Ali Ahmed K. Brohi, the author of a comprehensive work on the historical perspectives of the tombstones in Sindh and Baluchistan, "History On Tombstones : Sindh and Baluchistan"...click, was born on 11th November 1920, in Ghariyasin, in Shikarpur district of Sindh.
After completing studies from the Sindh Madrassah, Karachi, he served in the Royal Indian Navy during the Second World War. Taking up journalism after demobilisation he served as Editor of Sindhi dailies, "Qurbani", and "Sada-e-Sindh" which were published from Karachi. He was also Editor of daily newspapers published from Sukkur, from 1952 - 1954. These newspapers were, "Inquilab", "Manshhor" and English daily, "Manifesto."
In 1954, when the hitherto autonomous state of Khairpur was merged with West Pakistan. He joined the State's Information department, which later, came to be known as West Pakistan Information Department. In 1960, he was sent to London (UK) to do a course on tourism, under the Colombo Plan scholarship. In 1961, he did another course on toursism in London, this time through the funding provided by the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA).
He was posted as the Director of Public Relations, Sindh, in the Information Ministry. In the early 1970s, he served as the legal adviser to several industrial enterprises, for few years. In 1978, he was appointed as the Officer On Special Duty (OSD), Information Ministry, in Islamabad, the new capital of Pakistan. In 1979, he was promoted to the post of Information Secretary, Government of Sindh. Since 1980 he has been working as Deputy Administrator, Shaikh Sultan
Trust, Karachi, under the Federal Education Ministry.
He has written several books on varied topics in both Sindhi and English. One of his extraordinary work is the monumental book, "History on Tombstones : Sindh and Baluchistan", published by Sindhi Adabi Board, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Sindh. He has carried out an extensive research into the history of the heritage of mother Sindh...click, by studying the hundreds of beautifully carved and lavishly designed tombstones, which are found in almost every part of Sindh and the neighbouring Baluchistan.
This is the first book in English on an aspect of Social Life, which played a leading part in the though and activites of the tribal people in Sindh and Baluchistan, at a period of history, when the speculation about the nature of after-life or more lavish expenditure on graves and tombstones and the veneration of the dead, was very common. He is considered as a philosopher, thinker, writer, and scholar of great standing. His special interests are humour, history and archeology.
The tombstones that he has studied, scattered in many parts of Sindh and Baluchistan, such as, Chowkhundi, Roomi and Gharravi, are simply amazing with characteristic carved decorations and simple traditional architecture.
The cult of the departed, that was predominant in the ancient times, had double purpose. It provided that the dead survived in the memory of the relatives, descendants and friends. It is, therefore, sought to ensure through the medium of devout attention to their mortal relics in the tomb and the perennial renewal of life to their immortal spirits. These memorials are the survival of the ancient formal cults of the dead practiced once upon a time in the cultural atmosphere of the middle ages, which had a late flowering in Sindh.
As a devout student of the History of Architecture of Sindh, Ali Ahmed Brohi has been collecting material and conducting research on these subjects for several years. The book published in the early 1980s, "History On Tombstones," is the result of his hard labour for more than two decades. Mr Brohi has travelled extensively. He is happily married and has six children.