Bengaluru

Event held on Saturday, April 29th, 2017 from 10.30 am to 2.00 pm. Held on the grounds of The Green Pocket nursery school owned by our Committee Member, Anahita Batha. The event was organised by the Committee to give its members an insight into Fitness for everyday living. We invited five professionals who held an interactive session with our members and their guests through a very informative and enjoyable afternoon. Godrej Rustumji – Safety and Self Defence Godrej is a WZCC member of the Bangalore Chapter and is an International Close Protection Officer catering to foreign national protection in India. He is also a firearm instructor. Godrej held the audience’s attention with some verbal pointers on how to be alert and observe one’s surroundings along with exciting self defence manoeuvres with volunteers from the audience. We saw quite a demand for more such sessions in the future. Dr Prathap – Chiropractor Dr. Prathap is one of 10 practicing chiropractors in all of India and has his own wellness centre in Indiranagar. Originally from Canada, Dr. Prathap completed his doctorate in new York and strongly believes that prevention is the best cure for any health related issues. Many in the audience were not aware of what and how a Chiropractor works, so the talk by Dr. Prathap was enlightening to many. He brought along “Alfred”, his partner in crime (!) – a skeletal spine, to explain the physiology angle of his work. He demonstrated a few exercises that all of us could do on a daily basis to reduce the stress of long hours at a desk. His light humour entertained the audience through the 20 minutes he was on the dais. Siddharth & Shaila – Fitness Trainer & Zumba Instructor Siddharth comes from an IT background but decided to switch careers because he wanted to help people live a healthier lifestyle. He is a Crossfit Level 2 coach and a personal trainer who also helps in rehabilitation workouts for sports injuries. Shaila is a Zumba instructor and full of life and vitality. Siddharth took the audience through the necessities of working out and remaining fit, showing the audience what can be done even if one does not have the facilities of a gym. Shaila took us through a fun Zumba workout which got everyone ready for eats. Farzin Sholapurwala – Certified Yoga Therapist and Trainer Farzin is a Life Member of the WZCC and has been practicing yoga for the last 15 years. She had found her own yoga centre and taught over 7100 students till date. She took the audience through some breathing techniques for glowing skin, the benefits of yoga and then practised the Suryanamaskar along with members of the audience who were keen to know the correct way of performing it. Red Fork had arranged the snacks A Millet Salad and a Pasta Salad, two kinds of sandwiches and baked yoghurt with granola. Everyone enjoyed it thoroughly and Chef Xerxes spent time explaining how one should eat a balanced meal, avoid yo-yo diets and how millets are the new in ingredient and can be used in many ways.   Despite the small numbers, it was a successful event.

Dear Members, Greetings from WZCC. Though few in numbers, the second networking meeting was very successful as felt by all members present. Here is a small note of what transpired for all those who did not attend. We strongly recommend that more members make it for the August meeting as this will greatly help your contact sphere and business. Meeting began by Zarine narrating how networking in the first meeting had helped her. She had expressed her dire need for a Manager for the restaurant. A few days later, Navaz Lalkaka tagged Zarine on a FB post where an employment agency had listed the candidates available for restaurants. Within two days Zarine had found her self a Manager and also given the offer letter to the suitable candidate. The second incident Zarine gave was where a large catering order, and a repeat one, was grabbed by her restaurant Red Fork, thanks to a WZCC member introducing Zarine to her husband. Again networking paid off. Below are requirements of some of the members present. Anyone with contacts or can assist in any way will be appreciated. Requirements : 1. Anahita Batha – Runs a play school – The Green Pocket / Day care Centre / Library for kids / Hosts kids birthday parties and camps at her school. Looking for : A story teller and a capable supervisor for her day care centre 2. Zarir Bhaurcha – Already has an established business. Is passionate and knowledgable about music. Also teaches piano. Was instrumental in launching his son, Neville’s, music career. Looking for : Some new business interests. 3. Cyrus Bharucha – Is a Chartered Accountant and a partner at Kalyaniwala & Mistry. Looking for : A young Parsi CA whom he can train to become a partner. Needs to be based in Bangalore 4. Zarine – Has a Restaurant Red Fork and also does catering for Events. Looking for : Hosting events at Red Fork – could be in collaboration with others – photographer, musician, book reading, kids training camp, etc 5. Perin Patel – Works in the retail business of Mattresses as part of the family business. In addition is a certified “CueMath” teacher. Also does soft skills training primarily for software engineers. Looking for: Talking to parents how “Cue Math” can make a difference to a child’s mathematics skills. 6. Zaver – Is into the manufacture of chocolates. Caters to corporate, International Retail brands, 5 star hotels, Builders etc. Looking for: Increasing her reach into corporates and other business entities, especially to companies who are looking for gifting chocolate boxes for this Diwali season to their staff and customers.

