Dear readers of Parsi Khabar

Over the past few months, a series of anonymous emails and Whastapp messages have been floating around that claim to be from Parsi Khabar and make reference to me personally. These are usually on the topic of the Parsee General Hospital new wing proposal.

These emails are sent from an anonymous address and are unsigned.

The email contains falsifications about my stand and that of Parsi Khabar vis-a-vis the Parsee General Hospital new wing proposal.

I do not know who has sent this out, but since it references me and Parsi Khabar I feel it is necessary to inform our readers about this.

Parsi Khabar as an online portal & me personally have nothing to do with the contents or the sender of that email. I do not know who is sending these and will pursue all options available to report this to the relevant cybercrime bodies.

All emails from Parsi Khabar always come from the email address news@parsikhabar.net

Anything that you see on an email from Parsi Khabar is first posted on the website.

For the record, I am completely in favor of the proposal for the new wing of the Parsee General Hospital. The magnanimous donation from the Shroff Family of Hong Kong will infuse a new lease of life into a once-glorius institution. A year ago I have had first hand experience staying at the Hospital to take care of a loved family member and have observed how the hospital cannot deliver to its full potential because of the lack of technological advances that medical science provides today.

The Shroff Family’s donation has to be one of the largest ones made within our community in the last few decades.

I really hope that common sense prevails and the institutions and persons involved with the process find the political and moral courage to do the right thing and move on.

Sincerely

Arzan Sam Wadia

Editor, Parsi Khabar

Ronnie Screwvala’s production house RSVP has kick-started 2019 with a big hit Uri: The Surgical Strike grossing over Rs 46.24 crores over four days of its release. Touted to be the first content film of the year, Uri: The Surgical Strike has been winning hearts emerging to be one of the first hit of 2019 given by RSVP after giving Kedarnath.

The star cast Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam  along with the director Aditya Dhar are in Delhi today taking part in the annual army day parade. As a tribute to the Indian armed forces on the special army day, Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP has decided to make a donation of 1 crore towards Welfare fund for Army widows.

The entire nation is boasting about the movie and the feeling of patriotism it evokes. The makers of the film are very proud to present the true events of Surgical Strike happened at URI and its impact post the release of the film on kids who are more than inspired now to join the Indian army. The team is constantly receiving messages on daily basis about how the movie has had a lasting impression on them. The most touching message was from a 18-year-old girl who was excitedly watching the film. She was stunned and recorded the reaction of a lady in her 80’s who was in the front row shouting and cheering JAI HIND throughout the film. URI definitely has broken all ties across demographics.

The military drama which has the toughest action scenes made with the low budget will definitely recover the film’s overall budget in its release week itself. Uri: The Surgical Strike is based on the surgical strikes which were carried out by the Indian army in 2016. Besides Vicky Kaushal, the film also features Yami Gautam, Paresh Rawal, Kirti Kulhari and debutant Mohit Raina. The film has been directed by Aditya Dhar and it has been produced by Ronnie Screwvala.

The ZXX study was created as a tribute to Zarthusti women and as a way to celebrate their lives. Our aim was to interview Zarthusti women about their lives in order to gain insight and contribute to the gap in literature surrounding this topic. We also wanted to create an insider participatory action project. Most scholarly literature about the Zarthusti community is written by outsiders but this project is community based and community driven. ZXX refers to Zarthusti women, as the genetic symbol for females is XX.

It is the brainchild of Dr Farah Shroff, who started the first version of this study, ZXX 1.0, as a series of interviews with Zarthusti women which were transcribed and audio recorded. ZXX 2.0 is a video recorded oral herstory project. Inspired by the love of her family and community, this project is dedicated to the wonderfully warm, eccentric and inspiring Zarthusti community.

While Zarathustrianism is considered the world’s first monotheistic religion, not much is known about the individual members of the religion or the community as most scholarly work has been of a theological nature. Many people are surprised to learn that living members of the community exist at all. Furthermore, many studies conducted about Zarathustrianism have been undertaken by scholars outside the community. This study is unique in that the majority of the researchers and authors are Zoroastrian women. Two of the researchers were also participants in the study.

In the study, Zarthusti women ranging in age were video interviewed by Dr. Farah Shroff. Topics such as childhood, school life, and religious identity were explored through the interviews. We hope you enjoy watching the videos and reading our study!

Check out the ZXX website

Tata Trusts, which controls India’s largest conglomerate, the Tata Group, has inducted chairman Ratan Tata’s half-brother Noel Tata on the board. The appointment is seen as paving the way for a potential successor to the present chairman.

Speculation about Noel’s entry has been gathering steam with the small but prominent Parsi community rooting for a Tata family member to helm the Trusts in the future. TOI had reported on the likelihood of Noel, who is chairman of Trent and MD of Tata International, finding a seat on the board of the Trusts in its December 13, 2018 edition.

With trustees having no retirement age, Ratan Tata, 81, is expected to continue as chairman. The appointment of Noel, 62, however, comes at a time when the Trusts is battling allegations of income tax law violations and managing trustee R Venkataramanan steps down.

With Noel’s induction, all three Tata brothers are now on the board of the Trusts, which disbursed Rs 1,200 crore in fiscal 2018 for philanthropic projects. Ratan Tata’s younger brother Jimmy has been a trustee for nearly three decades. Several Parsis, including trustee Noshir Soonawala, have been expressing concern to Ratan Tata over the lack of representation from the community on the board of the Trusts, which has played a key role in the social sector besides being at the forefront of Indian industry through the $111-billion salt-to-steel Tata Group.

Jehangir H Jehangir, a fellow Parsi and philanthropist spearheading the Jehangir Hospital in Pune, was also appointed on the board on Wednesday.

The low-key Noel Tata who makes his entry on the Tata Trusts board, has been rarely seen with its present head Ratan Tata. His interactions with Ratan Tata despite his role as a group director have been limited. However, in the recent past their equations have changed.

“At the Tata leadership summit last July, Noel and Ratan Tata went back home together in the same car,” said a Tata executive. Noel had also backed Ratan Tata in the battle against Cyrus Mistry, former group chairman and his brother-in-law. Ratan Tata is also known to be close to Noel’s three children, who work in the conglomerate.

While heading Tata International, the smaller among group companies, Noel has found mention as a possible contender for the Tata Sons chairman’s post. His entry into the Trusts would now be the most prominent role he has been cast in. According to Tata Sons’ Articles of Association, Trusts can nominate one-third of directors on the holding company’s board. There is speculation that Noel may soon represent Trusts’ interests on Tata Sons board as well. Noel’s entry coincides with Venkataramanan (Venkat), who has been overseeing the Trusts’ operations for the last five years, exiting.

