Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
ONE of the fondest memories of Pilloo Cooper revolves around a letter dated September 15,1984,sent from then Prime Minister,Indira Gandhis office,congratulating the members of the Time and Talents Club of Mumbai on its 50th anniversary. There was a concert by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra,led by Zubin Mehta,as part of the celebrations. Zubins mother Tehmina and father Mehli Mehta were closely associated with the club, she says.
The Time and Talents Club was started by a court magistrate and author,Gool Shavaksha in 1934 after one of her trips to London,where she first heard of a club engaged in charitable activities. The club has had predominantly Parsi members though that was never the aim. We are open to having members from all communities. Our charity projects cater to everybody,irrespective of caste,religion and sect, says Kamal Mulla,who heads the clubs projects committee.
Over the 79 years,food has been an integral part of its journey. Its books are well-known among food lovers,with Shavaksha,Amy R Adenwalla,Mary C Jamsetjee and Bhicoo J Manekshaw (who passed away last month in Delhi) among its first contributors.
Victory Stall,the clubs erstwhile eatery at Apollo Pier,was a landmark of sorts. It was set-up in 1963 to support widows and orphans of Indian soliders. The eatery then moved to National Centre for Performing Arts and wound up a few years later,leaving the book of recipes as the main source of income for the club, says Villie Mehta,a veteran.
Meher Amersey,who heads the music and arts committee,remembers the days when the club had an event almost every other month. Scores of orchestras,including the Berlin Chamber Orchestra and the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra,have performed for the club. We once had Benno Moiseiwitsch,the world-famous Ukraine-born British pianist perform in Mumbai. He was so overwhelmed by our welcome that all he wanted in return for an encore was an evening spent playing cards, says Amersey. Today,however,things have changed.
The members,are perparing for their 80th year celebrations next year. We have launched the 12th edition of the book that has been rechristened as A Treasury of Great Recipes Indian and International, says Niloufer Vakil,vice-president of the club.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
