For over 80 years now, the Gamadia Boys Hostel at Tardeo, Mumbai, has been providing a safe haven (boarding and lodging) at extremely subsidised prices, to all our young Parsi/Irani boys, especially those who come in from India’s rural and small towns, with ambitions of studying and making a successful career in Mumbai. The hostel had been had been in urgent need of repairs for a while. In keeping with its commitment to Community Causes, Parsi Times took on the onus of reaching out and appealing to the Community to come forward and donate funds towards the repairs and restoration of the Hostel. Spearheaded by BPP Trustee Kersi Randeria, this Community Project saw a number of generous community members rising to the occasion and donating towards the restoration of the Gamadia Boy’s Hostel, which commenced on Parsi New Year, 17th August, 2017. PT is pleased to and will continue providing our readers regular updates, about the progress of the restoration of the Hostel.

“The hostel building, being a very old structure, was in a dilapidated condition and was in urgent need of repairs, especially the toilet block where the external drainage pipes had rusted, while the internal plaster was falling off exposing the steel re-enforcement. Under the initiative of Kersi Randeria, we began the restructuring of the Gamadia Boys Hostel, with architect Hanoze Mistry designing the entire toilet block with modern elements and good sanitary and plumbing fittings, completely free of cost, on a pro-bono basis. Administrating the structural repairs since the past three months, the building is shaping up very well and should be ready by the end of December, 2017,” said Bilal Baig, Head – Projects and Engineering Department, BPP.

BPP has been able to raise commitments for funds over Rs. 45 lakhs. With a keen eye on the budgets, Phase 1 comprised refurbishing the entire toilet/bathroom block, including the complete breaking down, structural repairing, plumbing and internal/external painting of the block. Phase 2 will comprise revamping hostel rooms from the inside, infrastructural developments and providing new amenities including beds, mattresses, pillows, a new TT table, water coolers, etc. An approximate funding of Rs.15 – 20 lakhs would need to be raised, for which, once again, the BPP seeks the participation and support of the community.

Dynamic entrepreneur Filly Bapuna, an ex-student of Gamadia Hostel, keen to see the project take off for many years, donated personally as well as is helping raise funds for the BPP by collecting donations from numerous ex-hostelites. Says Filly, “I believe that when we, as the youth, are given the indispensable support of virtually free boarding and lodging by the BPP, it is only fair, if not warranted, to give something back, if we are in the position to. This is the reason I urge all of our community members to put their best foot forward and support the BPP in continuing to provide a safe haven with boarding and lodging for our Parsi boys who come to Bombay to grow in life.”

The brainchild of Trustee Kersi Randeria, this exercise of public-appeal was an attempt at raising funds from the community at large and has succeeded in doing so, setting a positive precedent for future projects, which are stalled due to paucity of Trust funds. Let us unite and contribute towards empowering our youth with a good platform of healthy living and eating, so that they can go on to become achievers and do the community proud. Those who would like to participate in this noble venture and contribute towards Phase 2 of the project are requested to write your cheques in the name of: Parsi Punchayet Bombay.

For details or clarification, email at: bppceo1681@gmail.com.

Kindly note, that just like Phase 1, all donors of Phase 2 will be recognised by putting up plaques honouring the donors. Areas will also be ear-marked for larger donations.