On September 22, 2024, at the age of 80, the flame of my father’s life, Usman Arab Saati, flickered and gave out. My father was recognised by many as a seminal figure in the history of Gujarati literature and media, having vowed to keep the Gujarati language alive and in print in Pakistan. So dedicated was he that he did not hesitate to sacrifice his prime years to support this endeavour, seldom caring about what this effort would yield or the hurdles he would have to conquer.

My father began his professional career in September 1966 as a clerk for Dawn Gujarati‘s marketing department and went on to serve as the general secretary in 1974. A theatre aficionado at heart, he enjoyed reviewing stage plays in Karachi, particularly those in Memoni and Gujarati for the weekly ‘Rang Kala’ page in Dawn Gujarati. During his time at Dawn, he was also elected as the chairman of the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) and served as a member of the Pakistan Herald Workers Union for 12 years. Upon his retirement from Dawn in 1983, he dabbled in advertising. When he learnt about Dawn’s decision to axe Vatan (formerly Dawn Gujarati), he was quick to negotiate and was successful in acquiring the rights for the newspaper so that it could be published independently, and continue to serve the Gujarati-speaking community of Pakistan and beyond.

In a casual conversation, I enquired why he continued to publish under the name ‘Vatan’ when he could have renamed the publication. In his great wisdom, my father explained that “after the Pakistan resolution was passed, Muhammad Ali Jinnah hoped his voice would reach all corners of India where Muslims were present and therefore felt the need to establish a Gujarati newspaper.” This led to the creation of Vatan Gujarati in March 1942. After Independence, the rights for Vatan Gujarati were acquired by Dawn Media (formerly known as the Dawn Group of Newspapers). Vatan became synonymous with the voice and identity of Gujarati-speaking people and is often credited as the first newspaper of Pakistan. This explains why my father chose to retain the name Vatan.

Just two days before he passed away, my father joyously celebrated the marriage of his grandson, Muhammad Amin Akhtar Saati. He departed, surrounded by dear friends and family who had travelled from far to attend the wedding and were able to participate in his funeral procession.

May he rest in peace, Ameen.

Muhammad Shahid Usman Saati is Editor, Vatan Gujarati.
shahidrecord@gmail.com