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This is a watershed annual general meeting when we will see a lot of new blood. The old warriors will retire, but we hope only in name,” said Viraf Deboo in his welcome address at the 20th global annual general meeting (AGM) of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) that saw nearly 100 attendees on the Zoom platform on January 8, 2022.
Originally planned as a physical meeting to be hosted by the Poona chapter at the Taj Blue Diamond, preparations had commenced six months earlier. Not sure how many of the members from overseas and India would be able to attend, they later decided to change the venue to Shree Panchratna hotel. When the physical presence of even the office bearers seemed uncertain, global president Edul Daver recommended that they have a virtual meeting. "Today in Poona, not more than 50 can assemble,” said Deboo, erstwhile chair of the Pune chapter of WZCC. As remarked the current chapter chair Tehmasp Bharucha, "We even thought of a hybrid AGM” but decided against it. "Life has got its twists and turns… If it becomes predictable, it would cease to be life.”
"We are nimble, we are adaptable, we are WZCC,” announced Daver who has been motivating the team for the last six years, and has played a crucial role in the last two when he is known to have attended each and every online session organized by  the different WZCC chapters. "We strive to be different, be first, be the best,” asserted the president giving the highlights of the global body in the preceding year. With the establishment of the Zoroastrian Entrepreneurship Development Foundation (ZEDF) in North America, three loans were approved to deserving candidates seeking to promote their business. Further 15% of the funds will be allocated to a "ZEDF Scholar” interested in pursuing a master’s degree program in entrepreneurship. The Zoroastrian Faculty Network (ZFN) that organizes a seminar every month has matured under the leadership of Prof Farrokh Mistree. Their specially created ZFN website offers the latest news on scholarships, exchange programs, and higher education opportunities across the globe. Next year WZCC has planned its global conclave in London.
Global vice president Yazdi Tantra reported that WhatsApp groups for members are growing with young professionals and businesses participating actively. Successive e-blasts (an email message simultaneously sent to several recipients) continue to share entrepreneurship and professional achievement stories, news and items of interest to members.
Compiling the financial statement for WZCC global entities based on details sent by different regions and chapters, treasurer Katayun Kapadia commented that WZCC UK has been very fortunate that over the years Dorab Mistry, Lord Karan Bilimoria, and Shernaz Engineer and her team have dug into their own pockets to subsidize or fund their activities. For production/development/editing of the WZCC journal SynergyZ, Meher Bhesania, regional director for Dubai, has been rendering gratis services for the last 18 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To expand the activities of the Women’s Entrepreneurship wing, international chair Behroze Daruwalla urged different chapters to send names of their female members. Fifteen youth have been helped with jobs during the pandemic and another 10 who have been called for an interview are hopeful, reported global youth director Jehaan Kotwal. Nearly 250 youngsters are still looking for jobs, according to their register. He urged senior members to keep the WZCC informed of openings within their organization so that around 150 may soon secure jobs.
The year 2021 was one of "hope, hardship and heartache,” stated Bhesania. According to her, WZCC is not just any organization but one that could "turn up efficiency and deliverables.” A short film on the WZCC created by her briefly alluded to the activities of the organization spread over 14 chapters in four continents. "Unleash the tiger within you,” was the message of her film.
"Catching them when young and daring them to grow big,” WZCC continues to encourage, empower and uplift Zoroastrian adolescents and teenagers, revealed global director from Toronto Dilnavaz Shroff in her presentation on the "Youngpreneur” activities. Through their workshops, youngsters are taught how to make a business pitch and see "their ideas come to life in the form of products and services on social media.”
Only 10 applications for funding have been received under the WZCC-WZOTF (World Zoroastrian Organisation Trust Fund) financial initiative, special advisor to the international board Phiroze Kharas expressed his disappointment. "We are trying to help two applicants make their business plan,” he added. His book Learning to Succeed also has a chapter explaining how to make a business plan. To promote WZCC and young start-ups, he has penned an article that he hoped everyone will forward to five friends or relatives. "India has the third largest start-ups in the world showing an annual growth of 12 to 15%,” he announced. In the meanwhile the six who have already received Rs 25 lakhs each as loans have started repaying on a monthly basis with one entrepreneur having paid back the full amount.
President of the Bangalore chapter, Air Chief Marshal Fali Major (retd) mentioned that there are many opportunities for entrepreneurship in areas like "aerospace, military ware…where huge loans are given by the Ministry of Defence for those aged between 27 to 35. Our Parsi youth need to be made aware.”
"Nothing is constant except change,” reminded WZCC corporate secretary Adi Siganporia before announcing the names of eight international directors whose two terms of three years having expired were not eligible for reelection this year. In addition to the four office bearers — Daver, Tantra, Siganporia and Kapadia — three other international directors — Rustom Engineer of USA, Mehraban Ardeshirian of Iran and Jimmy Medhora of Sydney, Australia — and past president Minoo Shroff have retired. For each of them, Daver had some words of praise.
