World Zarathushti Community Awards 2022

Dear Community Members:

As Co-Chairs of the 2022 WZC Awards Committee, under the leadership of Noshir Langrana, we are especially honored to bring this very prestigious and important awards process that seeks to honor the best of the best from our community.

For this year, we have seven award categories, including the newly created Diversity Award which seeks to recognize leaders driving towards improving racial and gender inclusion, equity and diversity.

We received 67 nominations for seven categories from across the world – all outstanding candidates. We would also like to thank our panel of distinguished judges whose task to select the Award winners was not made easy by the achievements of each and every nominee. Above all else, this is an opportunity for the larger worldwide Zarathushti community to recognize one of our own. Considering the very rich pool of high achieving candidates, the Awards Committee decided to offer multiple awards in some categories to recognize the contributions of excellent nominees.

It is also noteworthy that Noshir Langrana was responsible for coordinating the entire award selection process that was fully online. This included submitting nomination forms, preparing evaluation packages for the judges, receiving evaluations, informing recipients and preparing this document. Specifically, we would like to recognize Arzan Sam Wadia and Arzan Lali who developed the awards website. Their collaboration and creativity resulted in a first-ever entirely online, seamless, transparent and user-friendly awards nomination process.

We would also like to thank the co-hosts of the Congress, ZAGNY & FEZANA, Global Working Group, for their support in this important and valuable event.

And finally, CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners! Your accomplishments are truly impressive!

Warm deep appreciation,

Meher Bhesania, Noshir Langrana, Adil Mistry & Yezdi Tantra

The Awards Committee Co-Chairs

July 2, 2022, New York

The Awards Ceremony is made possible by the generous contribution of Zoroastrian Charity Funds of Hong Kong, Canton & Macao

Iconic Zarathushti Award

Community Service Award

Science/Technology/Engineering/Medicine Award

Social Entrepreneur Award

Creative Art/Design/Literature/Culture Award

Diversity Award

Rising Outstanding Young Zarathushti Stars Award

Iconic Zarathushti Award

Fali & (late) Bapsi Nariman

Khursheed Nariman collected the Award on behalf of her grandfather. She was presented the award by Framroze K. Patel, Past-President of EZANA

Fali Sam Nariman, a Parsi Zoroastrian, now aged 94 years, has been practicing law since November, 1950. He is a designated Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India.

Fali Nariman is one of the most respectable names in the Indian legal system. Through years of dedicated practice at the bar he has helped develop and shape Indian Law. His contribution in the legal ﬁeld is unparallel and he continues to serve as a source of inspiration for numerous young aspiring lawyers in the country.

Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan award winner Fali Nariman is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India and the former Additional Solicitor General of India. A legal genius with great erudition and moral fabric, he is committed to the cause of social justice. His name is mentioned with tangible esteem in the ﬁeld of jurisprudence and his skill and eloquence have reverberated in his term as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

To Fali Nariman, his religion is his abiding source of deep inspiration. “Our belief in our Faith is the thread that binds our small community together,” he says, and counsels: “We should not lose our character or our characteristics or the respect of millions of Indians. And above all, not lose faith in, or lose touch with Ahura Mazda, the Lord of Life and Wisdom.”

He has won several awards and accolades. A few of them are:

Nominated a Rajya Sabha MP in 1999 for a six-year term;
Awarded the Justice Prize in 2002 by the Peter Gruber Foundation;
Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1991 in recognition of his distinguished service in the ﬁeld of jurisprudence, and
The Padma Vibhushan in 2007 for his exceptional and distinguished services in the ﬁeld of Public Aﬀairs;
Awarded the “19th Lal Bahadur Shastri Award for Excellence in Public Administration” for the year 2018.

