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.”
A true and great Pakistani.May his soul rest in peace.
A great loss .
May his soul rest in peace, (Amen).
Cowasjee Sahib’s departure is an Irreparable loss to journalism in Pakistan and to those who uphold liberal political values. He always called a spade a spade fearlessly. Always tried to fix the errors in the system. Always wanted Pakistan to be in he way of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision. Was always kind enough to reply to my emails and expressed his candid opinion about the various issues facing the country. Sometimes i even dumped my frustration on him but he listened to me without getting upset. He had great sense of humor. He was very keen that famous Asghar Khan case pending in the court is decided. He expressed this desire in his columns several times and even appealed to the Hon’ble CJ. for expediting the case. The case has been decided in his life time and hope it reaches its logical conclusion. May God his soul rest in peace and grant friends and family courage and fortitude to bear this loss.
Its really very sad to read sad demise of a great, fearless, impartial journalist. I was missing his absence from the weekend column but I read some months ago when he told that why he will not start writing again. He said ‘how much he will write where eyes can’t see, deaf ears, non responsive government agencies. I am tired now enough is enough. Definately he worked a lot for education cause, may Allah give him reward for the work he has done for noble causes.
He stood for truth in times when truth was equated with blasphemy , and was a beacon of light when
forces of darkness prevailed . May his soul rest in peace .
This great man finally returned to his eternal abode. He was an extremely brave man and had great concern for the city of Karachi and the country at large. I remember his petition in the Hight Court Sindh against the conversion of Jahangir Park into Car Parking, conceived by CDGK. May he soul rest in peace.
AC was a Great Asset to Pakistani Media!
Please Join his Only Official Facebook Page Here!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ardeshir-Cowasjee/215990318535079
RIP!
He the living conscience of Pakistan. Lets hope the conscience stays alive. God bless his soul. Amin
RIP Ardeshir Cowasjee
Dawn on sunday had lost its charm for me for over a year since cowasjee stopped writing, now no hope of its regaining that charm.
every so often i would email him my comments on his columns, and he ALWAYS replied.
the nib of a great pen broken.
A straight forward and bold opinion holder. I wish our media learns some professional and moral journalistic values from him. Rest in Peace, Mr. Cowasjee
This is a big loss for the citizens of Karachi and Pakistan. A very honest and outspoken Pakistani. May his soul rest in peace.
Whenever I got a chance, I did indeed read his columns. He rightfully pointed at the issues and was indeed loved and respected by all. May God bless him
He was an iconoclast who wanted to see reforms in every section of the society, his columns reminded of the true vision of the Quaid-e-Azam,he remained an outspoken critic of various mafias, he would be remembered for his indomitable courage.May his soul rest in peace.
The passing of an icon. What a man! The country is the poorer by his loss. I mourn him.
I was lucky to have had an exchange of views with that great man. His views were worth reading, clan and full of knowledge. He used simple sentences and correct English. He was always prompt in his responses. We have lost a great intellectual, writer, thinker and above all a great Pakistani.God bless his soul in peace.
Loss of a brave and sincere Pakistani, a rare breed these days:(
I missed his articles after he retired. I used to read his articles with the greatest interest and respect. He was a man of extraordinary integrity.
Indeed he was great, honest and brave man. We miss him a lot. May his soul rest in peace.
Tue Pakistani.. who helped the journalism in Pakistan
The death of cowasjee is end of an era. He was fearless, straight forward and very honest in his articles. He was a true citizen of Karachi, who always raised his voice against all sorts of mafia that have ruined this beautiful city. Replacement of Cowasjee is just not possible.
What a man. His departure marks the end of an era. You will be missed.
i always liked 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
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He was an iconoclast who wanted to see reforms in every section of the society, his columns reminded the readers of the true vision of the Quaid-e-Azam.He was an outspoken with an effortless ease He would be remembered for his indomitable courage.
very sad to know
he was a one of the greatest writers in pakistan like NFP.
I was reading the news regarding his ilness but at the end shocked to read his death. He was a great and thoughtfull coloumnst in our country. May God rest his soul with peace in heaven.