"Pioneers are not born but they are made with knowledge, hard work, creativity, courage and taking some risks,” believes dental surgeon Dr Firoze Mirza who is still practicing at the age of 92. Mirza continues to garner awards for his path-breaking work. On March 30, 2025 he was honored by the Zoroastrian Dentists Organization as a pioneer of fixed dental implant surgeries and full mouth rehabilitation at the Scientific Symposium at Bombay’s Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The citation read: "The Zoroastrian Dentists Organization is most proud and privileged that Dr Firoze Mirza, past dean, Nair Hospital Dental College, pioneered dental implantology and full mouth rehabilitation in our country.”
Dr Firoze Mirza, center, receiving the Lifetime Legends Achievement Award
from the Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town
A few weeks later, on April 16, the Rotary Club of Bombay Mid-Town conferred on Mirza its Lifetime Legends Achievement Award "in recognition of your exceptional commitment, leadership and service in Rotary and the community. Your tireless dedication to the Rotary ideal of ‘Service above self’ has inspired us all.”
In his acceptance speech, Mirza said, "I must say I owe this success to my wife Elinor who was working in the German consulate in Bombay for 38 years. I got patients from all other consulates in Bombay for my implant practice in prosthodontics.”
The long-time Rotarian informed Parsiana that the "Rotary International movement was started in Chicago, USA in 1905, in a building on the same street where I also resided for three years, holding a green card” in the late 1950s.
S. V.