Legend has it that when the Parsis first arrived in the Subcontinent, the raja of Sanjan, who didn’t speak the same language as them, presented their elders with a glass of milk that was filled to the brim. He was trying to indicate that there was no room for them in the land, which the wise people understood immediately. They responded by adding a spoonful of sugar to the glass. Without saying a word, they told the raja that they would blend into the locality while sweetening it with their presence.

And that’s what they did: they integrated into the society giving it back what they could. Here we recall a few prominent Parsi citizens of Pakistan.

Jehangir Kothari

The gentleman after whom the Jehangir Kothari Parade in Karachi is named was a great philanthropist and well-travelled man, who among other things was a member of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce, an honorary special magistrate in Karachi, member of the cantonment and municipal committees in Karachi, a lieutenant in the Sindh Volunteer Rifle Corps and a patron, trustee or president of many charitable and other institutions in Karachi. He built the pavilion, parade and pier after demolishing his own house in 1907, to give the people of Karachi a recreation spot.

Jamshed Nusserwanji

Also known as the ‘Builder of Modern Karachi, he was the first elected mayor of the city who had previously also worked for the Karachi Municipality as a councillor and president. He built roads lined with shady trees and parks, hospitals, schools, libraries, a transport system with well-planned sanitation and water systems.

Seth Shapurji Hormusji Soparivala, Seth Edulji Dinshaw and Ardeshir Hormusji Mama

Both the Bai Virbaiji Soparivala (BVS) Parsi High School and the Mama Parsi School are offshoots of the grand tree planted by Seth Shapurji Hormusji Soparivala and his family in 1859. BVS Parsi High School was then a small Parsi Balakshala housed in the residence of Dadabhoy Palonji Paymaster. But as the school-going community grew, it had to move to a bigger place.

In 1869, Seth Shapurji, the school’s biggest benefactor, donated Rs10,000 to the school with the request that it be named after his late wife Bai Virbaiji. The new school building at Abdullah Haroon Road was completed in 1905. Instead of remaining exclusive to Parsi children, BVS School opened its doors to children of all faiths in 1947 on the request of Quaid-i-Azam.

They built educational institutions, hospitals, contributed to local architecture and even after achieving personal feats, remained modest and down to earth

The Mama Parsi School for girls was established in a portion of the BVS School in 1918. In 1919, it was shifted to another building on the same road known as the Mama Mansion. The school in its curent campus started lessons in April 1925 and opened its doors to girls of other faiths in 1947.

Justice Dorab Patel

He was a Supreme Court judge who refused to take an oath of allegiance to Ziaul Haq in 1981. Had he done so, Justice Dorab Patel would surely have become the chief justice of the SC. A campaigner for human rights throughout his life, he later devoted himself to such causes; besides being the founding member of the Asian Human Rights Commission, he was also the co-founder of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. In 1990, he became the second Pakistani to be elected a member of the exclusive International Commission of Jurists.

Jamsheed Marker

A speaker of over half a dozen languages, one of Pakistan’s top envoys, Jamsheed Kaikobad Ardeshir Marker is a record-holder in the Guiness Book of World Records for being ambassador to more countries than anyone else. A huge lover of cricket who has also been a radio commentator, he has the distinction of being the first to broadcast live from the National Stadium Karachi.

Ardeshir Cowasjee

Driving around town in his convertible silver Mercedes, Ardeshir Cowasjee was as fearless as they came. Born into a shipping family, Ardeshir too joined the family business but was heartbroken when his shipping company, the East and West Steamship Company, was nationalised by the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1974. Still, he carried on with his philanthropy work. The Cowasjee Foundation has been responsible for providing funding for the higher education of many Pakistani students, while many of Karachi’s major hospitals are among the beneficiaries of the foundation.

Bapsi Sidhwa

Author of The Crow Eaters, Ice Candy Man, Their Language of Love, Jungle Wala Sahib, etc., Bapsi was one of the first English language authors of Pakistan to make a name for herself abroad. She has encouraged many of Pakistan’s younger authors.

Byram and Goshpi Avari

Byram Dinshawji Avari is the winner of two gold medals for yachting in Asian Games: first in the ‘enterprise class’ in the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand with partner Munir Sadiq; then with wife Goshpi at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, India. Byram also has a silver medal from the Enterprise World Championship held in Canada in 1978. Following a career in politics, Byram now serves as the honorary consul for Canada while also concentrating on his hotel business these days.

Goshpi is the president of the Pakistan Scrabble Association. Having attended a scrabble competition at the US Consulate in Karachi, she opened the doors of Beach Luxury Hotel, gratis, to scrabble enthusiasts where since the formation of the association in 1989, professional and amateur scrabble lovers gather to play every weekend.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, March 22nd , 2015

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