In the INDIAN EXPRESS List of the 100 most powerful Indians in 2019 he was mentioned at item No.64 as “the conscience keeper of the judiciary, Nariman is among the country’s most distinguished constitutional lawyers, having appeared in cases that have shaped judicial precedents”;
In the INDIAN EXPRESS List of the 100 most powerful Indians in the year 2021 he is mentioned at item No. 69 as “one of country’s most respected jurists and distinguished constitutional lawyers, Nariman continues to inspire generations of lawyers and judges with the nuanced views on the most intricate legal issues.”
Awarded “Star Lawyer of the Millennium Award 2021” – for outstanding contribution and Excellence in the ﬁeld on Law.

Bapsi Fali Nariman, a Parsi Zoroastrian, passed on at age 89 on 09.06.2020; during her lifetime she was President Emeritus of the Delhi Commonwealth Women’s Association (DCWA), and widely appreciated for her charitable works; she was the author of eight cookbooks; – all best sellers; the most popular being “A Gourmet’s Handbook of Parsi Cuisine” (1995) and “Traditional Parsi Dishes (2009)”.

She also worked with Dr. Mohini Giri, Chairperson of the Guild for Service for Young Widows of Vrindavan of which she was a Patron Member; and in celebration of her lifetime achievements the Guild for Service declared her the “Epitome of Empowerment”.

Bapsi and Fali Nariman are the proud parents of Rohinton and Anaheeta – Rohinton was a practicing lawyer in the Supreme Court of India till he was appointed and served as Judge, Supreme Court of India from 7^th July 2014 till he reached the constitutional age of retirement on 12^th August 2021. Anaheeta is a practicing pediatric Speech and Language therapist/Drama therapist.

Iconic Zarathushti Award

Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla

Lord Karan Bilimoria collected the Award on behalf of his dear friend Dr. Cyrus S. Poonawalla. He was presented the award by Dinyar Devitre

A visionary, India’s vaccine King, Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla is the Chairman of Poonawalla Group which includes the privately-owned Serum Institute of India, India’s top biotech company and the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally.

In 1966, Dr. Poonawalla embarked on his journey with a humble beginning to establish Serum Institute of India, with a vision to make affordable vaccines which were unavailable in India at that time. Today, Serum Institute is the world’s largest producer of vaccines by number of doses, producing more than 1.5 billion doses a year of life-saving vaccines, being used in over 170 countries to combat infection from Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Tuberculosis, Influenza, Meningitis, Polio, Rotavirus, Rabies, Pneumonia among others; with the latest landmark launch of a vaccine against Covid-19, the figure has exceeded 2 billion doses.

In 1994, Serum Institute was accredited by the World Health Organization (WHO) which allowed Serum Institute to export high quality vaccines to U.N. Agencies.

It’s a testament to Dr. Poonawalla’s vision, grit and innovative approach that Serum Institute has attained world leadership by reaching the unmatched figure of protecting more than 2/3^rd of the infant population globally. Today he is accredited with saving more than 30 million human lives across the globe, who would have perished had it not been for his philanthropic gesture in selling vaccines at the price of a cup of tea.

As a philanthropist, millions of dollars have been donated by Dr. Poonawalla for public causes such as charitable schools, hospitals, public parks and the Pune Clean City movement. Additionally, hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of vaccines have been donated free of charge or heavily subsidized by Dr. Poonawalla in areas where they were needed most.

For these efforts, Dr. Poonawalla has received numerous accolades and prestigious awards, including:

Recipient of the highest honour Dean’s Medal from the prestigious Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, for his exceptional leadership in safeguarding and improving the public’s health, on 21^st May 2022 at Baltimore, U.S.A.
Honorary Degree of “Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by the University of Oxford, U.K. on 26^th June, 2019.
Honorary Degree of “Doctor of Humane Letters” by the University of Massachusetts in Boston on June 3, 2018.
First-ever “Vaccine Hero” Award for commitment to Global Public Health presented by GAVI [Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization] in Abu Dhabi on December, 2018.
Padma Bhushan in 2022 for exceptional and distinguished service in the field of trade and industry, by Govt. of India on 21^st March 2022 at New Delhi.
Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2021 at the hands of former Minister of Home Affairs Shri. Sushilkumar Shinde on 13^th August 2021 in Pune.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) “Lifetime Achievement Medal” for outstanding contribution in healthcare at the hands of Mr. Bill Gates on 17^th November 2019 at New Delhi.

