Poona’s newest community organization, the Pune Zoroastrian Sports Association (PZSA), with careful planning and... enthusiastic involvement, unveiled an "approximately 5,000 sq ft” playground at the Bai Manekbai P. B. Jeejeebhoy Colony on April 13, 2024, noted PZSA secretary Kainaz Mehta. Two exhibition matches were played: volleyball by the residents of the Colony and football between by the children of J. N. Petit Technical School and the Colony children. Tombola followed, "engaging participants of all ages.” Mehta’s note on the event was forwarded by PZSA committee member and joint honorary secretary of the Poona Zarthosti Seva Mandal, Mabrin Nanavatti, who also filled us in on the background of the event. This is the first sports association created for Zoroastrians in the city.
Clockwise from top: Inaugurating the new Poona playground; jashan; view of the new facility
A five-mobed jashan, with priests Ervads Kaipashin Raimalwalla, Porus Sinor, Arzan Khambatta, Kayomarz Adajania and Sam Lashkari drawn from all three fire temples in Poona kicked off the event.
A minute’s silence was observed for the late Cyrus Bacha whose "contribution from troubleshooting technical issues to offering invaluable advice” for the project was recalled. "Cyrus went from door to door and collected one lakh rupees,” Nanavatti said. "It was only through the good offices of Ervad Ardaviraf Sinor that we could generate the bulk of the required funds. The Poona Parsee Panchayat (PPP) provided the space,” he noted.
"A few of us collectively have been organizing sports events for the past couple of years and volleyball matches have been held at the Poona Parsee Gymkhana. However, their trustees mentioned that the Gymkhana will be undergoing redevelopment soon and the volleyball court may not be available for the next year or so. Since the PPP has so much unutilized land in the Colony, it was Ardaviraf’s brainchild to make a court there and keep the games alive,” said Nanavatti.
Other committee members of PZSA are Cyrus Malegamwala (president), Mehta, Gulshan Pithawalla (treasurer), Hosi Gocul, Bhaktiar Narielwala and Ardaviraf. F. J.