The junction of Mancherji Joshi Road and Lady Jehangir Road near Five Gardens in Dadar was formally named "Principal Khorshed Maneck Bharucha Chowk" on August 14, 2009. Social worker Mehernosh Fitter had submitted the original proposal to the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) way back in August 2005.

The invitation for the function was issued by the president of the Dadar-Matunga Parsi Zoroastrian Association (DMPZA) Rustom C. Chothia and other trustees on the board, with the blessings of Dastur (Dr) Kaikhusroo JamaspAsa. The inauguration was at the hands of member of parliament Eknath Rao Gaikwad in the presence of member of the legislative assembly Kalidas N. Kolambkar, municipal corporator Raghunath D. Thawai and other political figures. Dadar Athornan Madressa prin­cipal Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, princi­pal of the J.B.VachhaHigh School Banoo A. Makoojina and Bombay Parsi Punchayet trustee Amavaz Mistry were also present, along with members of Bha­rucha’ s family and other invitees, a press release notes.

Many tributes were paid to Bharucha, a dedicated teacher who believed that education must remain a joyful experi­ence. Her long-term of service to the J. B. Vachha School was recalled and appreci­ated. The Nagpur born and educated Bharucha was associated with the School from 1974 until her death at the relatively young age of 51 years in 2005. Under the guidance of her mentor and school chair­person Tehmy Nari Aga, Bharucha first taught English and Science before be­coming principal in 1989. During her ten­ure Bharucha received a slew of awards —Best Teacher Award from the National Welfare Teachers’ Foundation, Bombay in 1994; National Award for Best Teacher in 1997 received at the hands of the Presi­dent of India in New Delhi; Vocational Award for Excellence 2001 presented by the Rotary Club of Bombay Muduty; KalaGuru Award fromPrempurjiu Ashram in 2002; and in 2004 she was among those felicitated as aprominent educationist by Gurudas Kamat, member of parliament and Congress party officeholder, under the aegis of the DMPZA

Bharucha was remembered as an un­assuming and kind-hearted person, gen­erous to a fault and a valuable asset to the Parsi/Irani community as attested by the large turnout at the inauguration of the chowk, especially students, parents and teachers who came to honor the memory of their popular principal. Following the inau­gural ceremony which was accompa­nied by music by the School’s band and a march-past by the girls, the gathering proceeded to the nearby Palamkote Hall where the digni­taries were welcomed with garlands. Fit­ter called upon them to speak and Chothia was the first to do so, followed by others who lauded Bharucha’s legacy.

Karanjia summed up Bharucha’s role thus: "Our life is God’s gift to us. what we make of our life is our gift to God. God must be very happy with the gift that Ms Bharucha gave Him… (She) put a lot into the few years that she lived on earth… (She) was very secular in nature but in her heart she had a soft corner for her religion and community. May her soul rest in eternal peace and keep on guiding and helping her community, her family and her school."

[Original article published in Parsiana and forwarded to us by regular reader and friend of Parsi Khabar, Mickie Sorabjee]