He is considered as an icon in the thoroughbred horseracing and breeding world. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA – the world Apex Body) bestowed on him the “Lifetime Achievement Award” on 5^th October 2009 in Paris for his outstanding contribution in the field of horseracing and breeding.

Dr. Poonawalla graduated from Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) in 1963 and was conferred a Ph.D. from the University of Pune in 1988 for his thesis entitled “Improved Technology in the Manufacture of Specific Anti-Toxins and Its Socio-Economic Impact on the Society.” He was also conferred “Doctor of Literature” at the hands of His Excellency Governor of Maharashtra, on March 5, 2015.

Community Service Award

Shernaz Cama

Shernaz’s sisters Niloufer and Rukshana collected the Award on her behalf. They wer presented the award by Rusi Dalal, Past-President of ZTFE.

Shernaz Cama teaches at Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi. Invited by UNESCO to create a project for Parsi Zoroastrian Culture & Heritage in 1999, she has been the Director of the Parzor Project, which grew into the Parzor Foundation.

While researching for her Doctoral thesis on Blake and Zoroastrianism she worked under the guidance of Prof. Mary Boyce. This led to a life-long determination to make known the importance of the Zoroastrian legacy; in this context she has published books, made movies and collaborated with Google Culture Institute. She is Co- Chair, Zoroastrian Return to Roots & National Director, Jiyo Parsi Programme, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.

She initiated the Meherjirana Library Programme at Navsari, worked for UNESCO declaring the 3000th Anniversary of Zoroastrian Culture, 2003-2004. In 2009, Navroze was accepted as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO’s “The Seal of Excellence”, was awarded to her for research in Parsi embroidery. She was the International Coordinator for the Everlasting Flame International Program, 2016, the largest ever showcasing of Zoroastrian history and culture.

Dr. Cama is the Zoroastrian member of the International Temple of Understanding, India Chapter and lives by the core-tenets of Zoroastrianism.

Community Service Award

Edul Daver

Edul Daver was presented the award by Dolly Dastoor, Past-President of FEZANA & Chief Editor FEZANA Journal.

Edul graduated from IIT- Bombay & Univ. of Wisconsin (MS-Powder Metallurgy) in 1967. He joined Alcan Metal Powders, obtained an MBA and became President by 1987. He led a leveraged MBO to form ACuPowder International in 1995. Platinum Equity acquired ACuPowder in 2010 and Edul retired in 2012. His professional recognitions include IIT-Bombay Distinguished Alumnus Award; Metal Powder Industries Federation’s Distinguished Service to Powder Metallurgy Award; and Powder Metallurgy Association of India’s Fellow Lifetime Achievement Award.

Edul served on ZAGNY’s Board during its formative years. He was World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce’s Founder-Director from 2000 to 2006 and received WZCC Zarathushti Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2014.

He was intimately involved in the building of the New York Dar-e-Mehr which was truly an entrepreneurial accomplishment. Edul served as the Global President of the WZCC 2015-2021 and is passionate about promoting Entrepreneurship to our Youth. During his tenure, WZCC did Community Socio-Economic projects, initiated ‘Youngpreneurship’, Zoroastrian Faculty Network and Zarathushti Entrepreneurship Development Foundation to fund budding entrepreneurs.

Edul & Niloufer will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary and are proud of Zaneeta, Farzana, Cyrus and grandchildren Delara, Rayan & Arzan.

Science/Technology/Engineering/Medicine Award

Dr. Firuza Parikh

Firuza’s husband Dr. Rajesh Parikh collected the Award on her behalf. The Award was presented by Dr. Ali Makki, Past President of the California Zoroastrian Center.