The announcement did not name a replacement for Venkat. TOI had reported on Venkat’s impending exit on February 8.

Speculation is that R Pavitra Kumar could be given interim charge as CEO of the Trusts. Venkat has been under the Income Tax department’s scrutiny for noncompliance of rules.

The department withdrew tax exemptions of the Trusts on account of Venkat’s salary that ran into a few crores, stating that the income drawn by the managing trustee was beyond the permissible limit under the rules. The department had sought to cancel Trusts’ licences for non-compliance of rules on usage of funds. Some time ago, Venkat was also named in a corruption case by CBI for allegedly breaking rules to obtain a flying licence for Air Asia India.

He is expected to be shifted into another role within the Tata group.

Historians have written not just pages, but books on his life; he is a wellknown figure in the Parsi historical hall of fame; it should be a polite yawn by now to read the writings of social reformer, author and poet Behramji Malabari.

Article by Sanchia Desouza | Mumbai Mirror

Born in Baroda in around 1853, Malabari is best known as an advocate for the rights of women, writing against child marriage and in favour of widow remarriage. Mumbaikars will, of course, recognise one of his legacies: the Seva Sadan Society for the education and empowerment of women and girls, headquartered at Nana Chowk, Gamdevi. He founded it in 1908 with his friend, Dayaram Gidumal. All of this makes him sound like the 19th century worthy he was, but there is more.

Sitting down a few days ago to reread the travel memoir Malabari wrote about his three visits to Britain, beyond the stillfresh surprise of the Indian looking back at and assessing imperial Britain, I was completely hooked. Looking at sections from this 1893 book The Indian Eye on English Life, or Rambles of a Pilgrim Reformer, my delighted students commented that he was “pretty snarky”. And if snark is a typically millennial way to be subversive, Malabari could very well be a millennial.

On the bustle around in London, he comments, “Every man, and woman — one might say every animal, and even some of the inanimate objects — seem to be full of life.” Decades before the railways of Bombay carried millions of commuters in his own home city, he is shocked by them in the imperial capital: “The crush is indescribable… I wonder how people can stand the noise and bustle. If I were to be detained in such a crowd for a few hours I am afraid I would either be stunned, or distracted beyond cure.” I can only be glad that he doesn’t have to endure the proverbial Virar Fast.

The sounds of the city are fascinating reminders of industrial progress to Malabari: “The noise and bustle — the everlasting clang of feet, the whistling of engines and smoking of chimneys — are music to my ear.” But he also prefers hearing them “at a safe distance.” When he eventually leaves London, he does so calling it a “dirty little pool of life, that has grown and expanded into an ocean”.

Madame Tussauds, which now houses oddly alarming figures of so many Indian celebrities, didn’t seem to meet with his favour, but for a comically withering reason that had little to do with wax. “We do not care to visit Madame’s Chamber of Horrors, to be introduced to many of the criminals and cut-throats known to history. We have just had our throats cut by the waiter at the restaurant, who charged us half-a-crown for two plates of mudwater which he passed off as mulligatawny soup. There were horrors enough in that costly repast.”

Malabari enjoyed the zoo much more and casts himself sardonically as a man from an exotic jungle: “One feels as if moving about amongst his kith and kin, all of them real and alive—very much alive indeed, judging from the overtures made to me by a greedy old beast of a baboon.”

Amidst all the description of people and places, the spectacle and cruel extremes of an empire at the height of its power, Malabari faced also some less-than-gracious treatment. His unfamiliar headgear and habitual wearing of white flannel, as done in more tropical climes, both came in for some gawking from urchins and the middle class alike. The urchins heckled him saying “Yaw, gov’nor, foine day for creeckit?” and Malabari’s mimicry of the accent in writing is surprisingly, sharply funny. Further down the street, two ladies wanted to look at his pagdi, and his companion commented that they were probably photographers or artists. Malabari’s sense of privacy and dignity injured, he remarks with killing subtlety, “Very likely. But I would rather not give them a sitting.”

On the tightrope of the British Empire, maintaining his delicate position between worlds, Behramji Malabari got in more than a few jabs with a gentlemanly walking stick.

More about Behramji Malabari: Here & here & here

The amazing folks at XYZ have a fantastic new initiative and if you are local in Mumbai, please do get involved.

Our dear friend and XYZ Founder Hoshaang Gotla write

Dear members of the community,

Our organisation – XYZ (Xtremely Young Zoroastrians) is organising a MAD (Making A Difference) Initiative called XYZ VESSEL-A-THON which is a Vessel Collection Drive on Sunday, 24th February 2019.

Our XYZs along with parents, friends, family and well-wishers will be going to 25 different colonies and baugs in the city only between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm to collect all types of vessels, i.e. pots, pans, bowls, dishes, glasses, cooking utensils, plates, forks, spoons, serving spoons, etc. all in usable condition.

If you do not have anything to donate, we are also accepting donations of Rs. 200 from which we will buy new vessels for organisations that cook for 200+ people and need bigger vessels than the ones we may collect from home.

These vessels will then be sorted and sent to NGOs like Goonj, Hamara Footpath, WWH Trust, Oscar Foundation, BSPCA, etc. to be distributed to people in need and improve their lives.

Vessels make it possible for us to cook our food – life’s most basic need. They help us enjoy a hot and nutritious meal. But not everyone in our country has clean and safe utensils. Let’s change that!

We at XYZ are overjoyed that so many baugs, colonies and schools are helping this cause and also appreciate the support of the Scout Groups and other organisations.

XYZ would like to thank the PARSI TIMES, our Media Partner for spreading the message to all their readers and Buhariwalas International Relocations for helping us with the transportation.

We hope that the children of our small community bind us together and work as one to make a huge difference to the people in need.

While reading this message, we want you to know that you can also help in any of the 3 following ways:

1. DONATE

Please give as many vessels as you can.
You can drop them off at the collection centre close to you.
A donation in cash or cheque can also be made for new vessels.
 

2. VOLUNTEER

Make the conscious decision to come down to your colony or any of our collection centres and help with the collection process for 1 to 2 hours, between 9:30am and 12:30pm on Sunday, 24th February, 2019.

3. SUPPORT

If you are unable to do the above, we still hope that you can forward this message to others in the community and Make A Difference.

This may be an XYZ Initiative but we hope that every Zoroastrian comes together and makes a change as you too are an Xtremely Young Zoroastrian within.

This is not about your social or civic responsibility. This is about Being Better Parsis.

Warm Regards,

Hoshaang Gotla
Founder, XYZ
9820683398
www.xyzfoundation.net

The first ever off site Mobed Training seminar was organized by the Empowering Mobeds team last weekend in Sanjan, Gujarat, India

Young Binaifer is in a deep dilemma- her first heartbreak has left her shattered and made her completely averse to the idea of love. As she steps into the agiary on Saturday morning, she prays to the Holy Atash wondering who would help her get rid of this heartache.

