There is a school of thought partly driven by their portrayal in Hindi cinema, a la Ashok Kumar in Khatta Meetha (1978), that Parsis prefer intellectual pursuits to hardy, outdoorsy activities. However, as we walk past the green environs of Dadar Parsi Colony towards the iconic Gymkhana, this interpretation takes a U-turn. At 61, Fareez Vasania likes to defy the depiction. The muscled athlete has a George Carlin-meets-Roberto Baggio look that makes us think twice. “I just finished my workout,” he shares, as he greets us.

Made in the Baug

Vasania has just returned from a victorious stint at Taipei clinching three gold medals in the high jump, long jump and triple jump categories. This is his fourth stint at the World Masters. “My first was in 2009, when I participated in the Sydney World Masters,” Vasania adds. He won the silver in Sydney for triple jump followed by a bronze in New Zealand in 2017.