A monumental man

Ardeshir Cowasjee passed away at age 86, in Karachi on November 24, after a long sickness. Mr Cowasjee was more than a man; he was a monument, an institution, which stood tall above others, establishing a place in the hearts of people that will not be easily filled. A major reason for this was his willingness to speak out — openly, courageously and without mincing words — through his newspaper columns and in real life. This is a rare trait in a nation that has become ever so accustomed to lies and is reluctant to either hear or speak the truth. In such an environment, he was a valiant defender of rationality, of fair play, of the environment and of the heritage of Karachi. And for all this, he will be greatly missed.

Mr Cowasjee was born into a wealthy Parsi family and remained, throughout his life, one of Pakistan’s most loyal sons. He was determined to rescue Mohammad Ali Jinnah from the caricature into which he has been converted and depict him as a real, living, thinking human being with strongly secular ideas. The manner in which the country had moved away from the ideals of its founder was something that never ceased to pain Mr Cowasjee as he watched its decay through his long life. In some ways, it is a tragedy that he saw little improvement in the state of affairs through the final decades of his life. As a philanthropist and an individual, he did what he could to bring about such change and help out those he was able to reach.

Behind the acerbic tongue and Bohemian approach was a gentle man who was always willing to chat and guide young writers or others involved in various productive endeavours. As Karachi knew, he was also an ardent animal lover devoted to his dogs and a prominent art collector. We need more people like him. He will be remembered fondly, most of all in the city he had called home since childhood, but also across the country as a man whose passionate voice will be sorely missed by all those who knew him, in person and through his excellent columns.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2012.