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The Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena is aptly perched atop the Victorian Gothic Revival edifice of The Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution (BJPCI) on Queen’s Road. The stonework building with high lancet arches and buttresses, rose windows and gabled roofs houses the school and junior and senior colleges of the Institution. There is one more visible tribute to education within the structure: A statue of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning that looks down at the exuberant children from an alcove along the majestic staircase. 

"We are blessed to have a palatial building, well ventilated classrooms, with spacious laboratories and a playground,” trustee Rustom Jeejeebhoy told Parsiana on January 14, 2024. "Our attempt has always been to emerge as a nurturing sanctuary where learning extends far beyond the confines of textbooks, and potential is acknowledged and celebrated.” The other trustees are Byram Jeejeebhoy, Jamshed Jeejeebhoy and Rohinton Padder. 

In the compound, children are at play unmindful of the history surrounding them. It is recess time as uniformed boys and girls scramble up and down the staircase and frequent the large lobby bordered with plaques, a bust and a portrait of the benevolent benefactor Byramjee Jeejeebhoy. In the midst of the mild chaos stands joint principal Daisy Zohrabi, smiling benignly at the students, gently reprimanding one, offering words of encouragement to another. The Institution has 1,400 students on its rolls, with about 100 being Parsi. 

  inset: family coat of arms that inspired the school emblem 

"Simplicity is the essence of beauty is what we believe… Education has to maintain its purpose and objective of nurturing young minds and fostering growth… It should be kept free from unnecessary pomp and show,” stated Zohrabi. Speaking to us on December 6, 2023 in the high-ceilinged office on the first floor of the heritage building that she shares with joint principal Vandana Nambiar, Zohrabi stated, "Schools that maintain their simplicity in terms of classroom management, interactive learning, team-building and teacher involvement go a long way in achieving excellence in education, building character and integrity. Unnecessary hype creates confusion.” Individuals driven to seek knowledge flourish in even the simplest educational set-up, she said. Zohrabi is principal of the pre-primary and secondary divisions of BJPCI while Nambiar tends to the secondary school and the junior college (classes nine to 12). Both Nambiar and Zohrabi were appointed after the previous principal Pavana Anchees retired. The senior college is headed by director Dr Dolly Mistry. 

Zohrabi lists at least 10 things that the 133-year-old BJPCI has done differently this year: smart classes with interactive learning in the pre-primary division that will cover all classes in the current academic year; their building, a 116-year-old heritage structure, was restored with the assistance of leading conservation architect Vikas Dilawari; a coordinator was appointed to take care of the infrastructure; French was re-introduced as a special subject. Western music is included for the first time as a subject; Robotics and coding were introduced as extracurricular activities. The list goes on. "We must prepare our students to face the latest challenges the world offers.” The girl guides program was introduced for the first time as was a play group for the tots. They are revamping and updating their website. 

 "The coming academic year will see a digital library, making reading fun. Smart classrooms, with digital boards installed, will ensure children get interesting and interactive sessions,” Jeejeebhoy said. 

 "Our founder believed that to educate is to liberate,” stated Mistry. The junior college offers commerce and science while the senior college offers general commerce and an accounting and finance specialization. Cut off percentage for admissions to the senior college is 50%. Plans for the next academic year include introduction of a management specialization. "We have to help our students, many of whom are first generation learners, to climb the ladder,” she stated. Not everyone who completes junior college at BJPCI goes on to senior college here. There is a fascination for "prestigious, autonomous colleges,” said the director. "But we are here to serve society, not gain honors.”  

The school’s website states the objective is to "instill in BJPCites the spirit to outshine in every walk of life, following the path of diligence and righteousness.” 

"We have our own policy which is pivotal in shaping each child’s social and emotional well-being,” stated Jeejeebhoy. "We consider ourselves fortunate to have been given an opportunity to mold the clay and give it the best possible shape…The unwavering support of our partners, educators and stakeholders collectively help us empower the next generation.”

The BJPCI opened its doors to other communities in 1985. "The sole reason (for this) was purely to survive due to dwindling numbers of Parsi students seeking admission in our school,” stated Zohrabi.

"Parsi students avail the facility of free lunch… Milk is provided during the short recess…Scholarships, prizes in the form of certificates, trophies and medals are given to meritorious students… Free education to deserving Parsi students.” Their alumni association with former Parsi students works together with the Institution "for garnering community support and progress of the school.” As stated Mistry, "We have to uplift all.” 

"History of doing new things”

Set up pursuant to a trust created in 1890 by benefactor Byramjee Jeejeebhoy (1822-1890) for "establishing a school for poor Parsee boys,” the benefactor sadly did not live to see his dreams fructify. The school was inaugurated on his first death anniversary, September 12, 1891 by Rustomjee Byramjee Jeejeebhoy, the first chairman of the board of trustees. Then housed in a building opposite Marine Lines railway station, it catered to only primary and middle school sections, states BJPCI’s website. The Institution shifted to its current landmark location in a building constructed by noted architect Muncherji Murzban in 1908. The building was constructed at a cost of Rs 4,50,000 (USD 5,428) according to the website. "At the turn of the century, special commercial classes were instituted… The classes continued for nearly 30 years and were temporarily suspended to be revived once again in 1946.” Since 1954, the Institution has grown into a high school and became co-educational in 1972. Higher secondary courses in commerce and science were introduced, then came electronics, computer education, mathematics and information technology, noted Nambiar. "You can see we have a history of doing new things,” the most recent one being the addition of a new commerce division in the junior college, she noted.

"Amazing building”

When Parsiana had interviewed Dilawari earlier, the conservation architect who has worked on the structure for three decades stated the building’s "construction, detailing, architectural style and choice of material was amazing.” 

The current restoration project started in 2020. Most of the common areas and the full second floor were included in the present work. Dilawari, a keen admirer of Murzban, told Parsiana on January 8, that the trustees have been maintaining it with a "lot of care and affection” and the building has won the Indian Heritage Society’s Urban Heritage award in 1993. "The conservation philosophy involved minimum intervention, retention of maximum original fabric, respecting historicity and integrating modern amenities in a sensitive manner,” explained Dilawari. A lift was added "without disturbing the architectural ambience,” he added. 

"Major repairs to the School are possible only during the summer holidays… In the Diwali and winter holidays, minor repairs are possible… The two years during the pandemic when the school was completely shut also witnessed two cyclones which did a lot of damage to the wooden structural members and tiled roof.” There was termite infestation. "These have been addressed in the present repairs which have been carried out with a generous donation by digital engineering and technology services company Virtusa Corporation as a part of their corporate social responsibility,” said the architect. All work was done "meticulously using structural engineering and taking approvals of the MHCC (Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee).”

BJPCI and Virtusa celebrated the unveiling of the refurbished facility with a coffee table book Unwrapping the Story of a Landmark Restoration on November 9, 2023. 

Stated Zohrabi as we walked towards  the majestic staircase, "We try to instill in the students a love of both education and the building.”