Know I have big shoes to fill: Newly-elected Bombay Parsi Panchayat chief

Viraf Mehta takes over

The New Year has begun with a shake-up at the helm for the Parsi community. In a move that has sent community chat groups buzzing, Bombay Parsi Panchayat (BPP) chairman Armaity Tirandaz stepped down from her post on January 3. The new chairman of the community's apex body is Viraf Mehta. Tirandaz continues as BPP trustee. An excerpt of an email to the BPP read: "I have had a serious fall and will be unable to physically attend the BPP for the next few weeks. While I intend to complete my term as BPP trustee I would like to step down as chairman."

Mehta was appointed chairman on January 3, in continuation of BPP's practice of appointing the senior-most trustee as chairman. Mehta thanked Tirandaz for her "hard work at the BPP, especially as chairman". "She has really turned around the BPP to get us out of the red. She has also put in a concerted effort to bring in peace and harmony to the Board. I am hoping to fill in those shoes and do the same hard work she did. My father (Dinshaw Mehta) was the BPP chairman between 2008 and 2015… so definitely big shoes to fill." The other trustees wished Tirandaz a speedy recovery following her injury as a result of her fall.

Mehta said his priority is to "raise money". He said, "As you are aware BPP is asset-rich but very poor in liquidity. This has been taken up on a war footing and will be done expeditiously. We have a few redevelopment projects in the pipeline and we will be expediting that a little faster to get the momentum going and raise funds for the BPP. It is a very big goal for me that when I leave the Trust, there is a comfortable cash quotient for the next trustees coming in. I am going to give it my best and my all to make the community proud and ensure that when my term gets over, I leave behind a legacy that people look up to."