Achievers Are Us!
Dear Readers,
Parsi Times takes great delight and pride in presenting you the ZAAN 2017 Special issue, recognizing and felicitating some of the great individuals within our Community, who do us proud not just as Parsi/Irani Zoroastrians, but as Indians and humans! The Zoroastrian Achievers Awards Nite (ZAAN) is the flagship event of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of India, one of our Community’s foremost institutions dedicated to community service for nine years now. The wise and compassionate group of ZTFI Trustees realised that true Community service should comprise, in addition to its primary goal of supporting the lesser privileged members, identifying and honouring those who bring pride, fame and respect to our small yet accomplished Community.
Spearheaded by dynamic ZTFI Trustee, Yasmin Mistry, ZAAN 2017, in its second chapter, did all that and much more at an exclusive event held earlier this month, with Parsi Times as the exclusive media partner for this prestigious, élite event. Seventeen awards were presented, honouring our exemplary achievers across categories including Medicine, Media, Sports, Education, Wellness, the Performing Arts, CSR, the Defense Sector and many more, amidst august company and great entertainment. Awardees included greats like Dr. Firuza Parikh, Bachi Karkaria, Dinshaw Tamboly, Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastoor, Zarin Daruwala, Pirojshaw Sarkari, Dr. Mickey Mehta, Maj. Gen. Soli Pavri (Ret’d) and other luminaries. One of the highpoints was Chief Guest Nadir Godrej delivering his address, much to the jubilation of the audience, in his signature ‘poetry’ style. The unmistakeable highlight was veteran of Parsi theatre, Dinyar Contractor receiving the ZAAN 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award for his unparalleled contributions to theatre and cinema, and for keeping generations of Parsis laughing away, decade after decade, on our New Year(s)! And the cherry on the cake was your favourite news weekly, Parsi Times, being awarded for outstanding contribution to the community! The sense of pride and joy across all present at the event, was palpable! You can read all about the fabulous ZAAN 2017 brought to you as a special presentation in this issue.
Recognizing achievers – on every level, be it individual, community, national or global – is crucial, though not indispensable, for nurturing the continuity of their achievements. Importantly, such recognitions, motivate the rest to put in their best and become achievers in their own right!
Here’s to our achievers! Here’s to our Community!!
Have a good weekend!
– Anahita