Could the solution to such problems and many more be given by our Mobeds? Why not ! With that in mind the Empowering Mobeds Programme conducted its first ever off-site training programme at the beautiful and verdant Bai Maneckbai P.B. Jeejebhoy Sanatorium in Sanjan. The goal was simple- to impart basic counselling skills to our young priests and help them develop a strong connect to the laiety. Empowering Mobeds is a joint initiative of the Athornan Mandal and WZO Trust Funds . Having successfully conducted workshops and sessions in the past year, this event was eagerly awaited by the Mobeds who had registered in advance to make the most of this opportunity. The weekend following Valentine’s Day was an exciting one for the group. Mr Dinshaw Tamboly was there to actively support and participate along with the mobeds in the sessions ably handled by Mrs Binaifer Sahukar, Mrs Kashmira Kakalia and Ms Delphi Wadia.

Day 1 was kickstarted with a sumptuous lunch of Chicken curry rice and fried Boi fish, courtesy of the Tavadia family who run the sanatorium very efficiently. A quick introduction about Empowering Mobeds and its objectives was done by Er Sheherazad Pavri. Thereafter the group was split into pairs and Mrs Kashmira initiated a session on Narrative Therapy. The importance of listening and asking the right questions was stressed upon by her. Hearing someone’s story is very important, especially in today’s fast paced world where people are used to comparing each other’s lives on social media and the art of a healthy conversation is dying! A quick tea break filled with intense discussions was taken over by Er Hormuz Dadachanji. He shared his experience and stressed on how a Mobed should be professional and serve the fire with diligence. When pursued with dedication, this is the noblest of professions and prosperity awaits the doer. Food for mind was followed by food for the tummy. Thereafter, Mr Tamboly gave a short yet inspiring talk on what it takes to be successful. The participant Mobeds were encouraged to give their best in every walk of life, to keep learning for a lifetime and to lead by example. The group dispersed for the night for some chatter , getting to know each other better with the cool Sanjan wind blowing in their faces.

What better way to begin your day 2 then visiting the agiary next door! After offering our prayers in the serene atmosphere there and a quick photo stop at the majestic Sanjan Stumbh, a delicious breakfast was served to the entire group- the famous “Doodh-puffs” filled to the top with extra servings of love and care, the Sanatorium is easily a foodie’s haven but surely not one for the “faint-calorie-hearted”! The morning session on self awareness and basic psychotherapy was initiated by Mrs Binaifer . Common cognitive distortions were highlighted and active inputs from the participants made this experience truly fun. It was the perfect environment of understanding the importance of mind over matter and how to understand the opposite person’s perceptions while being an avid listener and asking quality questions. This was coupled by a fluid recitation of the famous poem “Invictus” by Er Firdaus Pavri where the participating Mobeds were inspired to take action and be the makers of their own destiny. Another lipsmacking lunch later , the final session on ‘Understanding Mindsets and Persoanlities’ was conducted by Ms Delphi Wadia. This was done especially to facilitate a healthy workplace environment for the Mobeds where they deal with people from all walks of life. Individual results of a priorly conducted MBTI personality test were shared to enlist the various personality types. From the creative to the judgemental and analytical to the empathetic, the participants shared in good humour their personality types through the collated test scores . On the basis of the same, an interesting activity involving brainstorming to revive a crumbling agiary was carried out. It was heartening to see active participation from the youngest participant aged 17 to 50+ adults hurriedly scribbling and charting out their ideas out of sheer love for the community. More of these ideas will be flowing in the coming weeks and we would also encourage our community members to contribute to this cause.

Safe to say, a young “White Army” was trained at Sanjan and returned back safely, armed with life changing counselling skills. Our religion is a beautiful one and will be nothing without our Mobeds. So will the ‘Keepers of the Flame’ march on? You bet! Make sure you approach your” friendly neighbourhood mobed” and share your problem. Who knows, he could be one of the “White Army” , and if he isn’t , encourage him to sign up!

At the invitation of the Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ervad Zarrir Bhandara represented the Zoroastrian faith accompanied by Xerxes Commissariat representing the FEZANA on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2019

A Multi-Faith Memorial Commemoration in remembrance, peace and reconciliation of the Khojaly Tragedy was well attended by about 300 distinguished guests at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Los Angeles

An evening of Azerbaijani multifaith memorial featuring the world multi faith leaders including the Bishop Menezes of the Christian faith and Ervad Bhandara representing the Zoroastrian faith, praying together at this unique event for world peace and commemorating Khojaly Tragedy (The Worst genocide of the 20^th century), Khojaly was a town in Azerbaijan, on Feb. 25-26, 1992 was attacked, and its civilian population subjected to a massacre as they tried to evacuate the town, over 600 people, including some 300 children, women and elderly were murdered in a bloodshed, which the Human Rights Watch called the “largest massacre in the [Karabakh] conflict.”

The focus of the multi-faith meeting was on remembrance, peace and reconciliation. Nasimi Aghayev, the Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles, pointed out that in Azerbaijan diverse religions live together peacefully. The prayer meeting was followed by the Azerbaijani musical performance featuring the world-famous Azerbaijani musician, Master of Kamancha, Stanford University’s Music Teacher IMAMYAR HASANOV, who performed Azerbaijani music, accompanied by internationally acclaimed pianist and composer CEM OSLU

The evening was concluded with a dinner of Azerbaijani and Turkish food.

Xerxes Commissariat, Zarrir Bhandara with Consulate general Nasimi Aghayev & faith leaders

Ervad Bhandara addressing the crowd

Ervad Bhandara praying along with the Multi faith leaders

Ervad Bhandara with Bishop Menezes addressing the gathering.

A Kiwi-Indian woman and noted short filmmaker Zia Mandviwalla has become the first ever New Zealander to direct an episode of popular Netflix series Chef’s Table.

Chef’s Table, a popular Netflix series created by filmmaker David Gilb and Co-Producer Brian McGinn, profiles a world-renowned chef in each episode, with each chef sharing personal stories, inspirations and styles, as they prepare a dish.

The episode directed by Zia portrays a renowned British-Indian Chef Asma Khan, who is incidentally, also the first ever British person to be featured in the popular series.

The episode that Zia had directed will become available on Netflix NZ from Friday, February 22.

Recently her episode was screened at the Berlin Film Festival in the Culinary Cinema Section on Feb 13, where she was present along with Asma and participated in a panel discussion at the festival with the creator and EP of Chef’s Table, David Gelb.