Dr. Firuza Parikh has been a devout Zorastrian throughout her life and has contributed to community causes such as the Jiyo Parsi program. Dr. Firuza Parikh excelled in her education as an undergraduate medical student and a postgraduate student of Obstetrtrics and Gynaecology winning several distinctions and gold medals in her career culminating in the prestigious fellowship in Reproductive Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven.

Dr. Parikh returned to India in 1989, despite lucrative oﬀers abroad to pioneer the ﬁeld of IVF at the Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre in Mumbai. Since then, her career has shown an upward trajectory with several national and international distinctions.

In 1992 Dr. Parikh was promoted to Director of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics at Jaslok. That year in recognition of her accomplishments she was appointed Visiting Associate Professor at Yale and in 2000 was promoted to full Professor. In 1999 Dr. Parikh delivered her 1000th baby for an infertile couple prompting the renowned artist Mr. M.F. Hussain to make a large painting in her honor. Since then, she has delivered nearly 20,000 babies to previously infertile couples.

Dr. Parikh’s work has been featured on the front pages of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe and in over 1100 international newspapers and magazines including Newsweek and Time magazine.

Dr. Parikh has generously helped hundreds of patients pro bono and has treated the poorest in our society and the wealthiest with equal kindness. To quote Mrs. Nita Ambani from her forward to Firuza’s bestseller, ‘The Complete Guide To Becoming Pregnant’ (Penguin Random House. 2011), “I am writing this forward not only because Firuza is among the ﬁnest doctors in the world, but also because she is a great human being. Her patients run the gamut of society, from international celebrities to the poorest in our country but Firuza treats everyone with equal compassion, grace and care. In that she is blessed many times over by thousands of grateful patients from around the world”.

Dr. Parikh is recipient of many prestigious awards from 1995 to 2022. A few them are;

One of the 50 individuals in the “High & Mighty Power List 2005” in India Today.
Woman of the Year Award – Zonta International Organization.
one of the 10 most inﬂuential women of the year 2010 by Femina magazine.
L’Oreal Paris Femina Women Awards 2012 for Science and Innovation.
Selected as Woman of the Year 2014 by Limca Book of Records.
100 Most Powerful Women of Asia Award 2015 by WCRC (World Consulting and Research corporation
Outstanding Zoroastrian in the field of Medicine by Zoroastrian Trust Funds of India (ZTFI) 2017
Inspirational Women of Maharashtra – Women Achiever’s Awards 2018 (Presented by Herald Global) 2018
Guardian of Health Awards by Integrated Health & Wellbeing Council. July 2021
Champion of ISPAT (Indian Society for Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy) Award. 2021
ET Healthcare Awards ICON Of the Year 2021.

Dr. Parikh has striven to live by the ideals laid down by our prophet. She acknowledges the dedication of her team at FertilTree and the Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. She states that her parents, Sheroo and Minocher encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Her husband, Dr. Rajesh Parikh has inculcated in her the qualities of self-realization and hard work. Her children Swapneil, Manish and Nikita are my greatest

Social Entrepreneur Award

Zerbanoo Gifford

Zerbanoo Gifford was presented the award by Roshan Rivetna, Past-Editor of the FEZANA Journal

“It was not until I met Zerbanoo that I understood the relevance of Zoroastrianism to our lives in the 21st Century. I was, and remain, in awe of this remarkable, creative, entrepreneurial woman with great dignity and deep values, who embodies her faith. In the magnificent and magical Forest of Dean she founded the ASHA Centre, a place of tranquility, beauty and hope where physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing are nourished.” – Baroness Royall, former Leader of the House of Lords, Principal of Somerville College, Oxford.

“Zerbanoo’s commitment to peace, to young people and to creating a better world is evident from her track record. As the first Asian woman in modern British politics elected as a Liberal councillor, her vision led to alternative ways to make a real difference in the world – and she trod that path regardless of the challenges. Today we can see that journey has borne much fruit and give thanks for all she stands for” – Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate

“Zerbanoo Gifford’s generous life spans the fields of human rights, politics, writing and philanthropy. She is global in her vision and achievements – from directing Anti-slavery International to establishing a world-class centre for youth empowerment” – Ratan N. Tata, Philanthropist and Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons

Social Entrepreneur Award

Ruyintan E Mehta

Ruyintan E. Mehta was presented the Award by Toos Daruvala.

