FEZANA SCHOLARSHIPS “Education is one of the most important predictors- in fact- the most important predictor- of many forms of social participation— from voting to association membership, to chairing a local committee to hosting a dinner party, to giving blood , in short, education is an extremely powerful predictor of civic engagement “ R. Putnam. Education and training continue to fuel the engine of social mobility and contribute to social cohesion and integration in our more diverse societies and cultures.The benefits of education go beyond the economic returns----contributing also to better health, citizenship, lower crime rates. Though education is a personal achievement of an individual’s desire to succeed, it requires the right opportunity and FEZANA is providing that opportunity. FEZANA, continuing in the tradition of the Zarathushti community placing great importance on education, has established scholarships, encouraged the establishment of endowed scholarships and inspired other organizations and associations in North America to develop their own scholarship programs. Investment in our youth is the investment in the future of the Zarathushti community. The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason to hope. Your continued financial support in this economically difficult period and your encouragement is of utmost importance to maintain this program and sustain the hope of the next generation.
Scholarship
Dolly Dastoor Ph.D, Chair, FEZANA Academic Scholarship Program
MEHRABAN AND MOROVORID KHERADI ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP THE FEZANA SCHOLAR ($5000) DINYAR PATEL, Ph.D CANDIDATE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, DISSERTATION ON DADABHAI NAOROJI First of all, I would like to thank FEZANA and the Kheradi family for their generous financial support. When one studies about Zarathushti history, one encounters the long tradition of philanthropy and charity in our community. I feel honored that the community has felt me worthy of such financial support. These funds will help me carry out dissertation research in India and the United Kingdom during the 2011 calendar year. I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at Harvard University. I am completing a Ph.D. dissertation on Dadabhai Naoroji, the "Grand Old Man of India," and evaluating his contributions to the moderate political ideology that marked much of the Indian nationalist movement. In my four years at Harvard, I have studied and written quite a bit on Parsi history as well as, a little on the Iranian Zarathushtis. It has been a fantastic and richly rewarding experience and I strongly encourage more youth in this community to also take up study -- not necessarily through a Ph.D., of course, since there is an abundance of books and articles on our religion, culture, and history. I have been involved in community affairs here in North America as well as in India. One thing strikes me is how unfamiliar many Zarathushtis are with major elements of our history and religion. On top of that, some of the latest scholarship on Zoroastrianism has not trickled down to the community -- we are still relying on material written over 100 years ago, material that scholars have now moved beyond. So, I would like to do two things: (1) encourage and foster more interest in our history and religion, especially amongst the youth; and (2) help update the pool of scholarly knowledge upon which our community relies. FEZANA JOURNAL – Spring 2011
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