Chef’s Table

Chef’s Table series has successfully drawn audiences into the emotional landscape of chefs, and in the process, weaved food documentaries into the cultural landscape.

Each episode of the show follows a different world-renowned chef from all over the world, from Italy to Sweden, Argentina to Australia.

The show has been hugely popular for its ability to adorn and present food documentaries in an entirely different manner, except for some criticism for not being able to reflect upon diversity.

Following those conversations, the show’s producers had announced earlier in September 2018 that several people of colour, almost all of whom are women, would be subjects in Seasons 5 and 6.

Zia Mandviwalla

Zia was born in India and arrived in New Zealand in her teens and pursued a career as a writer, director and short filmmaker.

She has worked with SKY TV, KFC, Vodafone and other firms and has also directed three short films, including Night Shift, which won Best Short Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Cinematography at the Show Me Shorts Film Festival NZ, alongside other awards.

Asma Khan

Asma Khan is a London-based British Indian chef who was born in Rajasthan and moved to England and pursued PhD from King’s College, London in 1991, before continuing her passion in food and becoming a chef and restaurateur in her mid-40s.

A scene from the show on Asma Khan

Asma uses her food to understand her identity and heritage and unabashedly communicate to everyone around.

Her restaurant began as a supper club in her home, where she taught fellow women how to cook, before opening a pop-up kitchen in 2015. She then opened a restaurant, Darjeeling Express, in June 2017, which has quickly become a London favourite

The bonhomie between Zia and Asma

For Asma, the key to the Chef’s Table process was that the episode was directed by Zia, another woman of Indian-origin. Speaking to local media in London earlier Asma had explained the understanding between them and the respect and knowledge of particular cultural nuances, meant that a narrative could unfold that felt genuine and elicited a range of stories that otherwise may not have been heard.

“She did not ask me pointless questions about my husband and marriage, I did not need to explain what my mother meant to me, she got it.

“Zia was born in Mumbai, moved to Dubai and lives in New Zealand — I felt as someone who had moved countries herself, she understood me,” Asma was quoted as saying.

The episode directed by Zia and showcasing Asma will play out on Netflix NZ on Friday, February 22.

Kainaz Jussawalla from Bandra, an author blogger, journalist, travel vlogger and International flight attendant  won the Shiksha award, at the 14 th International Press Community Awards. Her award for literature was given to her for her outstanding contribution to the field of writing, journalism and her recent successful debut novel – Coffee days, Champagne nights.

The event was held at St. Paul’s media complex Bandra and was attended by few bureaucrats, officials  and film personalities including actress Nagma and singer Anup jalota.

Awards were also given in the field of electronic media radio, television social media and music and presented by actress Nagma Morarji

Delzin Choksey the gifted artist behind Crispy Doodles, brings us new artwork just in time for Jamshedi Navroze.

Delzin writes…

Get your favorite Baby Zarathustra swag just in time for Jamshedi Navroze. This year we’ve added an adorable fridge magnet and stickers too. And for a limited time save 15% when you order one of our Jamshedi Navroze collections with promo code: NAVROZE2019

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CrispyDoodles

Collection 1: Color and Learn Zoroastrian coloring book + 8×10 picture frame of Baby Zarathustra (Get fridge magnet + sticker sheet FREE)

Collection 2: Color and Learn Zoroastrian coloring book + 5×7 picture frame of Baby Zarathustra (Get fridge magnet FREE)

Hurry! Offer valid until we run out of our limited edition stickers and magnets.

On Thursday, 28th February in the evening the Zoroastrian Association of California celebrated the Meherangan festival, sponsored by Hootoxi and Ervad Dr. Ardaeviraf Minocherhomji, and well attended by over fifty people.

The evening started with a Jashan performed by Ervads Zarrir and Zerkxis Bhandara along with present NAMC president Dr. Ardaeviraf Minocherhomji and the past NAMC president Jal Birdy.

After the Jashan a brief talk was given by Er. Bhandara explaining the importance of celebrating Mehrangan, as this festival celebrates the victory of good and light over evil and darkness. On this day Shah Faridun imprisoned the evil king Zohak in the holy Mount Demavand. Meher Davar, which literally means judge, who along with Rashne yazad judges our soul on the day of  Chahrum. Meher, the divine light is synonymous with innate wisdom. NAMC president, Ervad Dr. Minocherhomji added that there are two types of intellect mentioned in Dooa Namsetayashne “Ashne kheradi and the Gaosho Sruthe Kheradi” the innate wisdom and the acquired knowledge. Bhandara further urged the congregation to perform at least a Kushti in all 5 different watches/(gehs) of a day, if not the obligatory prayers. Comparing the Kushti ritual to taking a bath for the physical body, performing a Kusti similarly cleanses our astral body. Making it possible to absorb the divine energy from the spirit world which is akin to running an antivirus program in our hard drives to clean up and then download the (spiritual) software.

Instead of focussing only on the literal translations and trying to rationalize with our rational/limited thinking, he suggested balancing our rational thinking with the knowledge of heart to learn from the fountain of spiritual knowledge and guidance offered by our scriptures. Comparing the Avestan/Pahlavi and Pazand prayers to the HTML language, for which one would need knowledge of coding. Translations without in-depth scholarly and spiritual knowledge diminish the true essence of scriptures, and they will frankly not seem to make sense.

The celebration concluded with scrumptious and delicious potato pulav, dal, lagan nu stew, saria prepared by Ervad Zerkxis Bhandara, along with kachumber and bread pudding prepared by Hootoxi Minochehomji.

Nostalgia is a definitive by-product of grandmothers’ cooking, triggering memories of food made with love, intuition and authority. It pales the experience of swift and perfunctory ease of “ordering in” from a dozen options at the swipe of a finger. Tapping on the same sentimental value and her Parsi heritage, Gurugram-based Shelley Subawalla, 43, has been delighting foodies with Zarin’s Secrets, a business hinged on her grandmother’s ingredients and recipes.

• Entrepreneurship is juxtaposed with challenges, but fills one with a sense
  of purpose, satisfaction and achievement
• The one-woman show is run from Subawalla’s home in Gurugram, where the
  kitchen is the main stage

Article by Supriya Sehgal | Live Mint

The genesis

“As a Parsi I was brought up with a pride for the community. Most of it was associated with food, and the one person who was the epitome of this, was my grandmother, Zarin Gimi. It was only fitting to name my dishes and ingredients venture after her,” says Subawalla.

Before setting up Zarin’s Secrets in 2015, Subawalla’s career trajectory included a multitude of roles and sectors including interning at a leading advertising agency, being a marketing lead at an American startup, managing online back end support for a life-coaching group and administration for an advertising company again. Compared to the different hats that she has worn, including that of a homemaker, being an entrepreneur has been the most challenging and fulfilling.

