Message on the Internet on 10th April 1997
Piyara aeen maanawara children of Mother Sindhi, Khush-i hujo shaal-a
The news of passing away of one of the noblest souls and a worthy son of Mother Sindh has brought a great deal of pain and shock to the Sindhis all over the world.
We, in Singapore, join our brothers and sisters in USA and everywhere else, in expressing our deep sorrow, regrets and a profound feeling of loss at the sad, sudden and untimely demise of our dearest and worthiest brother Dr Feroz Ahmed, who was an intellectual and thinker par excellence and a man who was loved and respected by everyone who knew him. May his soul rest in peace, we pray.
All those present at the emergency meeting of Sindhi Adabi Sangat Singapore (SASS) on Tuesday 8th April 1997, expressed their heartfelt condolences at the sad demise of Dr Feroz and prayed that his wife and children will bear this loss with patience and fortitude. The meeting also discussed in detail his achievements and contributions and some, who personally knew him, reminisced at length about their meetings with the man who was so great and yet so humble and approachable.
Mr Hidayat Baloch recalled his brief meetings with Dr Feroz at Gathusberg, Maryland and New York, USA, at SANA's annual functions as well as his 'kutchehries' with him in Karachi, Sindh. "All these meetings brought about a personal gratification and honour", said Mr Baloch.
The death of those who had devoted their lives to the upkeeping of principles and upholding of a worthy cause always remind us how feeble and fragile we are, and also that, we should re-examine and re-assess our primary priorities, preferences and principles and do something positive and constructive for Sindhis and Sindh - our motherland and our fatherland.
Personally, I had never met the man. For whatever I had heard and read about him I can only say:-
"A man enters, cometh on this wide stage of life,
Stays, struggles, playeth his part full of strife.
Suddenly, unceremoniously the curtain is drawn,
Quietly, calmly he walketh away leaving behind his fife.
Whither did he goeth? We knoweth not!
Thither will he cometh? We sayeth not!
Hallmarks of his determination and courage are,
The mountains he climbeth, oceans he swimeth.
Landmarks of his toil, sweat and blood are,
The lands he tilleth, harvests he reapeth.
Footmarks on the soil he implanteth of,
The music he maketh, songs he singeth.
He is no ordinary soul, he is a Man 'cause,
Love he spreadeth, life he sacrificeth.
Oh, sweet man, dear friend, my brother!
Whoever you were, we knew not;
Whatever you were, we probed not;
Wherever you were, we tread not; yet
The beauty of your existence, the wonder of your presence,
Remain ensconced, entombed, enshrined, and perpetually enkindled,
In the heart of every human, mind of every mortal, soul of every savant.
Oh, my sweet man, my dear friend, my brother!
Whither did you go? Thither will you come?
We knoweth not, we sayeth not!
Albeit we shall always remember,
You and me have the same mother,
The mother Sindh, the mother superior.
[Message from our brother Shyam Khubchandani from Canada]
Ada Ahmed,
I am greatly touched by your heart-felt tribute to Dr. Feroze Ahmed. From all accounts, he certainly was a great man. I guess God takes those, whom he loves, into his fold earlier. Warm regards for both you and Hidayat. Shyam Khubchandani
[My reply to Ada Shyam Khubchandani]
Muhinja Piyaara Ada Saeen Shyam-a, Khush-i Hujo Shaala-a
Greetings from all of us here in Singapore. Thank you for the message.
Yes, Dr Feroz was a great Sindhi patriot and a man of letters and vision. It is a great loss to all of us. God giveth, God taketh. There is nothing that man can do. We can only pray, take over the unfinished noble task that the departed souls have left behind and imrpove upon what they had eschewed and achieved in their life time.
Piyaara Saeen, it is nice to hear from you. Please do keep in touch and take good care of yourself. With lots of love and regards from your brother here in Singapore, Ahmed Makhdoom
Howard University is sponsring a scholarship program in memory of Dr.Feroz Ahmed.
An article by saaeen Ishaq Tunio
DR.FEROZ AHMED -EMINENT SCHOLAR /POLITICAL ACTIVIST PASSES AWAY
Washington 6th April 1997 : Dr. Feroz Ahmed , an eminent scholar and crusader in the cause of democratic revival in Pakistan , died here Saturday of heart attack.
Dr.Feroz ( 57 ) was widely respected at national and international level for his profound scholarship, pioneering research on demographic and social subjects , and political activism against dictatorship and social injustice. He remained associated with progressive movements within and outside the country , particularly between 1960 -1985.
He came into prominence as a student leader in Karachi during Ayub era in early sixtees before joining Hopkin University where he did his doctorate in demography. He got post-doctoral training in Harvard and taught at several universities in Canada and the United States besides the Sindh University. He was currently professor at Howard , University School of Social Work.
Author of about 20 books and more than 300 journals , articles and research papers , Feroz also launched " Pakistan Forum " from Karachi in 1974 and remained its editor till he was forced out of the country in 1980. Later he also served as consultant to a number of organizations including UNICEF,, NICHD and SAMSHA . He also founded Pakistan Democratic Forum of North America which provided critical support in the United States to the Movement for Restoration of Democracy ( MRD) of Pakistan during early eighties.
Though he had a history of heart problems , Dr. Feroz died suddenly on Saturday during an afternoon nap. On Friday he presided over a meeting of the Washington Group of Policy Studies and Analysis , a forum of Pakistani intellectuals in Washington . Visiting Pakistani journalist Imtiaz Alam initiated discussion on current political and economic situation in Pakistan. The meeting which was to be held on Saturday , was advanced by a day at the insistence of Dr. Feroz.
He leaves behind his widow, brothers and sisters to mourn his death, according to family sources here.The deceased was a younger brother of Apa Afroze, Director-General, Directorate of Federal Education, Islamabad.
Dr Feroze Ahmed took his early education in Karachi. After doing his masters in Marine Zoology from Karachi University, he did his masters in Public health from Hawai University, USA. He did his D.Sc.in Demography from John Hopkin University, Baltimore. He started his career as a lecturer in Abdullah Haroon College, Karachi, and soon afterwards moved to USA.
He worked as professor of demography in Antario University Canada and later as a professor of sociology in Sindh University, Jamshoro.
He was lately affiliated with Harvard University, Washington DC as professor of social work. The deceased was a researcher. He authored many books besides writing essays and articles on various topics ranging from public health to socio-political issues. He was a political activist. He also worked as a free lance journalist and columnist. He edited monthly magazine from Karachi called `Pakistan Forum'.