“The WZCC Global Meet 2017 is now just a few weeks away, and the WZCC Bangalore Chapter is all set to make the event a grand success! We want to keep all WZCC Chapters & participating Delegates updated about the many events planned, the Speakers, other net working activities & entertainment planned from 14 to 16 December 2017. This is the first such update, and we shall keep you posted about further developments on a fortnightly basis as a run-up to the final event. Dr. Ferzaan Engineer, a prominent and well-loved member of the Parsee community in Bangalore, is a pharmaceutical cientist and healthcare entrepreneur. A pharmacist by training, he received a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of South Carolina. He started the international clinical research industry in India and was the Chairman & CEO of Quintiles India from 1997 to 2011. Ferzaan become an independent entrepreneur four years ago and cofounded two companies which are described below.     Medwell Ventures (medwellventures.com) offers home healthcare services under the Nightingales brand (nightingales.in) Cytecare Hospitals (cytecare.com) is one of India’s only organ-based cancer hospitals and is super-specialized in various surgeries, radiation techniques and chemotherapies. The flagship project was a 150-bed hospital launched six months ago in Bangalore. Ferzaan is a great supporter of the WZCC and we eagerly look forward to having him as our speaker on the evening of December 15th 2017.   Our Guest co-ordinater for the Leadership Games is Zerbanoo Gifford, an author, a human rights campaigner and founder of the ASHA Centre, which pioneers youth empowerment in the fields of sustainable development, interfaith dialogue and the arts. She holds the International Woman of the Year Award 2006 for her humanitarian work, which spans fifty years of grassroots and global activism. In 1989, Zerbanoo was presented with the Nehru Centenary Award for her work championing the rights of women, children and minorities. A pioneer for Asian Women in British politics, she made history by being elected as a councillor in Harrow in 1982 and standing for parliament in 1983. Zerbanoo’s biography ‘An Uncensored Life’ by Farida Master is published by Harper Collins.   We are privileged to have Zerbanoo conduct the session on Leadership Games along with her assistant, Adrian Locher who is an actor, voice coach and director of many years’ experience. As the Artistic Director of the ASHA Centre, he has run numerous drama-based programmes with young people from all over the world including one play that was created with young South Africans and presented to Nelson Mandela at his home. And to give you all a heads up, here’s something on the Bangalore Parsees The need to establish an Anjuman in Bangalore was felt by the Parsee Zoroastrians in the first quarter of this Century, when in the year 1922, after two or three preliminary meetings, they inaugurated the Bangalore Parsee Zoroastrian Anjuman. Even though the first recorded settlement of the Parsees in Bangalore was in 1880, it took nearly 42 years for the Parsee Zoroastrian population to increase sufficiently to fill this long felt need. The newly established Anjuman then took over the management of the then existing “Ararmgah” which had been in existence since 1892, when on the death of Seth Muncherji Dosabhoy Cama, the Parsee residents of Bangalore obtained a plot of land from the Mysore State Government to bury their dead community members. Ever since then, as more and more assets were added, the responsibilities of the Anjuman also increased. Gradually the local community also felt the need for a Fire Temple and a Tower of Silence. Thus in the year 1924-25, Late Seth Dinshaw Cawasji came forward with a donation to the Anjuman to build a “Daremeher” for Bangalore Zoroastrians. Well-known personalities who took a leading part in this project were Late Seth Meherwanji Maneckji, Late Seth Nusserwanii Mirza, Late Seth Kaikhushroo Belgaumvala and Late Seth Rustomji and Nusserwanji Boyce. A year later the Anjuman built a community Hall for religious ceremonies at the “Aramgah” at a cost of Rs.5,000/- and which amount was donated to the Anjuman by the Late Bai Pirojbai Fakirji Chaina, for this specific purpose. Subsequently as the Zoroastrian population of Bangalore increased, structures like the Lady Jehangir Kothari Memorial Hall, the Tower of Silence, the B.J. Entee Dharmashala   and the Kothari Hall Annexe were added to the assets of the Anjuman.and the Kothari Hall Annexe were added to the assets of the Anjuman. Today we number a mere 450-500 in number but constantly strive at keeping this community alive with events, gatherings and preservation of our assets.   “Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources currently controlled.”

