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The
First Parsi to arrive in Singapore – a Crown Colony founded by Sir Stamford
Raffles in 1819 – was Mr. Muncherjee. When he fell seriously ill in 1929, an
Armenian named Aristarcus Sarkies persuaded the Parsis in China to buy a burial
place for Zoroastrians in Singapore. Funds were raised by the Parsi Traders to
buy a plot of land in the most prestigious banking area of Shenton Way. In 1948,
more land was bought adjacent to it to build a bungalow as a Parsi Lodge for
Parsi Traders from China to rest and to hold Zoroastrian Religious Ceremonies.
More
Parsis started settling down in Singapore by the middle of the nineteenth
Century. Among them was Mr. Fromurzee Sorabji whose son Cursetjee married an
English Lady and founded Little Cursetjee & Co., which later became the
well-known John Little & Co. Cursetjee was one of the Trustees of the burial
ground.
In 1989, the property was named “The Parsi Lodge Charity” with Mr. Pestonjee
and Mr. Muncherjee as the first two Parsi Trustees to administer the Trust. The
income from the trust was used for charity and upkeep of the burial ground. When
the last two Trustees – Mr. Nanabhoy Framjee and Mr. Dadabhoy Rustomjee –
decided to leave Singapore and settle in India, the Government of Singapore
transferred the trust to be managed by the Mohammedan and Hindu Endowment Board.
Mr. Dunjibhoy Hormusji served on the Grand Jury in 1854 and Mr. Cama of
Byramjee Hormusjee Cama and Co. opened an English School in Tanjong Pagar Road,
which he ran at his own expense giving free education to the local Chinese and
others. Another prominent Parsi was Mr. Edaljee Khory, an advocate and
solicitor, who came from London to Singapore via Rangoon, Burma having served
there for nearly ten years. He had the distinction of having a Masonic Lodge
named after him viz. Edaljee Khory Lodge of Mark Masters Masons No 436 and was
installed as a Founder Master in 1891. In 1898, Mr. Heerji Pestonji Kaka arrived
and was the Manager of a Timber Merchant. Though an English Scholar, he had
great interest in Community Work and started a Chinese Newspaper.
In 1906, Mr. Sorabji Kavasji became the Editor of the Eastern Daily Mail
which was
taken over by the Straits Press Syndicate where he became the Editor and Sole
Manager. In 1903, Mr. Phirozshaw Manekji Framroz started Framroz Aerated Water
Factory and in 1909, Mr. Navroji Mistri joined him as a partner. Later, they
parted and Mr. Navroji Mistri started Phoenix Aerated Water Co. as well as
branched out into real estate and restaurant business. Mr. Pesi Davar came in
1925 and joined his cousin Mr. Navroji Mistri. They courageously weathered
difficult times through the Japanese Occupation during World War II. After the
War, Mr. Pesi Davar launched his own business with Mr. Minoo Warden and started
Davar & Co. They branched out into shipping. paint and timber business that
stretched across into Malaysia. Mr. Pesi Davar and Mr. Navroji Mistri remained
bachelors.
When Mr. Pesi Davar passed away on 14th September 1978, he donated
Singapore Dollars 50,000.00 to the Parsi Association and left the rest of his
entire estate in trust for charitable and educational purposes under the
trusteeship of Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank and Mr. Nariman Bhaghat. Even today,
up to Singapore Dollars 200,000.00 or more are disbursed annually for charitable
and educational purposes. Unfortunately, the humble Parsi remained unrecognized
even amongst the Parsi Community.
Mr.
Navroji Mistri who died a millionaire in 1953 donated Singapore Dollars
1,000,000.00 to the Ministry of Health to build a Mistri Wing for children at
the Singapore General Hospital. The road adjoining his factory was named Mistri
Road and the one next to the Parsi Burial Ground was named Parsi Road.
A number of Parsis
came to Singapore in the post war period amongst them were J. Nusserwanji,
Phiroz Avari, Dorab Mistry, Nadir Vanderwalla, Rutton Patel, Keki and Nargis
Medora, Behram Vakil, Hormusji and Khorshed Mistri with son Noshir, Pestonji
Family from Tientsin, China and Nariman Bhaghat.
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Mr. Behram Vakil
was the Pillar of the Zoroastrian Community as its High Priest until a few
years before his death in Mumbai, India in the mid nineties.
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Mrs. Nergis
Medora was a well-known social worker especially for the unfortunate
leprosy afflicted people. She was awarded the prestigious Public Service Star
(Bintang Bakti Masharakat) BBM by the Government of Singapore. Even in her
eighties and until her death in May 2000, she continued to work on social
projects.
On May 29, 1954, The
Parsi Association was formed with the encouragement of Mr. J. Namazie, a
prominent Persian residing in Singapore. The Parsi Association took over the
management of the Parsi Lodge Charity from the Mohammedan and Hindu Endowment
Board. The burial ground in Parsi Road was acquired by the Government of
Singapore in April 1969 and the money accrued from the requisition of the land
(close to half a million Singapore Dollars) was held in trust in the Parsi Lodge
Charity. The burial ground was then moved to Tampinies behind the main Paya
Lebar Airport. Later with further urban development, the Parsi Cemetery was
finally located at its present location at Choa Chu Kang Road. On May 27, 1969
the administration of the Parsi Lodge Charity was transferred to the Public
Trustee Office.
