Khorshed and Firoze Jungalwala were presented with a lifetime achievement award at the Zoroastrian Association of Greater Boston Area (ZAGBA) Navroze function on Saturday, March 25th, 2006 in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
Over 120 guests from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York were on hand to honor the couple. Khorshed and Firoze’s son, Jehangir and his wife Pam were also present.
The evening began with a Jashan ceremony in which Firoze and Khorshed’s names were spoken. Throughout the evening, individuals expressed their gratitude and well-wishes in private, recognizing that this lifetime achievement award for the couple was well-deserved and overdue.
Publicly, a number of members stood to honor of the Jungalwalas (and one message was read out on behalf of a member/friend who was in India). Each speaker recalled their first meeting or special memory with Firoze and Khorshed. Shared memories included the couple’s efforts in the 70s to invite and reach out to all the Parsis/Zoroastrians who lived in the Boston area and their work in the early 80s to write a constitution and successfully start the ZAGBA association with other individuals who were present in the audience.
They were both thanked for their leadership: Firoze as ZAGBA’s first president, and Khorshed as the president for 4 years during the 90s. Their dedication to the Zarathushti religion and embodiment of Zarathushti values were expressed repeatedly. Culinary and musical talents, feasts at their home, and their generosity in opening their home (and hearts) to others in need were mentioned more than once.
Their decades of being the “face” of ZAGBA to others in North America and the world, of being synonymous with ‘Boston’ for Zarathushtis around the globe and of being known by scholars at Harvard, Yale and other institutions as knowledgeable members of the ‘Zarathushti religion’ were mentioned by speakers and were helpful to those who were new to the Boston area understand the reputation that Firoze and Khorshed had earned over the decades.
The Jungalwala’s involvement in FEZANA and the FEZANA Journal, their work with interfaith organizations were reminders of the great service they have provided and continue to provide to the community beyond ZAGBA. Younger community leaders also thanked the Jungalwalas for mentoring and inspiring them.
Firoze and Khorshed were presented with a black and gold inscribed plaque thanking them for their hard work and continued commitment over the years. They also received a frame containing photographs of them over the years: speaking at a local conference, posing with other ZAGBA members at North American congresses and local picnics, acting in a natak (play), conducting an adult education class, and having fun dressed in memorable costumes for ZAGBA costume parties in years past.
Both Khorshed and Firoze thanked the community and were touched by this special tribute to them. They were extremely gracious in accepting their award and with great modesty reminded the guests that their efforts had been successful because of the efforts of others as well. They also acknowledged the importance of the support they gave and received from each other. Firoze and Khorshed expressed great hope for the future and wished that members would continue to work together in harmony in keeping ZAGBA successful and active for generations to come.
-Dr. Parastu Dubash
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