For the past decade, Ruyintan Mehta has devoted himself to become an active Social Entrepreneur supporting philanthropic activities in India.

Ruyintan supports non-profit organizations like Dakshana Foundation that train extremely bright students who come from severely poor families to take the grueling Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for admission to IITs in India. He is also one of the top donors to the Foundation for Excellence, which supports thousands of bright engineering and medical students in India with tuition scholarships.

Ruyintan is a Co-Founder of Maker Bhavan Foundation (MBF) and has been involved in developing courses in Essential Soft Skills like Communications, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Financial Literacy. Many partner universities in India such as several IITs, BITS Pilani, Sai University and others are using these courses developed at a substantial cost, completely free of charge.

Ruyintan remains a resolute alumnus of his Alma mater – IIT Bombay and recently served as President of IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation in the US. He currently serves as the US President of IIT Gandhinagar Foundation. For the past 4 years, Ruyintan has served as President of Wheels India Niswarth Foundation that supports key innovations in Water & Sanitation and maternal and Child Health issues in India.

Social Entrepreneur Award

Zarina & Ronnie Screwvala

For nearly three decades, Zarina and Ronnie Screwvala have worked passionately to empower rural India. They believe that lasting change is possible only is when rural communities are motivated and empowered to take charge of their own lives, and are partnered with corporates, young urban India and government programs. Their Swades Foundation strives to empower 1 million lives every 5-6 years through a 360-degree development approach which includes Health, Education, Water & Sanitation and Economic Development.

Zarina and Ronnie began their journey toward this goal by founding SHARE (Society to Heal Aid Restore Educate) – learning and growing through every success and failure along the way. 9 years ago, SHARE metamorphosed into the Swades Foundation and reached out to over 2,700 hamlets across Raigad & Nashik districts of Maharashtra impacting over 748,000 people from 160,000 households, with 270 dedicated full-time staff and 9000 well trained community volunteers. Working tirelessly toward their dream of a rural India that lives empowered, dignified lives.

They believe: If not now, then when? If not here, then where? If not us, then who?

Creative Art/Design/Literature/Culture Award

Bapsi Sidhwa

Bapsi’s brother Feroze Bhandara collected the Award on her behalf. It was presented to him by Rakesh Bansal.

Bapsi Sidhwa is an American novelist of Parsi descent who is recognized worldwide as one of Pakistan’s most distinguished authors.

In 1978, when publishing in English was practically non-existent in Pakistan, Bapsi self-published her novel The Crow Eaters. Since then, The Bride, Cracking India, An American Brat and Water have been published worldwide and translated into German, French, Italian and Russian. She has also written short stories and essays and worked closely with Deepa Mehta to make the films Earth and Water.

Her books reflect her personal experience of the Indian subcontinent’s partition and abuse against women. Bapsi has received numerous awards and honorary professorships for her works, including Pakistan’s highest honor in the arts, the Sitara-I-Imtiaz.

Bapsi Sidhwa was born on August 11, 1938, in Karachi to Peshotan and Tehmina Bhandara and later moved with her family to Lahore. She was two years old when she contracted polio, which affected her throughout her life. She was homeschooled and became an avid reader to make up for the absence of friends her own age. She received her BA from Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore. Bapsi has resided in Houston, Texas, since 1991.

Diversity Award

Farah Bala

Farah Bala was presented the Award by Dr. Shahriyour Andaz.

