Sometime in the 1990's, I had first been introduced to Farrokh over the phone by Jal (Jolly) Olia, his cousin and my family friend from Bombay.  I later met him when he picked me up for lunch at Naju & Jal Khumbatta's house in Foster City.  Farrokh was extremely open, warm, encouraging and curious, but also subtly authoritative when he wanted to be.  And for me he stayed the same guy till the end. 

Farouk was a great soul that enriched the lives of countless people and I was honored to call him a mentor and father figure. He will  be missed. A chip of the old block, they don’t make them like him anymore. Rest In Peace my friend, philosopher and guide. My condolences to the family Anne, Sherene and Grant. May all the loving memories give you the strength to bear this loss!

We are so sorry to say good-bye to our dear friend and neighbor, Farouk.  Rather than try to list the many good times we've shared, I'll just name the time we first met.  My wife, Nina, is a Bombay Parsi whom I met when we were Stanford students.  We were at home being visited by the president of the North American Zorastrian Society when we received an invitation to meet a new neighbor, Farouk.  The two Indian ladies puzzled over his name.  An Arab?  Persian?  Moslem?  Italian?  I suggested they just ask him when he arrives.  We all chatted briefly with Farouk, but the ladies were still puzzled.    The accent they recognized.  Indian?  What area?  Finally, the ladies asked him.  "Why I'm a Parsi from Bombay," he said proudly.  We all laughed heartily.  It was the start of a 40 year friendship, which grew to include his wife and children.  Farouk, you will be missed.

Farrokh was one of the very few people I ever called a mentor.   In one of my earliest meetings with him he counseled patience with words I will always remember, "good things take time".

And when in moments of weakness I tried to take the easy road, he would always remind me of the far blue mountains, where the real spirit of high-tech innovation lay.   

Thank you my friend !  Its my turn now to pass on your torch of wisdom.  

I am deeply saddened by the passing of my cousin Farouk. My earliest memories of him are of the excitement generated in our extended family when he came to visit Bombay after being in the US for several years. My parents informed us kids that Farouk was a rare "self-made man." Meaning that he had gone into the world and forged his own way and created the life he had dreamed of. I grew up hearing stories about Farouk, and his accomplishments in America. It may have influenced my decision to come to study in California too.

I remember when he brought Anne to India to introduce the family to his fiancee, what a treat that was! All the aunties, uncles and cousins wanted to check out this beautiful blonde woman who had finally captured his heart. Anne was charming and lovely and her eagerness to know Farouk's family was heartwarming.

When I moved to the US to study and then continued to live here, it was comforting to me (and my parents I'm sure) that Farouk was also in the Bay Area. He was always happy to hear from me, interested in what I had to say, and asked after his cousins, who were my aunts, and their children. He made me feel good about myself and the path I was on, the life decisions I had made. I enjoyed his open mindedness and forward thinking nature. He was easy to talk to.

We spent many a Thanksgiving together, enjoying Anne's delicious cooking. My husband Marcel and Farouk would invariably play pingpong, Farouk mostly beating Marcel soundly!

Farouk radiated health and physical well being well into his advanced years, aging slowly, or so it seemed to me, so I was shocked at the news that he was gone. He was a lovely man and will be missed.

My love to Anne, Sherene and Grant. Hopefully the lifetime of memories you have created with Farouk and the memories shared on this site will give you some solace. 

Farouk was a caring and kind man. He mentored me and taught me everything he knew about startups and pitching. He went out of his way to help me in so many ways. Without him, I could not have started my company. Even after those days, our friendship endured. I often had lunch with him - always at the Fish Market in Palo Alto where he would generously offer his sage advice on all kinds of topics. I will miss him!What a great loss, for me, for his family and for everyone ....

We are fortunate to have had Anne and Farouk as our next door neighbors since 2008. We could not have wished for nicer neighbors!

When we moved here, we had lived in big cities all our lives, and the "countryside" felt overwhelming. We remember fondly how much we learned from Anne and Farouk over the years - how to rabbit-proof the garden, how to create defensible space, how to grow persimmons and figs, what tangerine trees work.

Our entire neighborhood owes a tremendous gratitude to Farouk for his many initiatives for improvements. Our street is safer and more beautiful because of his vision.

Most of all, what we remember of Farouk is his sense of humor. In every conversation, there'd be a point where he'd bring a smile to our faces - often with his unique deadpan delivery. Rest in peace, Farouk, we will miss you.

Monika and Martin  

Dear Anne, Sherene and Grant,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you during these most difficult of times. May Farouk's soul rest in peace with Ahura Mazda's blessings.                                     Farouk was my first cousin, but much closer to my late brother, Behman. Farouk, was the first person from our immediate family to leave Mumbai for the USA in 1958 & I followed in 1966. He was a successful entrepreneur but a confirmed bachelor for a long time until he wedded Anne and made his mother Khorshed's dream come true. My brother was present at their wedding  and would visit them every time he visited the US.  Farouk attained the American financial dream relatively early with his business successes but he truly  completed his American Dream after marring Anne and having Sherene and Grant.

May Farouk rest in peace in his heavenly abode and Ahura Mazda shower his choicest blessing on his loving family.                                                                                             With Love,                                                                                                                                                       Niloufer, Edul, Zaneeta, Farzana, Cyrus & Grand Kids

Dear Anne, Sherene, and Grant:

Our prayers are with you and your family as Farouk ascends to his heavenly abode. He has been like a father figure to us.

I was a rookie, aspiring entrepreneur when I first met him. He mentored me and guided me through every step in my entrepreneurial journey. His guidance has had a profound impact on our lives.

We are always there with you, and are praying to the Lord Almighty to give you the strength to celebrate the wonderful life Farouk lived and his union with the Divine Infinity.

- Yogen, Bhumika, Alakh

I'm deeply sorry to hear of Farouk's passing. We met in person just once, when Anne had me and several other real estate people over for supper one night during an intense week of classes on international real estate nearby many years ago. Farouk was welcoming and interesting to talk with, such a sharp mind! I cannot imagine how hard these last days and weeks have been for Anne, Sherene, Grant, and the many people who love him here, in India, and undoubtedly around the world. My deepest condolences to you all.   (As we say in my tradition, may he rest in peace and may the angels lead him to paradise.)