Veteran Pakistani columnist Cowasjee passes away at 86
“I am 86 now, too old to pen weekly columns. Besides what’s there to write about with the same old politics and same old politicians. Do you really believe that they will go away? —Dawn.com Photo
KARACHI: One of Pakistan’s oldest and most renowned columnists, Ardeshir Cowasjee, passed away in Karachi on Saturday at the age of 86.
Cowasjee, whose weekly columns graced the Dawn newspaper from 1988 to 2011, was suffering from chest illness and had been admitted in a Karachi hospital’s intensive care unit for the past 12 days.
Born on April 13, 1926 to Rustom Faqir Cowasjee and Mucca Rustomjee, Ardeshir joined the family shipping business after completing his education from the Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi (BVS) High School and DJ Sindh Govt Science College.
He had two children with wife Nancy Dinshaw. His daughter lives in Karachi and works in the family business and his son is an architect in the US. Their mother passed away in 1992.
“Now, old at 85, tired, and disillusioned with a country that just cannot pull itself together in any way and get on with life in this day and age, I have decided to call it a day,” he wrote in a column in December 2011 for Dawn.
He went on to write two more columns that year before he finally put his pen to rest.
More than just a columnist
Cowasjee was known for his outspoken criticism of politicians and the religious right.
“I am 86 now, too old to pen weekly columns. Besides what’s there to write about with the same old politics and same old politicians. Do you really believe that they will go away? I am bored writing about them again and again,” he said in an interview last month.
“Ardeshir Cowasjee is more than just a columnist for a Pakistani newspaper. He has become the conscience of a nation,” wrote Nirupuma Subramanian in the Hindu.
“I don’t do it for the money,” the LA Times quoted him in a 2008 interview. “What they pay me wouldn’t even buy this tie. It’s an exercise of the mind. I do it to be sane. Because nothing works with logic in this place.”
In addition to his columns, Cowasjee was also known as a successful businessman, social activist, and an active philanthropist.
“Mr Cowasjee donated heavily to charities – TCF school in Lyari bears witness to that,” said journalist Omar Quraishi in a tweet Saturday after Cowasjee’s death.
His charitable organisation, the Cowasjee Foundation, was responsible for providing funding for higher education to many Pakistani students. Many of Karachi’s hospitals such as the Lady Dufferin Hospital, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases have also benefited from the foundation.
“Very few people know Ardeshir Cowasjee quietly tried to support upright, young journos financially,” said Abbas Nasir, a former Dawn editor.
Many leading names in Pakistan’s journalism circles looked up to the columnist.
“Amazing teacher. Worked on many stories with him in my early days in journalism,” said Azhar Abbas, who now heads a leading Pakistani news channel.
“Sad to hear that one of Pakistan’s finest & most conscientious columnists, Ardeshir Cowasjee, has passed away,” said columnist Nadeem F. Paracha in a tweet sent out Saturday. “May his soul rest in peace.”
Gone is yet another brighter face of Pakistan, another sane voice. I used to enjoy his columns in DAWN. I found him very sad at the assassination of Baloch nationalist leader, Bugti, by Gen. Musharraf. But, I can only pray that his predictions (often well-calculated and foresighted) about the future (or lack of it) of Karachi do not come true. Otherwise,….I fear this very newspaper will be based out at a new country with a new name as it did in the time of partition. His departure is a greater loss to DAWN as well. Well done…both DAWN and Cowasjee…
i always loved him, his analysis, his comments, his out look and his sincere thought process without fear and bias, actually he is the one who attaracted me to the dawn news paper.May Allah bless his soul with eternal peace, Ameen!, my heart felt condolences to his entire family
I used to read his columns for many many years. When he stopped writing his weekly columns in DAWN, like many other people, I also sent an email to him requesting to consider his decision. To my utmost surprise he replied me back stating his health not allowing him to do so. I never met him, but through his writings I know he was a gentleman.
Today, we lost a true Pakistani.
A true Pakistani….we are proud of him. Honest to the bone, interest of Pakistan was always FIRST in his life…Will be Missed….RIP
R.I.P. A very bold person.
rip and god bless his soul.
I salute Mr. Cowasjee! Brave, honest, straight forward and yet humane. They do not make people like him any more especially in Pakistan.
I am very sad to hear this… He was a great columnist and brave man. May you live in peace Cowasjee!!
A loss to the all of us. A tireless champion trying to decipher the chaos of what is called the Islamic Republic. A sane voice for the downtrodden and for the children of a lesser God. A true Parsi and a patriot of Pakistan. May God bless his soul.
It is so sad to hear the passing away of Ardeshi Cowasjee; may Lord bless him inHis Kingdom. Karachi will miss its native son, but we all miss the great man.
A True Pakistani has departed, one of Pakistan’s finest & most conscientious columnists, may his soul RIP.
Ardeshir Cowasjee was one of the finest sons of Karachi. May his soul rest in peace.
Fearless. Pakistani. Citizen.
I have been reading (late) Ardeshir Cowasjee’s columns appearing in the DAWN Suday’s magazine without fail & have accumulated quite a number of these columns.
Ever since the closure of his columns some times ago, I really miss them. Ardeshir Cowasjee was a very straight forward, frank & a very bold columnist. Had he been alive today, he would have surely tackled & taken_to_task that “Interior Minister”, Rehman Malik, who takes many idiotic “so_called” security stems just to please the President.
My heart felt condolences to the bereaved family in their hour of grief and may God repose his soul in the rightful place in the hereafter, Amin.
Reblogged this on Faraz Hasan : I think; therefore, I am.
A great loss to Pakistan.
May Allah have mercy on his soul.
Very sad and shocking for me. He lived to speak truth and defied all dangers to look straight into the eyes of tyrants and hypocrites. I salute him. May Allah bless his soul. We have lost a voice for us.
So shocked and sad to learn about his passing. Pakistan has lost a valiant journalist. Rest in peace Mr. Cowasjee. Thank you for all you did for Pakistan.
For He Was A Man For Peace, Dignity and Justice…
He Will Be Sorely Missed By his readers around the World…
One of the greatest Pakistan ever had…
Pakistan, The Land of Pure, has today lost a large chunk of its conscience and Purity…
May Peace Be Upon You, Sir…
Great man.
Truly a blow to the Pakistan’s literary world. What an icon of a personality Ardeshir was! Sad… will miss his columns…
Karachi lost a true Mujahid. May God bless his soul.
sad sad day……
May God rest his soul in peace! Mr. Cowasjee was a terrific columnist and we grew up reading his straight from the heart and no-nonsense articles.
RIP. May Allah bless your soul with eternal peace, Ameen!
Mr. Cowasjee with you gone, we are one down in the rare number of true getlemen and ladies with integrity. Rest in Peace and thank you for the difference you made by being among us. Thanks to Almighty for bestowing us with your presence.