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Friday, 03 Sep 2010
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Ace footballer was going to Berkeley
Wreckage of the crashed plane. PHOTO: QAZI USMAN
KARACHI: A University of California, Berkeley student from Karachi Grammar School was among the victims of the plane crash on Wednesday. Nineteen-year-old Misha Dawood was on her way to attend the National Women Football Championship being held in Islamabad.
“It was really hard, too hard to convince my team to get on with the game and play without their Maradona,” said Diya football club’s owner Saadia Sheikh while talking to The Express Tribune. “The girls didn’t want to play but I told them that the only way we can pay our tribute to Misha is by winning the match.”
Diya Football Club’s match against Punjab FC went ahead on Wednesday. Misha had been on her way to catch up with the team that had left for the championship on July 24. She took the first flight of the day to be there before the match started at 5 pm at Jinnah Stadium.
Misha was an excellent athlete, with a smile on her face and a friendly attitude; she was a treat to have around, Sheikh said. The mid-fielder was known as the team’s Maradona and was very excited about playing in the championship matches when Sheikh spoke to her on the phone two days ago.
The athletic captain of her school house when she attended Karachi Grammar School, Misha had just completed her first year at the University of California, Berkeley. However, she had a special place for football in her life, she would fly to Pakistan to meet her family in Karachi and participate with Diya Club at the national level every year.
She became a regular with the club in 2008, when her hattrick against Sindh Soccerites led her team to win 6-0 in the Inter-Club Women’s Football Championship.
Diya FC went on to win against the defending champion Punjab FC 2-0 and cruised into the quarter final, but without her, dedicating the win to her name.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2010.
Reader Comments (39)
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Rest in peace. You’ve made your country proud and today an entire nation will mourn for you and all your fellow passengers.
We miss you Misha.
Misha Dawood was an amazing person and an amazing athlete.. I had known right for years and we played together at several occassions.. Her loss will always be felt and our prayers are always with her and her family and all those who lost their lives.. Ameen
She was truly loved by everyone around her! May your soul rest in peace Misha! Ameen!
In sorrow they left us,
Departing into the Night,
Following the Radiance above,
Their souls shining Bright,
How much of themselves they left in us,
We cannot begin to perceive,
They stand now at the Doors of Heaven,
May their Souls Rest in Peace……..
Rest in peace Misha, you will always be remembered as a star.
May you rest in peace, Misha. A nation mourns for you. May your family, friends and fans always remember you well. May they have the strength to bear your loss and keep your memory alive.
A scholarship for a female athlete/sportswoman should be set up in your name and memory. Yes, that would be fitting.
It takes a great deal of moral courage to do what Diya Club did, honouring the late Ms. Misha Dawood in the finest tradition of grace and digintiy. Please accept my and my family’s heartfelt condolences on the untimely passing away of this great athlete. May Allah rest her soul in peace in Heaven and give her loved ones the fortitude to overcome this irreparable loss. Amin.
inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon. I knew Misha personally at Berkeley and must say, she was such a friendly, warm and genuine person and we will truly miss her. May Allah grant her Jannah and make it easy for her family, ameen.
What a terrible, terrible loss for her loved ones. May Allah grant them strength and courage to comprehend this tragedy. Ameen.
Air Blue has blood on their hands
So sad to hear about someone young, vibrant and in the prime of her life going like this. Saw a tribute to her on GEO and the wonderful things her team members and coach had to say about her. Soar with the stars dear Misha…i am sure those who knew and loved you will always remember you.
RIP MISHA
May Allah Pak Place all the Victims in Heaven & Bless their relatives with peace & patience Ameen Sum Ameen
Words cannot describe Misha. Misho to her friends and family, she spread joy every where she went, little Misha was a compassionate and sensitive person who always brought a smile to my face and every one around her I shall never forget how she used to run and hug me every time we met. She will always be in my prayers and thoughts may Allah grant her jaanah and give her family the strength to cope with this tremendous loss.
You will always be in our hearts Misha! Your smile, bubbly and warm personality got us all. You will be missed dearly by family and friends. May God bless your family and friends and help them get thru this terrible loss.
