Parsi ladies and a Bombay club story Premium

From flying down The Police to cooking for Indian soldiers, the women of the Time & Talents Club have always celebrated art, culture and the spirit of giving back

In 1980, when writer Murzban F. Shroff was 15, he found himself in a dilemma. British rock band The Police were playing a one-off gig at Rang Bhavan, their only concert in India. Unable to afford a ticket, he scaled the venue’s wall — only to be caught.

“Just when things looked bleak, a westerner stepped in, persuading the police to let me go,” says Murzban. In an unexpected act of kindness, the stranger handed him a ticket and walked away. “I was stunned by his generosity. The atmosphere was electric; it was Bombay’s first major rock concert. At the time, I had no idea that the event was organised by the ladies of the Time & Talents Club.” Interestingly, in an interview with Rolling Stone India last year, Sting recalled the performance, describing it as a defining moment in his love for India.

Last month, the Time and Talents Club marked its 90th anniversary, and did what it does best — held a fundraiser with some help from Delhi-based designer Ashdeen Lilaowala. As the lights dimmed, singer Delraaz Bunshah took the stage in a hand-embroidered black Ashdeen bustier gown, followed by several members of the Parsi community, including digital content creator Scherezade Shroff Talwar and celebrity stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania, walking the ramp. “I curated 30 archival pieces, tweaking them for the occasion,” says Lilaowala, whose label reimagines the Parsi gara. He donated a gara sari for auction, with proceeds going towards women’s empowerment projects.

The designer speaks fondly about planning the fashion show, and how whenever they met, the ladies would bring along chicken sandwiches and an icebox full of drinks. “They believed in keeping me well-fed,” he laughs, “but it also created a lovely sense of community.” Their discussions were lively, and while they admitted that technology wasn’t their best friend, they were willing to embrace it. In fact, they agreed to list tickets for the celebration dinner on BookMyShow — something they had never done before.

The Time & Talents Club has around 175 members today, the majority of whom are over 60 years of age. But that hasn’t put a damper on their philanthropy. The funds from their latest initiative, for instance, “will go towards [a variety of initiatives] — whether it’s training, shelter, or healthcare”, says Bhaktawar Shroff, the current acting president.

The club began in 1934 when three sisters — Gool, Hilla, and Sooni of the Mulla family — met Roshan Sethna. They invited her to share her jewellery-making skills with them over coffee, and as more friends joined, Sethna became part of a weekly gathering at their mother Lady Jerbai Mulla’s residence.

What began with sewing, knitting, and cooking later expanded into broader philanthropic initiatives — like setting up the Victoria Stall in Apollo Bunder to make meals for the Indian Armed Forces during the 1966 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars. The club’s golden jubilee in 1984 saw Zubin Mehta perform; a fitting tribute since his father, Mehli Mehta, had been the first featured artist in their concert series.