On behalf of the international board, Capt Percy Master, erstwhile chair of the India region, thanked Daver for "steering the WZCC with great dynamism and leadership. During the pandemic there was normalcy at WZCC thanks to his superlative efforts.” The mute option on Zoom was then specially disabled to enable the members to give him a loud, rousing applause.
In their place were elected eight others: Ratan Mistry, current ZEDF and former FEZANA treasurer who will now serve as the global treasurer of WZCC. He is worldwide controller of Versa Networks Inc in San Jose, California. Secretary of WZCC Chicago chapter and ZEDF, Pervin Taleyarkhan is legal counsel at Whirlpool Corporation. Serving on the ZFN core group, Dr Behram Pastakia is a radiologist at the Veterans Hospital in Washington.
Besides these three members from the US, the other newcomers who will help the international board to "think globally and act locally” are founder member of WZCC Iran region and currently chapter chair in Tehran, Bahram Partovi who was chairman of Kanoon Sahamdar in the Iran Stock Market. Erstwhile secretary of the WZCC India region and the international board, Daruwalla was working as a paralegal for Frenaus in the US before relocating to Bombay. Treasurer of the WZCC India region and former vice president of the Mumbai chapter, Xerxes Dastur is a partner at V. S. Dastur and Company specializing in taxation, mergers and acquisition, management and incubation consultation. Deboo is managing director of Albaj Group of Companies. Former committee member of the Bangalore chapter, Zarine Kharas who was in the hospitality and restaurant business is now migrating to Perth, Australia. The new office bearers were to be finalized at a meeting on January 23, 2022.
The names of the WZCC award winners for 2021 were announced by Daver: Chairman and managing director of Rasna, Piruz Khambatta was named the Outstanding Zarathushti Entrepreneur. Mistree who chairs the aerospace and mechanical engineering department at the University of Oklahama will get the Outstanding Zarathushti Professional award. Urvakhsha Tavadia who started Ruzen Inc five years ago to produce a modular solderless system to enable connection of lithium ion batteries into battery packs will be the recipient of the Outstanding Young Zarathushti Entrepreneur award. Her work through Ashta No Kai that she founded to improve the lives of rural women in India will earn Armene Mody the Outstanding Zarathushti Social Entrepreneur award. The awards will be conferred to the 2020 and 2021 recipients at a special ceremony on February 20, 2022.
This AGM planned by the Pune chapter, commenced with a benediction by Ervad Porus Sinor of Poona’s Kadmi and Shehenshai Anjuman Dar-e-Meher and ended with an entertainment program hosted by erstwhile Pune chapter chair Mahrukh Bharucha giving exposure to musicians Varun Irani, Rustom Kayani, Jansher Banaji, Kate Bharucha Aswani, Dr Rukshin Irani and Khursheed Ghati. The  keynote speaker for the evening was Cawas Pundole, the fourth generation from the family to be involved in their 113-year-old horology business, C. T. Pundole and Sons, that has evolved from watches, into eye care and premium goods.

 

From branches to brands 
"The biggest advantage of a family business is faster decision making in critical times,” stated Pundole. Speaking on "Business of luxury goods during the pandemic,” he elaborated on how they managed to cope "during tough times, learning to work with limited stock. All team members came together to work harder. None lost their jobs.”
With customers continuing to buy the high-end branded watches sold by Pundole’s, such "revenge sales” to ward off pandemic despair resulted in "the luxury goods industry showing good results,” noted Pundole. While online and digital marketing are inevitable, nothing can beat the "personal touch, the close relationship with customers,” he believed. Referring to the well-known Parsi families of Poona like the Poonawallas, Forbes, Jehangirs, Agas, Kothawallas, who are their customers he considered them their "brand ambassadors...
"Lots of Parsi establishments have closed because there are no children in the family or the children are not interested in carrying on the family business,” regretted Pundole. "Please take an interest in your family business,” he advised youngsters contemplating a salaried job. "There may be some reservation initially but in the long run there will be pride. You will be your own boss. A family business needs to evolve with time and value the new inputs of every generation,” he has realized, appreciating the involvement of his children Hormuz and Aviva, the fifth generation to join the family enterprise.
"To succeed 100% you must give 200%,” was the advice Cawas had received from his father when he joined the business in 1975. "In 2003 when Hormuz joined, I said the same words.” While Cawas had played a key role when C. T. Pundole set up its 14 branches, he realized that "by the turn of the century, customers wanted more than branches. They wanted brands. Today we represent brands like Rolex, Rado, TagHeuer, Omega, Citizen,” he named a few of the 66 coveted brands with which they have built relations. 
"When we thought that watches had become a dying market” with people preferring to turn to their mobiles for time, "smart watches came on the scene and created a new demand.” The optimist is convinced, "Every day is a challenge. Identify your strengths and make a commitment to make the business stronger.”