Farah Bala is a Leadership EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Oppression) consultant, coach and speaker. Her agency FARSIGHT is a leadership and organizational development consultancy that prioritizes Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Oppression. She works with executives and teams globally, across industries, from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations. She is also a faculty coach at multiple learning and development institutions. Farah believes equity and inclusion are the foundational pillars for socially conscious leadership. Farah is also the creator and host of FARSIGHT FRIDAY, a video podcast started in 2020 in response to the heightened racism and divisiveness of marginalized communities.

A sought after speaker, her engagements include Yale University, Ford Foundation, Voice America, NY Travel Festival, Adirondack Diversity Initiative, among others. She is featured in Umbrage Edition’s national award-winning book Green Card Stories as one of 50 profiles of recent immigrants from around the world.

Farah’s work as a theater performing artist, producer and arts educator for over two decades has enabled her to develop community building social-emotional learning programs in NYC public schools and during international volunteering initiatives.

Farah holds an MFA in Theater from Sarah Lawrence College and is a Professional Certified Executive Coach (PCC) with the International Coach Federation.

Diversity Award

Michelle Mama

Michelle Mama was presented the Award by Khursheed Navder, President of ZAGNY.

Michelle Mama is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and veteran factual producer/director with over 300 hours of television under her belt.
She has produced two feature films: Your Beautiful Cul De Sac Home (2007) and 21 Days to Nawroz (2009) shot in the north of Iraq exploring the lives of Kurdish women during the war.

Michelle is the Executive Producer of Canada’s Drag Race – Canada’s top-rated series.

She was also showrunner of In the Making, a prime-time documentary series as well as writing on the iconic sketch comedy series Baroness Von Sketch Show. In 2020, she was nominated by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television for a CSA (Canadian Emmy) for Best Direction in a Documentary Series for her episode of In the Making. Michelle also directed the History Channel series Lost Car Rescue.

In 2021, Michelle produced/ directed the series Shine True about Trans and Non-Binary youth that was lauded by The New York Times, The New Yorker and Vogue. In 2022, she was nominated by the Canadian Academy for her second CSA for Best Direction, Factual for the series. She was also awarded the 2022 Critic’s Choice Award, Imagen Award and the MIPCOM Diversity TV Excellence Award.

Rising Outstanding Young Zarathushti Stars Award

Tanya Hoshi

Tanya Hoshi was presented the Award by Aban Marker-Kabraji, Co-Chair Zoroastrian Return To Roots Program.

Tanya Hoshi is a Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker based in Toronto. Tanya has focused her career path on strategic storytelling, landing her a coveted role as a Lead Producer at Shopify and most recently being appointed as the Head of Brand Marketing at RBC Ventures.

Tanya’s award-winning productions have been viewed globally by millions of viewers. She has secured over a million dollars in financing for her independent films, which have screened in prestigious festivals such as Hot Docs and TIFF, and acquired by CNN’s Great Big Story, NBC, and Fox. Her film Turning Tables (2018) was featured in school curriculums across Canada.

Tanya has created a significant impact as a youth leader in the Zoroastrian community. Since 2018, Tanya has been the lead coordinator for the Zoroastrian Return to Roots Program. She was also a participant in the World’s 1st Zoroastrian Youth Leaders Forum in the UK and a speaker at the 7th Zoroastrian Youth Congress. In 2020, Tanya was appointed as the first Chief Social Media Officer for FEZANA – the largest body of Zoroastrians in North America. Tanya’s commitment to her community and achievements in her career led her to be awarded the FEZANA Performing & Creative Arts Scholarship in 2019.

Rising Outstanding Young Zarathushti Stars Award

Parshan Khosravi

Parshan Khosravi was presented the Award by Aban Marker-Kabraji, Co-Chair Zoroastrian Return To Roots Program.

Parshan Khosravi is an education advocate, grassroots organizer, and unapologetic voice for equity-driven public policy. As a first-generation Iranian refugee and a former ESL student, with over 10 years of experience advocating for higher education access and equity, Parshan has seen both the power of education as a mechanism of community empowerment, as well as the opportunity gaps and roadblocks that face nontraditional, low-income, and BIPOC students in pursuing their dreams of higher education. As the California Policy Director for uAspire, Parshan leads the charge for college affordability and accessibility through policy and systems change.

