Farhang Mehr
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Farhang Mehr | |
---|---|
President of Pahlavi University | |
In office 1971–1979 | |
Preceded by | Hushang Nahavandi |
Succeeded by | Amir Hushang Mehryar |
Personal details | |
Born | Tehran, Iran | 11 December 1923
Died | 3 March 2018 California, United States | (aged 94)
Political party | New Iran Party |
Spouse | Parichehr Naderi |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | University of Southampton Boston University |
Farhang Mehr (11 December 1923 – 3 March 2018) was an
Background
Mehr was born to a Zoroastrian family in
Education
Upon graduating from the Polytechnic with a degree in mechanical engineering, he joined
Early career
Returning to Tehran in 1957, Mehr joined the National Iranian Oil Company as head of the Department of International Contracts and Industrial Relations. During this period, he also served as an advisor to the Minister of Commerce. Subsequently, at the invitation of the Minister of Finance, Mehr moved to that ministry where he consecutively held the following positions: Director General of Oil and International Relations, Governor for Iran in OPEC, Director General of Economic Affairs and Monopolies, Deputy Minister in charge of finance (revenue and treasury) and economic affairs.[citation needed]
Higher civil service
Mehr was then nominated by the Prime Minister to serve as the Minister of Finance. However, he could not become a minister under Iran’s constitutional law which preserved the ministerial posts for Muslims only. Thus, he became General Deputy Minister. During the premiership of
Private enterprise
He then assumed the position of chairman of the board and executive director of the largest insurance company in Iran, “Bimeh-ye Iran.” In this position, he created a new regulatory agency for insurance, called the Central Insurance Company. He also initiated the insurance pools within the framework of the Regional Corporation for Development (RCD), as well as the College of Insurance for the training of insurance staff among Iran,
Pahlavi University
Mehr’s last position in Iran, prior to the
Exile
In 1981, two years after the establishment of the
Zoroastrian activism
Mehr had been very active in the Zoroastrian Communities worldwide. In his youth, he organized Sazeman-e Javanan-e Zartoshti (Persian: سازمان جوانان زرتشتی), with the goal of fostering unity and awareness among Zoroastrian youth, particularly in their struggle to obtain more rights in Iran. In 1949, Mehr was elected to Anjoman-e Zartoshtian-e Tehran (Persian: انجمن زرتشتیان تهران) as its youngest member. Having left for England in 1950, he joined the Zoroastrian Association of Europe in London and continued to regularly contribute articles to the Zororastrian monthly journal “Hukht”, published in Tehran.[citation needed]
On his return to Iran in 1957 Mehr again assumed an active role in the Zoroastrian community and was elected Chairman of the Tehrani Zoroastrian Anjoman, a position he held until the
Career in exile
Mehr traveled extensively and gave lectures in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, the Soviet Union and China. He had published twelve books in Persian and English on industrial law, social insurance, religion and international relations, including The Zoroastrian Tradition and A Colonial Legacy along with eighty articles in professional journals. In addition to his publications, he has given numerous television and radio interviews in several countries.[citation needed]
Personal life
Mehr and his wife, Parichehr (née Naderi) had three children: Mehrdad, Mehran, and Mitra.[citation needed]
A biography of his life, Triumph Over Discrimination: The Life Story of Farhang Mehr, by Lylah M. Alphonse, was published in December 2000.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "RIP: Professor Emeritus Farhang Mehr Dies at 94". 9 March 2018. Retrieved 9 March 2018.