“I never thought that my passion for cooking would become a business venture. Friends and family encouraged me to give home-made Parsi spices and recipes a chance in the market. I didn’t realize that there would be a sustained demand for something I’d been making for my family for years,” says Subawalla. It’s been almost three-and-a-half years and the demand has only increased. “Since overheads are not too much, Zarin’s Secret has been profitable from the word go,” she says.

Why the idea worked

“Many of my friends find Parsi food exotic and difficult to prepare,” says Subawalla. “The idea was to bust this myth and offer packed condiments and ingredients, along with recipes of dishes that one can prepare with them. It’s the prefect amalgam of home-made food with the thrill of eating something new.”

But friends alone did not trigger the move towards business. Subawalla is passionate about showcasing her culture. The dwindling number of Parsis in the country and fading authentic traditions have been on her mind for a while. “My venture started due to generations of recipes handed over to me. If I didn’t have a particular recipe someone wanted, I foraged around and was given recipes from other families. For example, my limbu nu achchar and green curry masala come from the Jalnawala family. All the products in the Zarin’s Secrets repertoire come from either my great grandmother or some other Parsi family’s great grandmother. All equally old, equally authentic, and precious,” says Subawalla.

Managing the business

The one-woman show is run from Subawalla’s home in Gurugram, where the kitchen is the main stage. Two part-timers help to keep the “buy, chop, cook, seal, pack and dispatch” wheels churning. “I have a contract with a courier company that delivers all over India and I personally go to the post office to send the international packages,” explains Subawalla about her operations. The next most important part of the business is online presence. Subawalla handles social media, photography and sales generation on her own and credits social media for a large part of her sales. “I keep my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages active by posting regularly. Since visual appeal is so important, posting images on different platforms help my dishes get more resonance with the audience,” she says.

Facing challenges

Not being taken seriously by vendors or being squeezed for prices on the assumption that she may be a weak negotiator are battles that Subawalla faces on a daily basis. And then there is the work-home tight rope as a mother that is essential to walk on, every day. Subawalla does feel that delegating some of the work would be blissful and plans to take up a small office and kitchen space soon.

Being covered by popular food blogs and featured in Parsi publications are personal achievements for Subawalla but the real delight comes from patrons, who strike a personal relationship.

“A newly married lady messaged requesting me to WhatsApp the recipes of dishes that I showcase on my Facebook page so that she could learn and cook for her husband. Then there was this 90-year-old lady, who called after reading about me in the Parsiana (Parsi publication) and had a wonderful chat on the telephone before ordering. My uncle especially messaged to say that the vasanu (Parsi Chawanprash) I had sent him reminded him of his grandmother, who was known for her cooking and vasanu. These are the wins that make my heart swell with pride,” says Subawalla.

On Jamsetji’s 180th birth anniversary, ThePrint’s Remya Nair remembers the industrialist who set up India’s most well-reputed business empire.

Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata was the founder of the entity that went on to become Tata Sons, an Indian conglomerate that now employs more than 7 lakh people and has a total revenue of more than $110 billion. His first cousin Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata would take his work forward and the Tata Sons would reach its zenith under Ratanji’s son J.R.D. Tata. Today, Ratan Tata, the great grandson of Jamsetji, is chairman emeritus of the group.

Until recent skirmishes in the boardroom for leadership of the group, the Tata name has always been synonymous with quality, professionalism and good business practices.

On Jamsetji’s 180th birth anniversary, ThePrint remembers the industrialist who set up India’s most well-reputed business empire.

Early years

Tata was not born with a silver spoon but more than made up for his limited resources with ambition and a big risk appetite.

He was born in Navsari on 3 March 1839 to parents who belonged to the priestly class but were not very well-off. Navsari, a town near Surat in present day Gujarat, was the hub of Zoroastrian priesthood and Tata received his early education there before moving to Bombay at the age of 13 to pursue modern education where he was enrolled in Elphinstone College.

After his education, he joined his father’s trading business with China which was flourishing in the era of opium trade. He was no stranger to risks or the frequent upsides and downsides in business.

The firm further flourished as demand for raw cotton from India increased due to a global shortage during the American Civil War that raged between 1861 and 1865. But the end of the civil war saw cotton prices plunging that threw the firm into financial difficulties.

Branching out on his own

Tata worked with his father’s firm till 1868 when, at the age of 29, he started his own trading company with a capital of Rs 21,000 — the first step towards building the present-day Tata Group, according to the company website.

After first buying and then later selling a mill in Bombay, Tata went on to set up a cotton mill in the cotton producing hub of Nagpur called the Empress Mills. He used the information collected in his overseas travels to bring in advanced manufacturing techniques to India, according to the Tata Sons website.

Even during those times, Tata ensured that the workers were well compensated and rewarded through annual bonuses, gratuity and compensation for the injured.

Like any businessman, Tata also made his fair share of mistakes. His acquisition of a mill called Dharamsi located in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency to diversify into production of finer yarn turned out to be a big money guzzler as he had to invest a substantial amount to modernise the mill. He eventually managed to successfully revamp the mill and christened it ‘Swadeshi’, close associate D.E. Wacha wrote in a brief narrative of Tata’s life titled The Life and Life Work of J N Tata.

In the book, the biographer attributes the turnaround to Tata’s “indomitable courage, business capacity and tenacity of purpose”.

Tata was also involved with the political movement. Wacha says Tata was “as keen and robust in matters political as he was courageous and enterprising in matters industrial”. He writes that Tata was a sympathiser of the nationalist movement and an active contributor to the Indian National Congress.

Diversification

Wacha recalls Tata as the “Swadeshi of Swadeshists” for his drive to make India a manufacturing hub of goods like a wide array of clothing material, iron and steel and hydroelectric power.

Tata set up an endowment fund to encourage young graduates to pursue their dreams of foreign education or join the Indian Civil Service. The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai also opened for business in December 1903, one of Tata’s rare dreams that he saw come true during his lifetime.

Frank Harris’s biography of Tata, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata: A Chronicle of His Life, quotes one of his friends to explain Tata’s ambition of having a hotel in his beloved city of Bombay that met the best European standards.

Vision

In the last two decades of his life, Tata envisaged three other big ventures — conversion of iron ore into pig iron and steel, steps to use water resources to generate hydroelectric power and setting up of a scientific research institute. Unfortunately, Tata did not live to see any of these three ventures starting operations as he died in 1904.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was set up in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) and teaching started there in 1910, Tata Iron and Steel Works was incorporated in 1907 and the foundation stone of the facility for generating hydro-electric power was laid in 1911.

It was Tata’s vision of meeting all the needs of workers in one place that was eventually reflected in the township of Jamshedpur.

