Talati’s 8th East Bombay Bharat Scouts Group organized a virtual Group Birthday, on 11th July, 2021, to commemorate the completion of the group’s hundred glorious years, providing scouting services. Their Guides Group, 68th East Bombay, completed 35 years in Guiding. 

A few Scouters and Guiders celebrated the day with homage to the founder, Scouter Rustam Dinshaw Talati, with the traditional ceremony of flag break and renewal of scout and guide promise, followed by cake-cutting at the Scout hut, where the group had been functioning for several decades. The celebrations were attended by over 200 people including parents of cubs, scouts, bulbuls and guides, Rovers, Rangers, Scouters and many ex-members. Group leader, Scouter Rohinton Patel, commenced with a speech, followed by greeting clips sent in by numerous ex-members including Roshan Lala, the oldest member, who remains connected with the group and has been a Cub Master in the early fifties and sixties! Others shared their fond memories and how they had benefitted from the experience.  Group Leader of Guides, Guider Shernaz Acharia spoke next, after which followed a remote entertainment program put together by cubs, scouts, bulbuls and guides, comprising songs, dances, skits and a fashion show. 

The program ended with awards given to individuals and patrols for their achievements in Scouts and Guides over the past year, for events held virtually. All the Cubs, Scouts, Rovers and Scouters, past and present, expressed gratitude to earlier scouters for imparting the traditions, learnings and moral values, which helped in achieving physical, intellectual, emotional and social betterment as individuals and as responsible citizens and members of their local, national and international communities.  

Hundred years ago, Rustam Dinshaw Talati gathered around him eight young boys and taught them the rudiments of Scouting and thus was established Talati’s Scout Group. It is indeed a tribute to the leadership, passion and hard work of the founder that the 8th East Bombay, continues to forge ahead, true to its motto ‘Go Ahead and Be Prepared’.