"A milestone of sorts” at Calcutta Parsee Youth League’s (CPYL) talent contest held at the Olpadwala Memorial Hall on May 11, 2019 was the performance by three generations of the Meherji family. Two-year-old Uzairin Daver attemped a dance, while mother Kunashni Daver (née Meherji) came second in the adult category with a dance rendered to the Bollywood number Hamma Hamma. Grandfather Cyrus Meherji achieved first spot in his category with the rendition of two Hindi numbers. The oldest community member to participate was 68, noted a write-up by Navaz Gherda forwarded to Parsiana by League president Gulnar Mehta.
(Clockwise from above) Ariyanah Mehta, Naina and Nicaya Basavaraj,
Kiyan Bulsara, Rishaad Jeejeebhoy: talent on show in Calcutta
Singing, playing the keyboard, gymnastics with contemporary dance moves, ballet routines, drumming and strumming the guitar were all on show, noted Gherda. The event saw a "record number of 22 entries in individual categories,” she noted. Rabindra Sangeet (songs composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore) was rendered by Kiyan Bulsara. He was accompanied by Ayanah Gupta. The Rustom Ferozeshah Rolling Trophy established in 1983 was jointly lifted by sisters Nicaya and Naina Basavaraj, the older Nicaya for her singing and Naina for her ballet-cum-contemporary dance.
Nicaya, Samara Mehta Vyas, and Anisa Anklesaria all had "powerful voices and stage presence,” noted Gherda. All in the 10-13 age range it was "a very keen contest in this age group,” with Nicaya edging out her rivals by a few points, noted Gherda.
Afreen Ghiara, honorary treasurer and Arnavaz Subawala, honorary secretary are other office bearers of CPYL, in addition to Mehta. Committee members include Rasheed Jeejeebhoy, Yohan Confectioner, Kaivan Mogrelia and Anahita Tangree.