“Be sure to lay wide streets planted with shady trees, every other of a quick-growing variety. Be sure that there is plenty of space for lawns and gardens. Reserve large areas for football, hockey and parks. Earmark areas for Hindu temples, Mohammedan mosques and Christian churches,” Tata said in a letter to his son Dorab Tata spelling out the concept of a township, according to the Tata Steel website.

Tata was married to Hirabai Daboo and had two sons with her — Dorabji Tata and Ratanji Tata.

Tata died at the age of 65 on 19 May 1904 just two months after the death of his wife.

City writer Murzban F Shroff in his third book, crafts a collection of stories that can be read in five minutes

It is difficult to imagine how the world can change in a minute. But on November 8, 2016, when news of demonetisation broke – through an unscheduled televised address – the world did change for many. In Fasttrack Fiction (Juggernaut Books), a three-part collection of digital shorts, Murzban Shroff capitalises on fast-paced narrative, where the worlds of his protagonists evolve in every sentence, in stories worded between 150 to 1,500 words.

Article by Dalreen Ramos | Mid-Day

Shroff’s first short story collection, Breathless in Bombay (2008), was shortlisted for the 2009 Commonwealth Writer’s Prize, but he soon found himself entangled in a web of litigation – accused of inciting communal disharmony. The first part of Fasttrack Fiction that released last month highlights the intersection between gender, politics, economics and geography, with the second and third scheduled to release next week and month respectively.
Edited excerpts from the interview.

Murzban F Shroff

What impact did the litigation cases have on you?
The litigation against Breathless in Bombay had a significant impact on my subsequent work. I thought: if I was going to be sued and harassed for a book as well-intentioned as Breathless, which had been recognised unanimously as a unifying piece of work, then I might as well say what I want to, and say it strongly, firmly, without inhibition or reserve. The worst thing that can happen to a writer is self-censorship, and I took care to see that I did not fall into that trap when working on my novel, Waiting for Jonathan Koshy. Once I was clear about this, I could develop Koshy as a post-modern satire which examines India in the light of growing intolerance and anarchy. I could answer that crucial question which I was assailed by: How do you understand India? Can you really do so?

The city is always central to your works. Where does Fasttrack Fiction figure in that aspect?
I do confess to a territorial bias for Mumbai. And while Fasttrack Fiction is not specifically Mumbai, it views issues – psychological or situational – through the lens of a Mumbaikar, which is to say a more varied and multidimensional lens. And, of course, there are themes that are distinctly Mumbai: land-grabbing, flat-grabbing, housing society woes, and that wonderful Mumbai bonhomie, which exists still, in strange and wondrous ways.

What inspired you to venture into digital shorts?
I take my walks on Marine Drive and am invariably surprised to see how couples are often sitting together but each person is busy on his/her cell phone. That little screen occupies the full being of their consciousness and there is no cognisance of life around. Likewise on local trains. Of the 16 people in opposing rows, at least nine persons are engrossed with their cell phones. Given this kind of obsession, I could not afford to ignore this platform, the digital platform, anymore. It took me around a year to create 25 stories, of which nine are available in part one.

Was your process any different when compared to your books?
This being a new medium, the writing process I set for myself was totally open-ended. The story could be anything – it could be an exposé, a psychological insight, a startling observation, a kindred experience, an unprecedented scam. These are the kinds of stories you’d tell at a party – for entertainment or for impact! I freed myself from the conventional boundaries of story-telling and explored different entry points, different formats. I could interweave details of fiction and non-fiction, take ordinary people and place them in extraordinary circumstances, to deliver extraordinary insights into human nature. The experience of writing Fasttrack Fiction was both, pleasurable and liberating.

How does one write for the cell phone reader?
With the cell phone reader, you are competing for his/her attention in a more urgent way. This is not like a bookstore or a bookshelf, where you have the luxury of choice. Here, there are other forms of news and media screaming for the reader’s attention. So your themes have to be more urgent, more compelling, and your revelations or epiphanies that much more startling. The cell phone reader is certainly short on time and short on patience, and you had better deliver, to his/her satisfaction, quickly.

Was it a challenge to condense the narrative of each story?
I think each story chose its own trajectory. For instance, one of the most powerful stories in the book – about a seasoned conman and his modus operandi – is no more than 150 words. Anything more would have reduced the shock value. In the longer stories, where, say, a sequence of events had to unfold, I would consciously work towards a taut narrative pace and a compact elegance. When literature is the end goal, then editing does become a manic obsessive process. It works on the assumption that you have to respect your reader’s time.

Lately I’ve been very caught up with the idea of immortality. Not the Jack Sparrow and Fountain of Youth kind of course, but the kind that makes someone unforgettable to more than their immediate generation. And the most potent experience of this attempt to make someone immortal is when the immortal almost rises, phoenix-like before your very eyes. A book reading brought this about for me.

Shireen Isal, a Zoroastrian woman living in London wrote a book about her French language teacher, Zenobia Mistry, 20 years after the teacher passed away. The beautiful book is about the life and endeavours of Zenobia Mistri, who in the 1920s discovered a fierce passion and aptitude for the French language and took it up so seriously she went to Paris in the 1930s to study the language further and then came back to India and enriched countless lives simply by teaching them French.

Shireen had a private book reading for which Parsi Khabar was graciously invited. “So, do you know french fluently?” This very first question at the entrance of the building left me wondering if I should have come. I responded with “I don’t really like French. I prefer Spanish”. I’m sure Shireen and her wonderful husband Jean Pierre sucked in their collective breaths and smiled back. After the warm welcome by our hosts in a well appointed house, I felt further left out because the room was filling with people over the age of 60. There were maybe 3 of us, younger than that.

But then Shireen started reading from her book and I sank back in my chair, transported to Zenobia’s life and her trials and triumphs. I was eager to hear more and more because this woman, who was surely a pioneer in her field given the decade, was living a rich life doing what she loved. As the book progressed, I realized that the entire room was connected to Zenobia Mistri; either as a relative or as a student. In fact, the hosts were themselves closely related to Zenobia. When the informal discussion on the book began I realized exactly how amazing this book really was.

Are any of us blessed to have a teacher who impacted us so much that we wrote a book about her… literally. And this book was no easy feat. As Shireen stated, her husband Jean Pierre encouraged her to write the book and then she went on this fantastic fact finding journey. She didn’t know anything really. She scoured the ancient records of the French Schools where Zenobia may have gone (there was no record of where she studied), crawled across the internet, emailed everyone who may have any remote connection to Zenobia and bit by bit placed together her life’s story. There are many gaps still but it’s a good picture of how this woman, born in Karachi became an unforgettable French Tutor. Shireen admitted she had eventually resorted to badgering people for information but that worked its wonders.

