Deena M. Mistri (21 May 1925 27 January 2011) was an

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

from Pakistan.

Early life and education

Mistri was a member of the Parsi or Zoroastrian Community. She was born in

Hyderabad, Sindh Hyderabad ( Sindhi and ur, ; ) is a city and the capital of Hyderabad Division in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the second-largest city in Sindh, and the eighth largest in Pakistan. Founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro of th ...

, on 21 May 1925, to Dhunmai & Seth Pestonjee Jamshedji Soparivala. She married Minoo Mistri in 1949 who was an architect. They were married for 57 years. Her husband died in 2006.Educationist Deena Mistri passes Away
'' Dawn''. Published 27 January 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2021. Mistri received her Bachelor of Arts from the D.J. College in Karachi, now known as D.J. Sindh Government Science College. In those days, since Sindh was a part of the

Bombay Presidency The Bombay Presidency or Bombay Province, also called Bombay and Sind (1843–1936), was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India, with its capital in the city that came up over the seven islands of Bombay. The first mainl ...

, the degree was formally awarded by Bombay University in 1945, and then she received her BEd with Honors in 1958 from the Government Teachers' Training College in Karachi.In Memorium: Remembering Mrs Mistri
'' Dawn''. Published 5 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2021.

Career

Deena Mistri started teaching English to the secondary classes in 1951. She became the principal of the Bai Virbaijee Soparivala Parsi High School in 1972 and then served in that position for many years the same school that was founded by her great-grandfather Seth Shapurji Hormusji Soparivala in 1859. It was after completing her B.A. degree that she started visiting the B. V. S. Parsi High School and helping students with elocution competitions and started tutoring English to those that needed extra help. She took partial retirement from this school with a warm send-off party in 2004. Then she was employed at two other schools from 2004 to 2011. She once told a major newspaper of Pakistan, "I think I was always a born teacher... I would take the servants' children and teach them the a, b, c". At the time of her death, Mistri was Chairperson of Westminster School and College, Karachi.

Awards

She was awarded the Pride of Performance by the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Pervez Musharraf on 23 March 2002 for her contributions towards providing quality education in Pakistan for over 60 years.Deena Mistri: full of life and vigour
'' Dawn''. Published 31 January 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2021. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship from the US in 1962, where she completed her Diploma in Education. In America, she taught at the University of Athens in Ohio and at the University of Texas at Austin as a visiting professor. She was given Honorary Citizenship to Texas by Governor

Price Daniel Marion Price Daniel Sr. (October 10, 1910August 25, 1988), was an American jurist and politician who served as a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th governor of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the Natio ...

in 1962 for teaching at a local high school in

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, Texas, and as a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Death

Mistri died on 27 January 2011 at age 85 as a result of a brain infarction. In 1992, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy and had recovered. She is survived by her two sons. Her funeral was held on 29 January in Karachi, with over 2,000 attending her funeral to pay their last respects.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mistri, Deena M. Recipients of the Pride of Performance Pakistani educators Pakistani women educators 1925 births 2011 deaths Parsi people Pakistani Zoroastrians Academics from Karachi