It is indeed a criminal act on the part of the management of Air Blue if all this is true what is being spread around by different Newspapers that the Captin pilot of this Ill-fated plane was 65 year old man and was a Heart patient and was suffering from Diabeties and hypertension and was released from Aga Khan Hospital only 3 months ago.How can a Safety control department of an Airline can allow such a person to fly an Airoplane and allow to put at stake hundreds of Innocent lives.
Rest in peace Misha. We miss you!
nothing but sadness and tears..
may her soul rest in peace. May the bereaved family get the courage to deal with the situation
Dear Misha:
Your dedication to participate in the Football Tournament has left all the Pakistanis alone.
We all love you and will miss you for ever.
May Al-Mighty Allah rest your soul in peace and give strength to your family members to bear this irreparale loss of life of a loving girl. Ameen.
May blessings with Allah be with all who have left us yesterday….
Saddened by the lives lost in the Air Blue plane crash- may you rest in peace and may your families have the strength to bear the loss…
RIP MISHA
Misha i remember the several occasions we played football together and screamed for ball passes, you are missed immensely. You were always on the field with all your energy and always ready to play.May your soul rest in peace.God bless you.
Misha was enthusiastically ambitious. She truly loved her country and wished to return from college to accomplish extravagant goals for the betterment of Pakistan, as well as the World. Her dreams and aspirations will live through us, Inshallah.
Misha, you were our bravest – we will always remember you in our hearts.
Indeed a great loss !! i wish her soul peace and harmony in the life here after. May Allah give her family the patience and courage to cater the most brutal truth of life. Ameen
Misha,
I love you. Thank you for letting me meet you. You are a joyous person, you have a special place in my heart and every time I look at the gift you brought me, I will think of you. Thank you for being a major part in my sons first year at Berkeley, You helped get him through the year and he loves you so much too. I will continue to see you.
With love and warmth sent your way, Pamela
SORROW————————.
chotu i will always love u nd will keep the promises we made together, im coming to u soon
RIP
Rest in peace Misha and all other victims of this ill fated flight. May Allah bless your souls and grant you a place in Jannat. My heartfelt condolences to family members and friends of the victims – it is a sad day for the citizens of our beloved country. I would expect the Government to take concrete steps to prevent any such mishaps in future – we would like to see how the problems in civil aviation are solved. Please don’t plaster the media with useless inquiries – they r not even worth a cent if the underlying issues are not solved with letter and spirit. Ladies and Gentlemen – I would request you to honor the dead including the Pilot who I am sure would have done everything in his power to avert the disaster. Having said that, it is the airlines and CAA’s job to ensure that the pilots go through rigorous ‘fit to fly’ tests. If anyone is to shoulder the blame it’s the airlines and CAA. My prayers are with fellow citizens and with Pakistan as we go through this tumultuous passage of time. Regards, Mk – KSA
We not only lost a great football player but a nice human being a true friend and a briliant student.May allah rest her in peace and give strength to her loved ones to bear this great loss.
Misha was really something else. One of the most memorable people I have ever met; she truly lived life to the fullest. We will always remember you as the warmest and most energetic amongst us, and may your soul rest in peace. Ameen.
Although I know in my heart that all those who died in the crash did not die an untimely death as their time on this world was up as evident it still does not made the sadness I feel at this tragedy. My late younger brother was an avid footballer before cancer took his life and had links with the Diya football club so I guess I felt this enthusiastic footballers death a tad more than I usually do. RIP and may Allah have mercy on you, Ameen.
Rest in peace Misha
Rest in peace Misha.
Upon seeing your radiant smile I was compelled to come offer condolences. There is no doubt the earth is less for your loss, far far too soon. But it’s also clear that what you shared will live on. Rest in peace.
The San Francisco bay area mourns Misha and all of those fine people lost in the airplane crash. Much love and prayers to all of those touched by this great tragedy.
Misha was a shining star at such a young age. May she and all of those lost never be forgotten.
RIP
The San Francisco bay area mourns Misha and all of those fine people lost in the airplane crash. Much love and prayers to all of those touched by this great tragedy.
Misha was a shining star at such a young age. May she and all of those lost never be forgotten.
RIP