But, the very best part of this evening was when all those present there started a casual reminiscing of all things Zenobia. They recounted anecdotes and discussed her legendary temper and the positive life lessons she inadvertently taught to her students. There was a bit about Zenobia flinging student’s books out of her window when angry and the animated discussion actually had me looking at an imaginary book go out the window right there. Her students all agreed that since Zenobia was intensely private it was difficult to glean much about her; one even commented that if Zenobia were here she’s hate that she was being discussed in so much detail. There was so much reminiscing laughter amongst her students, all of them recalling their young days and the mischief they played in her classes alongwith her strict adherence to learning the grammar of the language by repetition. That diverse group of people coming together due to their shared childhood experiences learning French from Zenobia Mistri, brought her alive right there in the room. And that I will stay with me for a long time.

Shireen Isal has paid the ultimate ode to her teacher by bringing her back to her beloved students and giving the world an opportunity to get to know Zenobia Mistri. Her efforts to bring the book to fruition are epic in themselves and maybe she should write another book on how she found Zenobia. That would be as compelling a book as this one is and I’d finally have my answer on how Shireen found Zenobia’s French Thesis at a German Antique Dealer.

Go buy the book at amazon.co.uk   or at Parsiana.com in India or at FEZANA.org in USA and Canada

Ever wondered what it takes to make it big in life? A bit of inspiration, zeal to not drift, the magic potion of immense hard work and of course some incredible courage.

Meet Jamshedpur-born Dinaz Vervatwala, a true example of grit and determination. Born to a middle class Parsi family and studied at Sacred Heart Convent in Jamshedpur, Dinaz has brought laurels to his hometown by achieving rare feats.

Article by Parvinder Bhatia | Pioneer

She has not only been fitness trainer of badminton championship Saina Nehwal but also won 3rd runner’s up title of the Miss Fitness Universe pageant held at Rio de Janeiro held in 2011.

Today she is considered to be one of the pioneers in introducing aerobics fitness and is a Guinness Book of World Records holder for completing 26 hours of non-stop aerobic marathon.

“Life has been a rollercoaster ride for me. I am really happy to back in the city of my roots. After my schooling in Jamshedpur I moved to Mumbai. I started off my career as a chartered accountant in Mumbai. But, at the age of 22, I shifted to Hyderabad and became a fitness trainer. Today I run a programme ‘Weight Loss Xtreme’ and has around 70 trainers working under me,” said Dinaz, who on Friday addressed a session for women at Little Hearts Play School. 

Her journey into fitness started when her sister in law had come from Yemen who was a fitness trainer there. She inspired her to become a fitness expert.

“With the help of my husband, I started my first fitness center in 1993. Aerobics was barely known then. It took me six months to get one customer. My passion succeeded and we kept growing and moving to bigger houses to meet our requirements,” Dinaz recalled.

“As I grew myself in fitness area, Saina Nehwal’s coach Pullela Gopichand approached me for health sessions. Saina was 13 year old at that time and had issues related to fat. I trained her over the years to become fit. Today I feel to have been her fitness trainer,” said Dinaz.

However, the turning point in her life came when in February, 2005, she met with a fire accident. She succumbed to 53% burns including lung burns when the leakage from the gas cylinder in her kitchen led to a huge explosion. The doctors had declared that chances of my survival were grim.

“I still remember my days of struggle. I fought back. I set small targets for myself and was determined to get back to normal life. I was back at work after three months. Started going back on air for TV shows and business was as usual,”said Dinaz, with a smile. She said that through her life experiences she inspires others to lead life with determination.

Question her about her hometown she says “I have my aunt still living in Jamshedpur and I make sure that I visit the city every year. Though the city has become crowded but the warmth of people living her is the same”.

From Malvani and Gujarati to English, find these influences in Parsi food

The Parsis of India are people from the Zoroastrian community that migrated from Persia (now Iran) in the 7th century and made the west coast of India their home. As the community moved from its place of origin and integrated with the local communities in their new-found land, the changes reflected in Parsi cuisine as well. A popular story goes that when the Parsis first came to Gujarat, they promised the then ruler Jadi Rana that the community would mix with the local people like sugar mixes in milk. This is true of the culinary influences as well.

Article by Henna Achhpal | Living Foodz

Kurush Dalal, a food anthropologist and historian, who runs Katy’s Kitchen, a Parsi catering service, says, “It’s not so much that new things were added to the Parsi cuisine but that the Parsis adapted their cuisine as they moved.” Over the years, several local delicacies have found their way into Parsi cuisine, but with a Parsi touch. Dalal gives a lowdown on the top five influences that migration has had on Parsi cuisine.

Coconut Curry
Considering coconut does not grow in the Gulf, it’s an ingredient that entered Parsi cuisine only after migrating to India. However, the Parsis didn’t make an entirely new dish with this ingredient. Instead, they made their own version of the typical red coconut curry that is found along the west coast of India. “As opposed to the thinner Malvani curry, Parsis make their curry much thicker by adding lots of coconuts,” says Dalal and adds, “The souring agent is usually tamarind and not kokum.”

Local Seafood
The most famous Parsi dish outside the community, apart from dhansak, is patra ni machchi. In this Parsi dish, marinated fish is covered in chutney and steamed. The steamed fish preparation existed in Parsi cuisine before the community journeyed to India, but the fish type changed after moving. “In Iran, the most popular fish comes from the Caspian Sea which is a landlocked sea with low salinity. The use of seawater fish in Parsi cuisine happened after moving to India,” explains Dalal. It’s here that the Parsis took a liking to Pomfret and added local ingredients to their steamed fish preparation. “Even the use of banana leaves, coconut chutney, coriander, green chillies and lime happened after moving to India. These were completely alien to Iran,” says Dalal.

Hotter Food
“Parsi food became hotter after moving to India,” says Dalal, “but not necessarily spicier.” While the spice trade existed at all times, it’s the chillies that the Portuguese brought to India that made Parsi food hotter. “Before that, the Parsis would have used pepper in large amounts but after chillies were introduced, they were automatically using pepper in smaller amounts,” explains Dalal and adds, “Chillies were introduced to the Parsis after they had been in India for hundreds of years.”

