Saif-ur-Rahman Grami passes away

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Saif-ur-Rahman Grami, acclaimed as one of the leading cultural personalities of country died during an open heart surgery in Karachi on January 15.

  

He was a former Vice President as well as Secretary of the Arts Council of Pakistan, having worked for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for over quarter of a century before retirement a few years ago.

According to the family sources, he was having cardiac problems of late and was admitted at the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases (KIHD) for an open heart surgery that was originally scheduled to be held on January 14 but it was postponed for a day. He was 66.

Saif-ur-Rahman Grami, who was a student of the 1958 batch at Cadet College Petaro, remained active professionally and socially all his life.

He had started his career as a journalist before joining government service as a Public Relation Officer. After a stint with the Information Department of the Government of Sindh, he joined the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) where he served as Director Information before being posted as Director Culture and Sports.  

He was credited to have conceived and built the cultural complex by the name of Aiwan-e-Riffat possessing an auditorium with a capacity of 1800 seats, a permanent picture gallery for artists and an exhibition hall.

He was instrumental in setting up many libraries and reading rooms in various localities of Karachi.

He worked overtime to mobilize the resources to hold various epic programmes like the Sunday Book Bazar at the Frere Hall and the Koocha-e-Saqafat at the M R Kiyani Road.  

Saif-ur-Rahman Grami had a vision to promote the cultural and sports activities in a big way.

He pioneered the idea of establishing a sports village at the Kashmir Road while he also desired to turn the M R Kiyani Road into a cultural village. 

He was the motivating force behind the launch of the Sadaqain Award. He revived the Arts Council of Pakistan which was receiving meager government grants before he and his team took over its leadership.

He was hailed for having played an active role in promoting Karachi as a city of peace and a symbol for arts and culture.  

After retirement from government service, he had joined a media organization in the capacity of a consultant .