Parshan is also a devout Zoroastrian and spends most of his spare time organizing within his faith community. Parshan believes that one of the key elements to the preservation of the Zoroastrian faith and way of life is to establish an active and unified presence of Zoroastrians in the sociopolitical global landscape, and he has set it his mission to create and preserve a voice for Zoroastrians and especially Zarthushti youth across the nation and abroad. Parshan’s favorite hobbies include tracking soccer leagues and helping young people run for office (talk to him about that if you catch him)!

A double alum of the University of California, Parshan received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Education Sciences from UC Irvine and his Master’s degree in Public Policy from UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

Rising Outstanding Young Zarathushti Stars Award

Mehrzaad Mogrelia

An ardent social worker, recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary International, Mehrzaad Mogrelia has succeeded across all sectors of life. He is one of the youngest to qualify as a Certified Financial Crime Specialist, U.S.A in 2020 at the age of 27. He completed his Master of Commerce (Accounting & Business Law) from the University of Sydney in 2019, for which he received a scholarship. He also holds membership of two other global accounting bodies- Institute of Financial Accountants, U.K. and Institute of Public Accountants, Australia.

He currently runs his own venture- MZ Consultancy, which he commenced in March 2021 wherein his major role is to help companies unearth Financial Frauds within their setup. His specialization lies with detection of terrorist financing which occurs mainly through donations received by NGOs from unknown sources and its tracking to ensure none of those funds are used for illicit activities.

He is the recipient of several business awards that include two majors Under 30s Business List in India- Top 30 Under 30 Emerging Industry Experts in the field of Financial Crime Prevention by Business Mint and 30 Under 30 Entrepreneurs recognized by the Business Outreach Magazine, for which he is featured on the cover page.

Rising Outstanding Young Zarathushti Stars Award

Sheherazad Pavri

Sheherazad Pavri was presented the Award by Aban Marker-Kabraji, Co-Chair Zoroastrian Return To Roots Program.

Erward Sheherazad Pavri is a young Yaozdathregar Mobed from Mumbai India. At 27 years of age, he remains one of the handful of Mobeds today capable of performing the lofty Nirangdin ritual. Sheherazad completed his priestly training from the Dadar Athornan Institute in 2010. After graduating in Biotechnology, he started running his business with his friend building a global ecommerce project. Since last year, he transitioned into Data science and is looking forward to starting a career in London for the same.

Sheherazad has been actively involved in community initiatives. He is a core committee member of the Empowering Mobeds programme which works on initiatives for grooming and supporting Mobeds in India. He is also a volunteer with the Zoroastrian Return to roots programme since 2017 and is currently the ambassador of the GenZAndBeyond survey in India. He strongly feels in giving back to the community to which he owes a lot and is always up for helping out for a good cause.

Rising Outstanding Young Zarathushti Stars Award

Rishad Surti

Rishad’s foray in the development sector began when he was selected as a Fellow from more than 10,000+ applicants in the Chief Minister’s Office (equivalent to a Governor in the USA) at the Government of Maharashtra. Rishad was the founding team member of the first ever Social Responsibility Cell of the state government, where he led strategy development and policy formulation. In 2019, Rishad was one amongst seven other Indians to be a part of the prestigious Professional Fellows Program of the U.S. Department of State. With prior experience working with the head of state, Rishad was placed as an international expert at the Mayor’s Office in Philadelphia.

Rishad is also the co-founder of the international PANI Alliance, which aims to identify, build and advocate issues related to sustainability & climate change globally. As a recipient of this award, Rishad wants to mentor and guide youth from the community through his varied experiences and encourage them to be fearless and think big. Rishad aims to be that youth hero, who they can look up to and more importantly, emulate. In the future, Rishad aspires to become a social entrepreneur with an aim to uphold and revive the entrepreneurial spirit of Parsis.