"For us in Britain, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji will always be remembered as the first Indian to get elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) to the UK Parliament,” noted a communiqué from Malcolm Deboo, president of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe (ZTFE). Founder member, longest serving trustee (1861-1908) and president (1863-1908) of ZTFE, his 100th death anniversary was commemorated on June 30, 2017 with varsi (yearly) prayers in the evening at the Zartoshty Brothers Hall at the Zoroastrian Centre in London, followed by short speeches and a contributory dinner. Rare photos of Naoroji in the chamber of the House of Commons, and also with Mahatma Gandhi and Madame Bhikhaiji Cama were displayed at the Zoroastrian Centre.
"There were several speakers each of whom spoke on a distinct facet of Naoroji’s remarkable and diverse life,” according to a report by Zal Canteenwala. ZTFE honorary secretary Rohinton Munshi read out a paper by historian Dr Dinyar Patel, and ZTFE vice president Behram Kapadia presented Lord Karan Bilimoria’s views. The other speakers were Dr Omar Ralph, a civil servant currently with the Ministry of Justice; Dr Seth Thévoz, honorary librarian at the National Liberal Club (NLC); Member of Parliament Gareth Thomas; Greater London Assembly member for Brent and Harrow, Navin Shah; and councillor Christopher Noyce. "There was unquestionably a very educational feel to the event but it was not without the ‘hamazoori warmth’ of the Zoroastrian community,” summed up Zal whose father Javid as ZTFE’s honorary treasurer proposed a vote of thanks.
At the National Liberal Club: Malcolm Deboo (left) and Kaya Mar with portrait of Dadabhai Naoroji
Zerbanoo Gifford (left) and Ervad Yazad Bhadha Photos: Peter Hogan
(From left) At the Zoroastrian Centre: Rusi Dalal, Rohinton Munshi, Javid Canteenwala, Christopher Noyce,
Dr Seth Thévoz, Deboo, Omar Ralph, Navin Shah, Behram Kapadia, Rekha Shah, Krishna Suresh,
Mrinal Choudhury Photo: Raj Bakrania
The same morning, a portrait of Naoroji was unveiled by Zerbanoo Gifford, first female Asian councillor to be elected from the Liberal Party, at the NLC in Whitehall, London. The NLC had commissioned Kaya Mar who likes to describe himself as a"painter and pugnacious political artist” to create a portrait of the Grand Old Man, as he was popularly known. Naoroji was a respected member of the NLC along with distinguished political personages like Winston Churchill, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and writers like George Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells, as notes the NLC website.
Founded in 1882 by William Ewart Gladstone, the NLC exists "to provide the very best club facilities for relaxing and entertaining in the heart of London, for members whose interests vary from liberal politics to the liberal arts,” states its website, adding, "The NLC’s liberal heritage meant that it was conceived as a club that should be able to outshine any of the more established aristocratic clubs of London; but for membership to remain much more accessible than other clubs. It was one of London’s first major gentlemen’s clubs to admit women as full members; and from its launch in the 1880s it was unusual in embracing a diverse range of members of many different ethnic, social and religious backgrounds.”
After the unveiling, Ervad Yazad Bhadha, resident priest at the Zoroastrian Centre, recited a short prayer invoking the fravashi of Naoroji. Elected as a Liberal MP from Central Finsbury in 1892, Naoroji’s "legacy in Parliament has continued…as more and more MPs of Indian origin and of other ethnic minorities have become successful parliamentarians serving in the Mother of All Parliaments and we are proud of them as we are of Naoroji,” stated Deboo at the function.
"Today ZTFE is the oldest Indian/Asian faith based voluntary organization in the UK,” said Deboo giving the visitors an overview of the Zoroastrian faith in which Naoroji had been ordained as a priest. According to Deboo, "Naoroji’s ethical beliefs were propounded by his Zoroastrian faith which were central to his conduct throughout his life, whether in business, his campaign against selling opium to the Chinese, to the drain theory which today is conventional wisdom when discussing exploitation of resources of the developing countries by the developed world.” On behalf of ZTFE, trustee Rusi Dalal presented NLC with a ZTFE sesquicentennial gold medallion.
Naoroji had travelled to London in 1855 with Muncherji Hormusji Cama and Khurshedji Rustomji Cama to open Cama and Company which was the first Indian trading firm to be established in Britain. In 1859, he became the first Indian to be appointed Professor of Gujarati at the University College, London, noted Deboo in his intimation to ZTFE members and well-wishers.