Cuemath Launch event was conducted by Mrs Perin Yazad Patel and Mr Yazad Navalshah Patel on 3rd September 2017 at the Lady Jehangir Kothari Memorial Hall from 10:30 am- 2.30 pm. It was a fun filled day where parents and their children attended the event. Cuemath is a revolutionary way of learning mathematics (the basics) in easy and simple ways. There are close to 2000 Cuemath teachers all over India and the numbers keep growing. The event was a great success.Mathematics was explained through worksheets, puzzle cards, math box, tablet activities etc. All students who join this program show dramatic improvements in all areas of life.They become achievers and can do multiple things in a limited budget. So they will always remain financially independent and achieve success in their lives.  

On Sunday 24th June, members of the WZCC Bangalore Chapter met at Nossa Goa for the first of the series of sessions titled “Speed Brunchin’ – Breakfast of Champions.”  Thirty two participants interacted and networked over Kheema Poi, Akuri and Puri Bhaji.  We had also invited a few “Youth” non-members, who had shown interest in becoming members and wanted to know what WZCC was all about.  This session was an outcome of our previous meet wherein we had asked members as to what kind of interactive sessions they would like the Chapter to organise.   The session opened with a few words from our Chapter Chair, Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major (Retd), urging all members, especially the youth, to make the most of the opportunities that WZCC offered; specifically a worldwide network of members, mentors in almost every field of life to assist with start ups and small businesses and the most recent Finance opportunities that the WZCC has initiated with the assistance of the WZO.   Committee Member Anahita Jassawala then took over to outline the program for the morning.  Participants were asked to sit opposite someone they did not know, professionally.  A series of six questions would be asked of the participants and the answers needed to be discussed with the person opposite in an attempt to learn more about each other.  Each question was allotted ten minutes for discussion.  The participants changed seats after every question so that by the end of the session, each participant had got acquainted and knew a little more about six of their fellow members.   The questions were :   Q1.      What do you do professionally ? Q2.      What are some of your favorite things to read/watch/do for inspiration? Q3.      What inspired you to get into your current line of work?  Q4.      Do you have a morning/evening ritual that you follow and recommend to others?  Q5.      If you would have dinner with anyone dead/alive/real/imaginary, who would it be and why?  Q6.      What’s something you wish to accomplish before this year is over?   The participants were very actively involved in this networking and almost sorry that the session ended after two hours.  Shernaz Siganporia, the Secretary of the Bangalore Chapter, then informed the members that we would continue to have such sessions and increase the membership of the Chapter.  She also reminded everyone that our Chapter is holding the Charity Night Bazar on the 4th of August and that we need maximum participation and support for it, to encourage the children who are spearheading this event.   There was great positive feedback from all the participants and we managed to get five new members to the Chapter.  Further sessions will be built around the five pillars of WZCC namely; Networking, mentorship, Industry Experience, Motivational Talks and Incubation.