CANDIDATE PROFILE: XERXES DASTUR

Trustee elections are round the corner. This is your time to vote in a fresh thinking – professionally-minded trustee committed to fulfil your desires. Our community has lost three more years since the last election and any further time wasting would be greater disservice to founders of this esteemed institution.

As a qualified professional with wide experience in leading and being part of teams, and building organisations, I have a responsibility to the community. As promised after the previous elections I have continued with grass root work for the community which has kept me well informed of their needs and desires. For this reason, I am contesting the Punchayet election.

I have been a partner for several years at V.S. Dastur & Co. Chartered Accountants, established by my father who believed that the drive of young qualified persons – combined with the wisdom of elders – is a magic formula to achieve great heights. To put into practice what he believes, my father chose to test me by handing over the reins.

As a chartered accountant, I work with many trusts across the country. Some of this work has been for the Punchayet, so I am already familiar with its working.

I have nurtured and enjoyed working with teams that have delivered remarkable results in terms of community service. These required teamwork and the ability to carry everyone along, a quality that has served me well as vice-chairman and treasurer of the Mumbai chapter of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce. This is a philosophy I bring also to my responsibilities as Trustee and the Chairman of the Managing Committee of the Ripon Club, Treasurer of Rustam Baug Welfare Association, Secretary The Ness Wadia Memorial Pavilion and INDIA Board Member World Zarthosti Chamber of Commerce.

Importantly, Parsi youth need to be involved in tackling our issues. We will not be able to progress unless we can engage with our young – a lesson I’ve learned as a member of the advisory council of Xtremely Young Zoroastrians (XYZ).

As a trustee, there are many challenges I will take on. Here, I list a few

• Independent. I am not a part of any consensus group or coterie. It is this independence of thought that I believe is much needed to serve the community rather than one’s own interests.
• Transparency. I intend on bringing much needed transparency back to the functioning of the esteemed BPP.
• Modernity. Along with transparency, I intend on modernising some processes as well as bringing back some processes from the past that have been disbanded.
• Many of our elders face severe medical problems, but are unable to get treated due to various reasons. I will put in place a scheme covering orthopaedic, cardiac, neurological and cancer treatment. There are various ways we can do this – from group insurance schemes to tie-ups with reputed medical institutions.
• Parsis need to rekindle their entrepreneurial flames. I believe strongly in this and would help facilitate members of the community flourish.
• Ending the housing shortage for the young of our community is a major focus area for me.

As a trustee, my first task would be to push for a referendum on all major issues. Your views and hopes would serve as my guide.

I believe in one-on-one contact rather than public meetings that involve wasteful expenditure. I have listed my email address and phone number below; you will also find me on Linkedin. Feel free to get in touch with me anytime.
I need your support to make your life better.

Ervard Xerxes Vispi Dastur
Email: Xerxes.Dastur.2018@gmail.com
Cell No.: 9820084449
Blog: xerxesvdastur.wordpress.com
Facebook: fb.me/xerxes.dastur.2018