Congress2000Legacy Application
Click here to donate to the congress2000Legacy fund
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AN INTRODUCTION
The congress 2000 legacy is an award program of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston
Dear Friends of ZAH:
The Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) is so grateful for the support you have always sent our way! It is much appreciated.
The 2000 World Zarathusthi Congress surplus revenues were split between FEZANA & ZAH. At that time, we at ZAH determined that such a splendid World Congress aptly required to leave behind a legacy and hence ZAH gave birth to its very own Scholarship & for our young kids who go off to college!
The Scholarship funds were invested prudently and as of the last count, after giving awards over past 10 years we still have a balance of $116,000 invested by the ZAH – Investment Management Team (IMT). The awards are ONLY distributed from the earnings of this fund. This, along with a sum of $3000 donated by the Desai family in the memory of their late son Cyrus Desai allows us to distribute 2-3 awards a year.
Each year, the congress 2000 legacy Award will recognize young Zoroastrian students who are studying at or about to enter the University at all levels and who have achieved excellence in their scholastic studies, in extra-curricular activities and who have made substantial contribution to Zarathusthi community affairs. All eligible students are encouraged to apply for this award each year.
In November 2007 ZAH lost one of their talented youth members Cyrus Rohinton Desai to cancer. This brilliant student was all prepped up for an exciting life in college when tragedy struck him. The Desai family generously contribute to one award every year and that Legacy Award is named the CYRUS ROHINTON DESAI scholarship and is given to a youth going to college for the FIRST YEAR, because all that Cyrus wanted was to attend a college, even if it was for a day.
I have dedicated myself to this project and find that as the community grows so do the needs of our young who go off to college and so I am approaching you and many other generous donors Worldwide to contribute additional funds so that we can move on to our next vision by giving loans & even creating a need based award for our citizens of tomorrow.
Could I then ask that you to please think &, consider, see the cause and then contribute generously to this Scholarship program which can last forever with Global benefactors such as yourselves! Best wishes
Best wishes
Homi Davier
Chair
832-428-4285-cell email: homi.davier@gmail.com
Vispi Sagar
713-436-0518 email: sagarvr@gmail.com
Darius Tamboli
281-974-0811 email: dariustamboli@utexas.edu
Farzad Sunavala
281-739-8031 email: fsunavala1@gmail.com
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OUR APPEAL
Please review the intro attached with this letter and understand, where we began, what we have achieved and where we aim to go! Insofar as new contributions are concerned, we look for them in any amount, may it be $50 to $100,000. Insofar as ZAH is a 501© (3) not for profit organization however we strongly recommend that a donor consult an accountant for tax deduction limitations of this generous contribution.
Just as the Desai Family, each large donor could have the privilege of naming the award to the memory of a loved one and we would work with you, the awards could be in the following categories
- Individual Donor – An individual donor could be anyone, a member, a generous donor and such donations to be sent as a check to the treasurer and markedfor congress2000legacy scholarship fund.
- Past Winner donor – A past Legacy scholarship awardee who wishes to give back and thus allow us to contribute for the next in line
- AN IN MEMORIUM donor – A single sum donation & Award named according to donor’s wishes and Awards to be given annually from interest derived via our IMT team
- A FAMILY TRUST DONOR – A single sum donation & Award named according to donor’s wishes and Awards to be given annually from interest derived via our IMT team
- A Corporate donor – A single sum donation & Award named with the Corporation’s name and Award to be given annually from interest derived via our IMT team
The above Donors will have the prerogative of designating their contribution to be designated for the current Legacy Award and/or even help us jump start the new NEED BASED AWARD! For any discussion on setting up a memorial or corporate award, please just Homi Davier and let us help you set it up as per your wishes but of course following our guidelines.
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OUR VISION
The congress 2000 legacy funds are designated to be used to preserve the history of ZAH’s Congress 2000 and to recognize the academic achievers in our community. A start-up-team was formed to organize, preserve/grow and disburse these funds via the awards program.
The congress 2000 legacy Awards are implemented and now our goal is to draw upon individuals, corporations, charitable institutions, trust funds, donors and past congress 2000 legacy awardees to contribute additional funds for our plans over the next ten years.
We have identified that the way to attract additional funds for awards and loans is to offer the donor an opportunity to name the award after a loved one and/or their institutions.
Our future plans call for LOANS to be formulated and introduced as a criterion. These loans will be based on the earnings of the original fund’s activities and new donor infusions. They will be given to the students free of interest, with a guarantor and a repayment period after their basic graduation. The Legacy committee is progressing this effort at a larger scale, to ensure this program sustains over years to come.
Finally, a solution is being worked on to introduce a NEED based criteria award and may be considered on an individual basis. This again will be based as the cash income increases or with new donor designated funds.
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PAST ZAH SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES
| Year | congress2000legacy Award | Cyrus Rohinton Desai Award | |
| 2007 | Veera Sidhwa & Nikita Bhappu (Shared) | — | |
| 2008 | Zarina Pundole & Darius Byramji (Shared) | — | |
| 2009 | Naomi Bhappu | Hormazd Minwalla | |
| 2010 | Zal Bhathena | Bahrom Firozgary | |
| 2011 | Mitra Khumbatta & Viraf Nariman (Shared) | Fram Haveliwala | |
| 2012 | — | Cyra Byramji & Cyrus Byramji (Shared) | |
| 2013 | Shayan Bhathena | Ervad Rayomand Katrak | |
| 2014 | Natalya Haveliwala | Farzad Sunavala | |
| 2015 | Award#1 – Friyana Sidhwa Award#2 – Rohan Chakraborty |
Ervad Vispi Katrak | |
| 2016 | Rayhan Nariman | Freya Daroga | |
| 2017 | Award#1 – Tanaya Behramsha Award#2 – Alyssa Tamboli & Farzad Sarkari (shared) |
Katie Master | |
| 2018 | — | — | |
| 2019 | Award#1 – Ashish Chakraborty Award#2 – Ervad Yazad Sidhwa (Donated by Nali & Danesh Desai) |
Award#1 – Zubin Master Award#2 – Rayomand Hormuzdi |
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| 2020 | Award#1 – Natalya Mehta Award#2 – Roxanna Irani & Anosh Irani (shared) Award#3 – Dina Hormuzdi (Donated by Nali & Danesh Desai) |
Cyrus Mistry | |
| 2021 | — | Zara Italia |
MAILING ADDRESS:
congress2000legacy – Awards CommitteeTHE ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATION OF HOUSTON8787 West Airport Boulevard, Houston, TX 77071congress2000legacy@gmail.com