. He served Procter and Gamble Company in different capacities: research chemical engineer, computer technologist, developing store shelf management software. After retirement in 1994, he was consultant for grocery and mass merchandising industries.
In addition to his career responsiblities and priestly duties in North America, he has been conducting Zoroastrian religion classes from Tampa, Orlando and Miami. In 2010 he was the recipient of the Rohinton Rivetna Outstanding Zarathushti Award.