Shirin Darasha

Shirin Framroze Darasha (December 27, 1938 - May 2, 2012) was the Principal of the Jehangir Bomanji Petit (J.B. Petit) High School for Girls, Mumbai from 1973 - 2006. She was a renowned Indian educator, playwright and feminist who challenged many stereotypes and frozen traditions in Indian society. She had strong views on the importance of “joy” during childhoods. She was not in favour of the excess work-load and homework fetish that dominated and still dominated the Indian educational scene. She took issue with the prevalent view that girls were at a disadvantage apropos of mathematics and sciences. She maintained that in a nurturing environment where they were not intentionally or otherwise, set up to fail in comparison with boys, girls could and would flourish and blossom. Her creative use of drama in education was an extension of her enduring interest in the stage - as playwright, producer and director. Over the years, Ms. Darasha established herself as a distinct and passionate figure in the field of female education in India.

Shirin Framroze Darasha
File:Shirin Darasha's profile photo.png Principal of Jehangir Bomanji Petit (J.B. Petit) High School for Girls, Mumbai (1973 - 2006)
Born	27 December 1938
Died	2 May 2012
Nationality	Indian
Occupation(s)	Pedagogue, Feminist, Playwright

Early life and background

Shirin Darasha was born and brought up in Mumbai in a Zoroastrian family of the Parsi community. She matriculated from Queen Mary's School, completed a Bachelor's in Psychology at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and did a Master's in Psychology from Bombay University. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to obtain a Master's Degree in Education from East West University, Hawaii.

Career

Prior to her appointment as Principal of J.B. Petit School in 1972, Shirin Darasha worked at Hindi Vidya Bhavan and The Bombay International School.

Ms. Darasha was a talented playwright who focussed on themes and personalities associated with twentieth century Indian history. Her popular play “Madam Cama” was first staged in 1988. In 1990, during the Fifth World Zoroastrian Congress, a special performance of the play was included in the proceedings. The play was also televised on Doordarshan. In her plays, Ms. Darasha challenged social conventions that resulted in women being stereotyped. She was particularly caustic about matrimonial advertisements; she dealt head-on with the Indian preference for “light complexions” and made a characteristic case for how "dark skin" was beautiful. Ms. Darasha’s collaborations with Pearl Padamsee in various stage productions in Mumbai were well known and widely admired.

Ms. Darasha was elated when her J.B. School Debate Team won the all-India Debate Competition hosted by the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; the prize was a trip for the whole debate team and for Ms Darasha to visit His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his ashram and have a private audience with him. This was particularly appropriate given Ms. Darasha’s interest and identification with Buddhism. In February 1988, the Parisiana ran an article entitled "The 'Principal' of Drama" which focused on her lifelong passion for the stage. In her interview, she declared that she did not consider herself religious, though she had Buddhist leanings. When she died, based on her instructions, there was no traditional Parsi funeral. Instead, her body was cremated in a simple non-denominational funeral service.

Death

At the age of 74, Shirin Darasha died of pulmonary fibrosis. She was cremated and her funeral was attended by hundreds of students and teachers who had been taught, mentored and inspired by her over the decades.

Photos

• 
  Inspirational blessing that Shirin Darasha handed out to each and every student and teacher who was under her aegis when she was principal
• Shirin Darasha on the top right hand corner, the Dalai Lama surrounded by J.B. Petit students
  Shirin Darasha on the top right hand corner, the Dalai Lama surrounded by J.B. Petit students

See also

List of Parsis

References

1. 'Empowering Educationist' article in the Parsiana by Parinaz Gandhi
2. 'A Beautiful Mind' article by Antara Ganguli, Asian Age correspondent
3. 'Educator Par Excellence' article in the Indian Express by Jerry Rao