WASHINGTON: Dr Manzoor Ejaz, a revered mentor to many South Asian intellectuals and scholars in North America and beyond, passed away on Sunday morning. He was 78.

Born in Sahiwal, Ejaz was an economist by profession – earning a PhD in Economics from Howard University in Washington, D.C. He spent over two decades as an economist with the government of the District of Columbia from 1990 to 2012.

Despite his professional accomplishments, his true passion lay in the promotion of literature, philosophy, and cultural studies.

He was a prominent historian of Punjabi literature and made significant contributions to the study and preservation of Punjabi language and poetry. His commitment to the cause of smaller ethnicities and religious minorities, both within Pakistan and abroad, was evident in his writing and advocacy.

He was also a staunch critic of the oppressive regime during Gen Ziaul Haq’s martial law, continuing his intellectual struggle from abroad.

As the chief editor of Wichaa, an online Punjabi portal since 2018, Ejaz kept the flame of Punjabi literature alive. His contributions to literature included a number of significant books, such as Punjab Ki Tareekh Kei Buniyadi Masaa’il.

Another of his seminal works, Waris Shah: The Ideologue, analyzes the perspective of the celebrated Punjabi poet Waris Shah.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2025