A founder member of the Australian Zoroastrian Association (AZA) of New South Wales, Dr Sam Kerr was the "go-to person” for the community, a sentiment frequently expressed by his coreligionists on his passing away in Sydney on August 20, 2024 at the age of 90 years. Specializing in ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery, while assisting those suffering from neck and throat cancer, he would make time for issues concerning his community and religion.
"It was his generosity as a mentor and as a deeply thoughtful scholar that I particularly valued. Sam’s knowledge came from not only a place of study but also from the depth of information that he had about the AZA and its foundation,” wrote AZA past president Dr Pheroza Daruwalla, adding, "He used his teaching prowess to provide thoughtful commentary to visitors and students who presented their work and was a deeply influential ‘ambassador’ for Zoroastrianism in academic circles. He was quick to correct misconceptions about Zoroastrianism and laud its merits scientifically, empirically and realistically while still maintaining the spiritual and religious essence. A rare trait indeed, especially where religion, ritual and dogma are often pushed from pure emotion.”
Memorial meeting in Sydney for Dr Sam Kerr (above)
Earlier issues of Manashni, the AZA newsletter, invariably carried a column by Kerr. Describing him as "a visionary,” Farida Irani, erstwhile member of the AZA management committee stated that he was "always at the forefront to assist new Zoroastrian migrants who arrived in Australia.”
"Working with Sam was such a pleasure, his attention to detail and prompt responses were a breath of fresh air,” wrote Rohinton Rivetna, founder president of the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA). "Sam would participate wholeheartedly in our Coming Together Roundtable meetings which today has been formalized as the Global Council of Zoroastrians Trust,” he added. Roshan Rivetna, editor of the quarterly FEZANA Journal for 15 years, appreciated that for their "survey of world demographics in 2004, Sam was the one who coordinated the data collection for all of Australia.”
Respected for his research and contributions, he was invited as a speaker at international meets. At the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne in 2009 he spoke on "Zoroastrians: their Imperative to be Bridge Builders.” Nearly a decade prior he had presented a paper at a congress on "Indo-Persian Cultures: Their character and impact on civilization” hosted by The K. R. Cama Oriental Institute when he integrated human rationality and self-knowledge with the concept of consciousness in Zarathushtra’s teachings. His study of Persian history prompted him to visit Iran and write a book on Cyrus the Great.
Daily kusti prayers facing the east, lighting a divo in front of photo frames of his predeceased relatives, a silent prayer before driving out were routine for him. "He was so proud when my daughter Natalie perfectly recited all her Kadmi prayers at her navjote (his first grandchild to have a navjote),” recalled Sam’s younger daughter Naaz Hanson Kerr. His home had artefacts and sacred books on Zoroastrianism as also other faiths. Having served on the board of the World Zoroastrian Organisation, the liberal had once written, "Do you really want to continue to despise the children of Parsi to non-Parsi marriages and label them non Zarathushtis or non Parsis on the subcontinent?”
Born to Dolatbanoo and Dinshawji Kerawalla, as the fifth of seven children (three who have survived him are sister Freny Fatakia, brothers Bomi and Godrej Kerawalla), the family home was originally in Rustom Baug before they shifted to a six-bedroom apartment in Dadar. Schooling in Nasik, obtaining his MBBS from Indore, Sam joined the Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children where he learnt the fine art of surgery from the renowned Dr Rustom Cooper. He was also affiliated to The B. D. Petit Parsee General Hospital and Sir J. J. Hospital. He enjoyed the distinction of qualifying as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons from both London and Glasgow, and subsequently as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Availing of the partnership offered to him by a fellow ENT surgeon, Dr Dallas Finney, Sam migrated to Sydney with his wife Arnavaz (née Vandrewala), a biomedical scientist, and daughters in 1968. He adopted the surname Kerr, retaining the first three alphabets of his family name and adding another ‘r.’ He had explained the rationale for this abbreviated surname when he was conferred the Outstanding Zarathushti Professional Award by the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce in 2007: In those early years in Sydney, "there were no referrals (by doctors), no contacts,” few Indians. There were three Zarathushti families in Sydney, of which two were from Iran. Initially his medical services were mainly appreciated by the neglected poor and aged cancer patients until his work earned recognition from like-minded surgeons. He has been credited with having developed a unique drainage tube for the ear and for pioneering Head and Neck Cancer Surgery departments in hospitals in Sydney (see "An innovator likes challenges,” Parsiana, March 21, 2007). While practicing allopathy, he respected alternative medicine and is known to have attended ayurveda and yoga conferences.
At the memorial service for Sam held at the Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens, both his daughters, Dr Elizabeth Kerr Woodward and Naaz, described their father as being extremely intelligent, very creative, a good artist and a gifted photographer. In their younger days when other school friends would be enjoying slide shows of holidays spent together, their family sat through slide shows of his patients and diseased organs, recalled Elizabeth. "We held large annual barbecues in our backyard in the 1970s when every Parsi in Sydney and surrounds was invited,” related Naaz. Their family would regularly interact with other Zoroastrians at community events.
Besides learning the importance of Parsi culture and customs from their parents, as also acquiring a love for Parsi food, the daughters imbibed the values of integrity, loyalty, generosity, friendship, respect, ambition, hard work and good humor, jointly watching English comedians on television. The girls were in their teens when Sam and Arnavaz divorced. It was a challenging time that taught them tolerance and resilience. They were surprised that even after separation their parents harbored similar thoughts, values and aspirations with both turning vegetarian at the same time without conferring with each other! Both also died on the same day, August 20, on a Tuesday, 28 years apart!