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.”
I was a regular reader of his columns.He was an honest and powerful voice. My condolences to Rustom(his son in usa).
We are proud that, this nation had Aridsher Cowasjee!
A PAKISTANI HAS DIED
One of the few real jems that Pakistan had is gone. The nation is poorer today than yesterday. His pearls of wisdom made many of readers feel that he belonged to all of them. I wished he lived to the age of 100 to encourage Pakistan out of trouble. Very courageous and honest in his views, he was a great man. Sir you will be sadly missed.
Great Journalist and a true Pakistani RIP.
May you rest in peace Mr. Cowasjee. You were a trailblazer in journalism and made a huge difference. It was a pleasure reading your views and exchanging e-mails with you, though we never personally met. A big loss to Pakistan, especially Karachi.
Ardeshir Cowasjee will live as long as “National Conscience” lives. his curt, to-point and straight forward replies can never be forgotten.I still remember one such reply on a talk show while answering about judiciary he said “BILKUL”that gives the entire picture of illness the society is suffering from.I hope and pray the team he left will continue his mission.as fearlessly as he used to .God may bless his soul.
I learnt a LOT from Him,to be Honest,His Knowledge on ART was so Great,plus Intellectually he was way way Beyond any Art Critic in Pakistan as there were NONE-writing in English Does not Make u an ART critic, But he was a writer that did not Write on ART-Particularly-Knowing it all well that its Place in History Books are some what Placed Differently,Wish My Paintings Could talk,or we had Listening Glasses,on my Paintings,so i Could Replay,all the Comments that He gave to My works,GREAT ASSET, i shall Live By His words,Ameen, Rest In Peace Sum Ameen-
God Speed Sir!!
His columns alongwith those os Ayaz Amir and Mazdak attracted me towards “DAWN”. May his soul rest in peace.
“When will there be justice in Athens? There will be justice in Athens, when the uninjured are as outraged as the injured.” Mr Cowasjee exemplified this spirit in journalism. He was truthful man who very accurately read the farcical absurdity of what passed for political administration. He also exemplified an incredible spirit of stewardship, which for the record, once pervaded Pakistan. The old world of Bleak House Road, Bath Island and indeed all of Pakistan will miss this truth teller. “Rest in peace, Sweet Prince. May angels take thee to thy rest.”
Rest in peace Mr. Cowasjee. We who an unpayable debt to you promise to respect your memory by continuting to fight the good fight and by trying to bring truth to light. Thank you for your light. It was bright, it was probing and illuminated more lives than most of us can count.
God bless him and rest his soul in peace.INA LILAHI WA INA ELAHI RAAGIOON.
Now, old at 85, tired, and disillusioned with a country that just cannot pull itself together in any way , the right words came out of a experienced columnist. My respect for you all the times Mr.Cowasjee.
It’s a shock that he is gone. He was among the the very few good men in Pakistan. I wish I can live just one day in my life the way he lived, bold, honest, courageous and desperate for change. God has given him everything but not like others he gave back everything to the society. Mr. Cowsjee Your writings someday will bring change. Your bravery and sacrifice cannot go in vain. RIP
We should carry his work forward..lets build karachi as per his vision, with parks, open spaces, with public transport, with love for each other
So sad to read this. Growing up in Lahore I used to wait for Mr Cowasjee’s weekly columns. Big loss for Pakistan
Let’s pay tribute to Cowasjee by giving our share of peace and normalcy to Pakistan and help the country pull itself out of current abyss.
May God Almighty bless his soul.I have always considered him to be a role model for all right thinking people of Pakistan.
R.I.P. God bless him. Allah Hafiz.
Great human being,Very few can be found in this world.
Cowasji….Edhi and few silent ones …Gems of dying city
Pakistan has become still weaker today, unless some one takes his place. Dawn has also become weaker, unless you fill the gap which he has created. You can only find few gems like him, that too in Pakistan it is very rare.
Until liberal messages reach the masses,Pakistan cannot change for the better.My hope only rests on Dawn TV which is broadcasting liberal views all across Pakistan.I feel Dawn news can change Pakistan.
A true Pakistani who died without seeing Pakistan void of peace and tolerance
Hard to find people like him in this country. Rest in peace Mr Cawasjee
My heart is feeling heavy. He was not mere a columnist, he was an institute, a true Pakistani. Hard to find people like him in these days.