Patras Bokhari

Syed Ahmed Shah Patras Bokhari (Urdu: سید احمد شاہ پطرس بخاری) (commonly known as Patras Bokhari) (born [[1st Oct] 1898, Peshawar, died 5th Dec 1958, New York) was one of the best Urdu humourist, educationist, essayist, broadcaster and diplomat from Pakistan .

[edit] Life

Patras received his early education from Peshawar and in 1916 he moved from Islamia College Peshawar to join Government College Lahore.After completing his Masters in English he was appointed as lecturer at the same institution. In 1925 he left Government College Lahore to study at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University to complete a Tripos in English. In 1927 he came back to Government College Lahore and as a Professor remained there till 1939. Before the formation of Pakistan in 1947, he was the Director General, All India Radio. Bieng a Professor of English Literature he also served as the Principal of Government College Lahore from 1947 to 1950. The famous Urdu poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and the leading free verse poet in Urdu, Noon Meem Rashid, were among his famous students. After the formation of Pakistan, he served as the first permanent representative of Pakistan in the United Nations from 1951–1954. From 1954-1958 he remained as the Under Secretary of the UN, Head of Information. He died during his diplomatic service and is buried in New York, USA.

His thin volume of essays, Patras Kay Mazameen (Essays of Patras), published in 1927 is considered as an asset of Urdu humor.
He accompanied Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan on his first visit to the United States as the Prime Minister's speech writer.
In 1945 Patras Bokhari was awarded the Companion of the Indian Empire (CIE) Award.
The Government of Tunisia, named a Road after him in Tunis, as a recognition for his contribution towards the freedom of Tunisia from French Colonial Rule in 1956.
There is also a road named after him in Islamabad, Federal Capital of Pakistan.
Editorial appears in the New York Times on 6th Dec 1958, a day after his demise, in which he was described as a Citizen of the World.
In Oct 1998, to mark his birth centenary, the Government of Pakistan issued a postage stamp with his photograph under the series, Pioneers of Pakistan.
On 14th Aug 2003 President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf announced the conferment of Hilal-e-Imtiaz, posthumously to Patras Bokhari, the country's second highest Civilian Award.