English Custard
Lagan Nu Custard is the most popular dessert from Parsi cuisine but this sweet dish made an appearance in Parsi cookbooks thanks to the British. While desserts like kheer and halwa existed in Parsi cuisine, “there was nothing like the custard before the English influence,” says Dalal. “The Parsi Lagan Nu Custard is a typical English custard but with an Indian twist,” says Dalal. He explains that the Parsi custard is no different from the English custard in that it is essentially made of reduced milk to which eggs are added and then it is baked. “To this, the Parsis added nutmeg and cardamom,” says Dalal. In fact, one can find many British influences in Parsi cuisine. “The culture of having evening tea is another English influence,” says Dalal. Parsis don’t have the readymade chai that is usually found in India. Instead, Parsis like their tea in a teapot, with the milk and sugar served separately. “The entire tea ceremony is something that Parsis took from the British,” says Dalal, “but they made a lot of Parsi snacks to go with it.”

Vegetarian Fare
It’s often assumed that Parsi cuisine is heavily non-vegetarian but this isn’t true. Parsi cuisine makes use of a variety of vegetables, as it adopted Indian culinary influences. “In Iran, vegetables were few and limited to a short growing period,” explains Dalal. “This is why the Parsis ate dals (lentils) and beans which could be dried and preserved through the year.” After moving to Gujarat, “a huge amount of fresh vegetables became available to Parsis,” says Dalal.

Our dear friend Hosi Mehta, Co-Chair of the FEZANA Welfare and Critical Assistance Committee, Chicago resident, business owner, and all around good guy, shares his life story.  Mehta describes his childhood in India, moving to the United States and returning to India with his American bride.  He explains why he decided his family should return to the U.S. (the answer may surprise you!) and how his faith shapes the way he lives his life.  LowDown Food Critic Slappy Sal reviews the Rainbow Café and believes Old Blue Eyes himself would enjoy the cuisine!

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY -MARCH 8, 2019

The theme for International Women’s Day 2019 is “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change.” The theme focuses on innovative ways in advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly focusing on innovation and technology. Trends show that women are under-represented in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Currently, women hold only 18 percent of undergraduate computer science degrees and make up just 25 percent of the digital industries’ workforce (UN Women, 2017). If women are to compete successfully for ‘new collar’ jobs, we have to encourage changes at a community level as well as within the family.

Article by Farishta Murzban Dinshaw

NO DIFFERENCES IN ABILITY

Research shows there is little to no difference in boys’ and girls’ average ability at STEM subjects when you factor in gender equality within society. Luigi Guiso and colleagues (2008) found that in Turkey, boys outperform girls by 22.6 points while in Iceland the gender difference is reversed: girls outperform boys by 14.5 points. Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 67 nations. Every three years, OECD tests 15-year-old students in reading, mathematics and science. PISA shows that gender gaps in academic performance are not determined by innate differences in ability.

TACKLE STEREOTYPES AND ENCOURAGE ROLE MODELS

Zarathushtis are fortunate not to have faith-based or cultural barriers to higher education for women. However, there are still structural barriers to overcome. It is not enough for individual women to prosper. This means that in order to attract more girls to study STEM subjects at university and enter STEM careers, we need to tackle the stereotypes they are exposed to in everyday life.

Within the family, parents need to counter everyday stereotypes in social media, TV, advertising and entertainment, which focus on popularity, beauty and size, rather than intellectual or athletic ability as a way to measure success. One way to counter this is for parents to encourage children to look up to role models in the STEM subjects. They do not have to be Zarathushti role models, but we have some dynamic women that should be celebrated. The most lauded globally is Nergis Mavalvala, quantum astrophysicist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She was among the team of scientists who, for the first time, observed ripples in the fabric of space-time called gravitational waves. In the USA, Huban Gowadia is the Deputy Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration. She has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State where she specialized in fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer. In Canada, Dr. Dhun Noria, was presented with the Order of Ontario for her work in pathology as Chief of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Director of Laboratories at The Scarborough Hospital.

PARENTAL SUPPORT

Parents need to reflect on their gender biases. For example, discouraging a girl from yelling during play as “unladylike”, while dismissing rowdy behavior among boys with, “boys will be boys”. Parents are more likely to give toy vehicles, action figures, and sports equipment for their sons and are more likely to give dolls, kitchen sets, and dress-up toys to their daughters. Children also see how housework is divided – who does the cooking, who mows the lawn, who pays the bills, and who programs the new TV. Being exposed to these kinds of messages again and again, and in interactions with different people, instils a sense of what boys and girls ‘should’ be like, and what are ‘gender appropriate’ attitudes, opinions and behaviour. Upholding or supporting such gender stereotypes can potentially hamper both girls’ and boys’ development and inadvertently shape their later career prospects (Fulcher, 2015).

Another way is for parents to give equal support and encouragement to daughters and sons. “PISA results show that this doesn’t always happen. In all countries and economies that surveyed the parents of students who sat the PISA test, parents were more likely to expect their sons, rather than their daughters, to work in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics field – even when their 15-year-old boys and girls perform at the same level in mathematics.’ (OECD, 2015)

EDUCATION INITIATIVES

The education system also needs to actively reflect on institutional biases. Research shows that in schools girls are praised for being neat, quiet, and calm, whereas boys are encouraged to think independently, be active and speak up. Other forms of gender bias includes boys being more likely to be called up to the front of the room to do a science demonstration, and teachers more likely to offer boys specific feedback on their work, including praise, criticism and remediation. “Teachers can help by becoming more aware of their own gender biases that may affect how they award marks to students…In addition, teachers can use teaching strategies that demand more of their students, since students, and particularly girls, tend to perform better in mathematics when their teachers ask them to try to solve mathematics problems independently.” (OECD, 2015)

Within our community, FEZANA and other trusts and foundations should proactively create and award scholarships for young women who want to study STEM subjects. This may seem a type of ‘affirmative action’, but this is where we need to promote gender equity rather than gender equality. **

This article is exclusively published here and shall be published in the Spring 2019 issue of the FEZANA Journal.

REFERENCES:

· Fulcher, M. Quoted in Robb, A. (2015) “How gender-specific toys can negatively impact a child’s development” in Women in the World in Association with the New York Times, retrieved from http://nytlive. nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/08/12/how-gender-specific-toyscan-negatively-impact-a-childs-development/

· Guiso L , Monte F , Sapienza P , Zingales L. (2008).  Diversity. Culture, gender, and math.

Science (New York, N.Y.)  1164-1165

· OECD (2015). PISA in Focus What lies behind gender inequality in education?. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org

· UN Women (February 28, 2017). Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030: Message by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on International Women’s Day, 8 March. Retrieved from http://www.unwomen.org

Farishta Murzban Dinshaw is an Adjunct Professor with the graduate programs in Immigration and Settlement, and Criminology and Social Justice at Ryerson University, Toronto. She also works with newcomer and ethno-linguistic communities in Ontario to raise awareness about family violence, addictions, and mental health. She is a regular contributor to Zarathushti community journals and is the author of “Discovering Ashavan”, a young adult novella set in ancient Iran about a young boy befriended by Zarathushtra.