June 13 2023 Our member Salim Chowdhrey RIP passed away today On behalf of the ISWMOKB family condolences to all family members and may God give you all the strength to bear this irreplaceable loss Just saw the post below posted by our member Iffat Shah
“My good friend and respected senior colleague Dr Salim Chowdhrey has passed away.A renowned psychiatrist practicing in the Livingston New Jersey area and a Dow Medical College class of 1968 graduate , he was good enough to befriend me, his junior from Dow.We communicated often in the last ten years and I was very attached to him. He , on his part, always treated me as a younger sister.Mumtaz Ibrahim and I met him last in late summer 2021 at the wedding of my cousin’s son in the DC area. Dr Chowdhrey and his dear wife Dr Meher Chowdhrey were good friends of my cousin and her husband. Our dear friends Tanveer M. Imam and Rehana Imam were there at the same table with Drs Chowdhry and ourselves.It was a lovely evening , though I never dreamt it would be my last with this wonderful and cultured gentleman and scholar.He was a treasure trove of anecdotes froma life well lived and a witty and sparkling raconteur.Stories about the Asia Society, literary lions he had spent time with , and his memories from a most interesting time in Pakistan’s political history.He was right next to that very stage in 1967 where Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was welcomed by the National Students Federation’s Dow members, at Dow Medical College and ZAB spoke publicly for the first time after being removed as Ayub Khan’s foreign minister. It was this stage from which ZAB’s own meteoric career started.Sharing Dr Salim Chowdhry’s own words;written on April 5 2018: “Yours truly was standing opposite the dais next to the Press photographer. This group along with Nisar , Shahid Ali, (Late)Qamar Abbas, (Late) Suroor Alam, all of DOW 68 and several others met with ZAB at 70 Clifton several times to discuss about the administrations opposition and pressure on the students. Mairaj Mohammed Khan then President of NSF Karachi was a true Leader for the cause of the poor and deprived. Besides being a great orator he was also a thinker. Rashid Hasan Khan was COURAGE PERSONIFIED. Once when the DOW group was summoned to the Principals office, (It was one of many times with offers of alternate guests to substitute ZAB) Professor Shah (YES HE WAS MY IDOL AND AT MY AGE NOW HE STILL IS) after much discussion in his fatherly and gentlemanly manner stated ” He will come to Dow over my dead body” Rashid Hasan Khan’s repartee was “Then it will be over your dead body Sir” Mrs Bhutto was a gracious host. Always served tea in fine China and Hot Samosas and Piping hot Jalebi. Met her years later here in Short Hills at a friends home.She was in self exile during Zia’s rule. I thanked her for the treats, but a tear flowed in her eyes.”Just one example of his unforgettable conversation and reminiscences.Salim Bhai was a very dear friend and my life is richer for his having been in it.I am heartbroken tonight. May you rest in peace in Jannat dear Salim Bhai.Inna lillahe wa inna ilaihe rajeoon.
FROM KARACHI PAST AND PRESENT AND DOWLIST ON FACEBOOK: SAD NEWS: Our long time and loyal member Dr. Salim Chowdhrey passed away peacefully in his sleep in New Jersey USA. Inna lillahe wa inna elehi rajioon. May he attain a place in Jannat. He was a Dowite 1968 and practiced Psychiatry in Livingston, NJ. I has known him since 2002 from APPNA meeting. He was always there in APPNA meetings and participated in discussions on GlobeMedic email as well as Dowlist and Karachi Past and Present on Facebook. His comments were to the mark and poignant. In Karachi he lived in the Said Manzil area and fondly remembered the neighborhood. He was friendly with Late Dr. Nisar Ahmed in Houston. He is survived by wife Meher and daughter Amna. We will remember him as a part of APPNA loyals. (AHK June 13 2023)In April 2018 on a post related to ZAB, Dr. Salim wrote: “Amin H Karim: Yours truly was standing opposite the dais next to the Press photographer. This group along with Nisar , Shahid Ali, (Late)Qamar Abbas, (Late) Suroor Alam, all of DOW 68 and several others met with ZAB at 70 Clifton several times to discuss about the administrations opposition and pressure on the students. Mairaj Mohammed Khan then President of NSF Karachi was a true Leader for the cause of the poor and deprived. Besides being a great orator he was also a thinker. Rashid Hasan Khan was COURAGE PERSONIFIED. Once when the DOW group was summoned to the Principals office, (It was one of many times with offers of alternate guests to substitute ZAB) Professor Shah (YES HE WAS MY IDOL AND AT MY AGE NOW HE STILL IS) after much discussion in his fatherly and gentlemanly manner stated ” He will come to Dow over my dead body” Rashid Hasan Khan’s repartee was “Then it will be over your dead body Sir” Mrs Bhutto was a gracious host. “Always served tea in fine China and Hot Samosas and Piping hot Jalebi. Met her years later here in Short Hills at a friends home. She was in self exile during Zia’s rule. I thanked her for the treats, but a tear flowed in her eyes.
A friend (Dr. Nadeem Ahsan) wrote about him: ” Salim is no more. He passed peacefully in his sleep this morning. He was at home. Widely loved and respected for his kindness, his generosity, his wisdom, and his breadth of knowledge, he will be sorely missed. Salim lived a full and accomplished life. Salim’s was a life of activism and intelligent inquiry. They played a role in helping Zulfiqar Bhutto establish his socialist credentials. Subsequently Salim felt betrayed by Bhutto’s dictatorial turn. Salim went on to pursue many other social and cultural interests. And he did so with his customary charm, humility and aplomb. The wonderful Salim Chowdhrey is no more. He was loyal and benefactory to a fault. The world is a darker, harsher place without him. Rest in peace dear friend. You will be sorely missed.”