The Income from the
investment of the Parsi Lodge Charity is annually spent on the improvement and
upkeep of the burial ground, religious ceremonies, providing scholarships not
only to Parsi Children of Singapore but also of other communities and for
deserving charitable causes in Singapore.
In the sixties, many
more Parsis came to Singapore and the Parsi Community grew from a dozen in the
old days to nearly a hundred. At present, there are approximately more than two
hundred Parsis in Singapore. With rapid advances in computer and information
technology, more and more Parsis came to Singapore and the newly arrived Parsis
have continued to contribute and achieve recognition in various fields in
Singapore.
Amongst them are:
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The late Mr.
Soli Sethna who was one of the Directors of Neptune Oriental Line of
Singapore.
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Dr. Rustom
Cooper was the President of the Rotary Club of Singapore 1986/87.
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Dr. Pesi Chacha
was the Head and Later Professor of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at
the National University of Singapore from 1972 to 1980. He was also awarded
the “Ordre des PalmesAcademiques”, Grade of Chevalier (Grade of Knight)
by the Government of France, Arris and Gale Memorial Lectureship of the Royal
College of Surgeons of England in 1979, elected as the Fellow of the Royal
Australasian College Of Surgeons in 1980 and in February 1996, The
International Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery presented him an award
for his contribution to the advancement of Reconstructive Microsurgery in
Singapore and the region. He is also a Private pilot since July 1998.
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Mr. Jamshed
Medora – a Chartered Accountant – was awarded Public Service Medal (Pingkat
Bakti Masharakat) PBM in 1991, Public Service Star (Bintang Bakti Masharakat)
BBM in 1993 for his dedication to social service work and became Justice of
Peace in 1994.
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Dr Jimmy
Daruwalla – an Orthopedic Surgeon – became the founder President of the
Dyslexia Association of Singapore since its inception in 1991 and was also
elected President of the Rotary Club of Raffles City in July 2001.
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Mr. Russi
Ghadiali – the Present President of the Parsi Association – was the
President of the Rotary Club of Raffles City in July 1995 and also the
President of the Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) in 2001.
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Mr. Jimmy Doctor
was the President of the Lions Club of Singapore (Host) in 1992 and President
of Rotary Club of Marina City in 2002..
Well, the
fairer Sex was also not to be left behind.
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The Late Mrs.
Roshen Daruwalla (wife of Dr. Jimmy Daruwalla) was a very active social
worker that played a major role in raising funds for the Dyslexia Association,
had attended the OG Course for teaching Dyslexic Children. She was a reader
for the transcriber at the Association of Visually Handicapped, also a member
of the Lions Club of Singapore New Central and helped in various Community
Projects.
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Mrs. Shirin
Ghadiali was the First Parsi Zoroastrian Lady to be the President of the
Inner Wheel Club of Singapore in 1998/99 and the District Chairman for Inner
Wheel District 330, - for Singapore, East & West Malaysia, and Brunei
Darresulam in 2001.
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She is a
Distinguished Toastmaster and was the District 51 Governor Area B.
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Mrs. Roshan
Mistry was the President of the Inner Wheel Club of Singapore in 2002.
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Mrs. Nelly
Doctor was the President of the Inner Wheel Club of Singapore in 2003.
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Mrs. Zenobia
Aspar was the first Parsi Zoroastrian lady to be the President of Thomson
Toastmaster’s Club in 1995 and the Division ‘S’ Governor of District 51 in
1997
Our Parsi
Children also made a name for themselves especially in sports.
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Natascha and
Kharmayne Ghadiali were both National Gymnasts and were awarded
National Colours. Both were the only Parsi Girl who represented Singapore in
Gymnastics at five South East Asian Games and Kharmayne won a Bronze Medal.
- Natascha was awarded the Shaw Foundation Scholarship for best in
sports and studies.
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Ayesha Karkaria
won the Colgate Palmolive Tennis Individual and Doubles Tennis Championship
and represented her school in Inter School Swimming Championships.
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Rohan Bhappu
was Singapore Junior Open Squash Champion in under-16 in 1995 and in under-19
from 1996 to 1998. He also won The Trinity Open Juniors in the U. S. in 1998
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Zubin Shroff
is the only Paris Cricketer who has represented Singapore as a National Player
for several years as well as Captained the Singapore Cricket Team in overseas
competitions.
The Zoroastrian
Religion is one of the nine religions included under the Inter Religious
Organisation (IRO), and enjoys the same status as other major religions..
The
Parsi Community continues to grow and flourish and contribute to the Development
of Singapore.
- If you want to know more about the Management Committee
then please click here.
- If you are keen to become a member of the Association then please click
here.
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