Omar Kureishi
Encyclopedia
Omar Kureishi was a distinguished Pakistani writer. He had also worked in the advertising, aviation and journalism industry, writing for many newspapers, including Dawn
, The Pakistan Times, Morning News and The Guardian
, London. He is best known for his cricket writings and commentary but he was also a keen observer of political and social developments and wrote about them, in his own words, not with fury, but certainly with “exasperation and anger”. He died on Monday, March 14, 2005, at the age of 77 due to a heart disease, leaving behind his widow, a son, Javed, and two grandchildren. He was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2001.
. He had 11 siblings and his family was frequently on the move because of their father's many postings across preparation India. Mr Kureishi took a degree in International Relations
from the University of Southern California
in the early 1950s. Mr. Kureishi has one son named Javed Qureshi
, he also has two grandchildren Saif and Tanya Kureishi. Omar was a classmate of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
in school in Mumbai
and later at university in the US.
for a period spanning over 25 years. His did columns based on cricket, as well as those based on his memories of his time abroad in the US and traveling around the cricket world, in addition to his time in Mumbai and Delhi. His books include Black Moods, Out to Lunch, The System, The Other Side of Daylight, As Time Goes By and Once Upon a Time.
’s then chief, Nur Khan, persuaded Mr Kureishi to join the national flag carrier and he was thereafter appointed head of PIA's new public relations department. Kureishi spent the next 25 years setting up and maintaining an infrastructure which provided a financial cushion for Pakistan's sportsmen. Kureishi's long innings with PIA lasted almost till 1981, except for a brief interlude when he had fallen out with the then managing-director. When the Zia regime took over, he was asked, for political reasons, to leave the organization.
commentary box during Pakistan's early tours to England and together with Jamsheed Marker
, he was a regular voice on the airwaves in Pakistan during the late 1950s and ’60s. Bill Frindall, the TMS Statistician, describes him as a "a lively, witty and popular colleague" and calls him "the voice of Asian sport". Kureishi counted many cricketers, most notably the late Abdul Hafeez Kardar, as his close friends. The media centre at the Qadhafi Stadium in Lahore is named after him. He was also member of the International Cricket Council
panel which selects the world’s best Test and one-day international players for its annual awards.
Dawn
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon...
, The Pakistan Times, Morning News and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, London. He is best known for his cricket writings and commentary but he was also a keen observer of political and social developments and wrote about them, in his own words, not with fury, but certainly with “exasperation and anger”. He died on Monday, March 14, 2005, at the age of 77 due to a heart disease, leaving behind his widow, a son, Javed, and two grandchildren. He was awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2001.
Family Background and Education
Kureishi's father, Col M.A. Kureishi, was a member of the Indian Medical ServiceIndian Medical Service
The Indian Medical Service was one of the military medical services, which also had some civilian functions, in British India. It served during the two world wars, and was in existence until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947...
. He had 11 siblings and his family was frequently on the move because of their father's many postings across preparation India. Mr Kureishi took a degree in International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in the early 1950s. Mr. Kureishi has one son named Javed Qureshi
Javed Qureshi
Javed Kureshi is a former Pakistani cricketer and the first captain of the Pakistan U19 cricket team. He played a handful of youth Test and first class cricket matches for Pakistan International Airlines between 1977 and 1979....
, he also has two grandchildren Saif and Tanya Kureishi. Omar was a classmate of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
in school in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and later at university in the US.
Life as a Journalist, Writer and Socialite
Kureishi had his first encounter with the media and showbiz in the United States where he briefly worked with a radio station and also played a small part in a Hollywood movie. Mr Kureishi came to Karachi in the mid-’50s and joined the defunct Pakistan Standard. Later, he became resident editor of the Times of Karachi. His brother, Sattoo Kureishi, lived near Karachi airport in a house called Air Cottage and used to hold regular weekly get-togethers there. “Friday Evenings at Air Cottage” became a byword in Karachi’s intellectual and avant-grade circles, and Omar Kureishi soon became an integral part of the set. He filed dispatches for many newspapers in Pakistan and abroad during his cricket commentating career, but he wrote most regularly for DawnDawn
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon...
for a period spanning over 25 years. His did columns based on cricket, as well as those based on his memories of his time abroad in the US and traveling around the cricket world, in addition to his time in Mumbai and Delhi. His books include Black Moods, Out to Lunch, The System, The Other Side of Daylight, As Time Goes By and Once Upon a Time.
Career at Pakistan International Airlines
In 1959, Pakistan International AirlinesPakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...
’s then chief, Nur Khan, persuaded Mr Kureishi to join the national flag carrier and he was thereafter appointed head of PIA's new public relations department. Kureishi spent the next 25 years setting up and maintaining an infrastructure which provided a financial cushion for Pakistan's sportsmen. Kureishi's long innings with PIA lasted almost till 1981, except for a brief interlude when he had fallen out with the then managing-director. When the Zia regime took over, he was asked, for political reasons, to leave the organization.
Life as Cricket Commentator
Kureishi's devotion to cricket, in his own words, started as "a passion" and eventually became "a love affair" which "remained a constant" in his life through all its "ups and downs". Though he had never played first class or test cricket, (his only exposure to competitive cricket at an organised level was a brief stint in club cricket in the UK when he went there during his life as student), he was still recognised as an outstanding and extremely knowledgeable cricket commentator. He shared the Test Match SpecialTest Match Special
Test Match Special is a British radio programme covering professional cricket, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 , Five Live Sports Extra and the internet to the United Kingdom and the rest of the world...
commentary box during Pakistan's early tours to England and together with Jamsheed Marker
Jamsheed Marker
Jamsheed Kaikobad Ardeshir Marker, HI, is a veteran Pakistani diplomat. Reportedly, he is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having been ambassador to more countries than any other person...
, he was a regular voice on the airwaves in Pakistan during the late 1950s and ’60s. Bill Frindall, the TMS Statistician, describes him as a "a lively, witty and popular colleague" and calls him "the voice of Asian sport". Kureishi counted many cricketers, most notably the late Abdul Hafeez Kardar, as his close friends. The media centre at the Qadhafi Stadium in Lahore is named after him. He was also member of the International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
panel which selects the world’s best Test and one-day international players for its annual awards.