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By Bashir A. Khan
27th October 2005
 During my career as the Senior Commentator and Incharge of the Urdu
Service of Voice of America for the world at New York 1951-1954, I had
the opportunity of interviewing some 300 persons of eminence from all
walks of life. These included Heads of the States, Presidents, Prime
Ministers, Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Information, UN
personalities, Chief Executives of leading multi-national corporations,
poets, writers, Noble Prize laureates, celebrities and a cross-section
of important people.
One name stands out in my memory who for his qualities of mind and
heart and his extraordinarily gifted personality makes a world of
difference. And that name is Professor A.S. Bokhari, who wrote under the
pen name “PATRAS”.
I met the great man for the first time in Delhi in 1944 through the
courtesy of my late brother Riaz Ahmad Khan who was working as an
Assistant in All India Radio, where Prof. A.S. Bokhari was serving as
the Director General of the organisation.
I remember he gave me an inspiring pep talk on how to be a good student.
At that time I was preparing for my graduate degree at the historic
Anglo Arabic College, Delhi. In that short discourse, Prof. Bokhari
taught me that it is not how you live your years, but how you live your
hours. He stressed the importance of the most impressionable period of a
student’s life at college and how best to utilise
it not only to read the prescribed courses but study and learn and
broaden the mental horizons. He taught me a great lesson to first
acquire knowledge and then to apply it in practical life. An insatiable
passion and a deep love for knowledge was his key message to enable a
person to serve humanity throughout his life. What a wonderful man, what
a wonderful lesson which has been a guiding light for me all my life.
His 30-40 minute talk did a world of good to me. Not only, I passed my
graduate examination with flying colors but obtained a First Class First
distinction among over 50,000 students in 1945 - the second Muslim
student in the 150 year history of University of Delhi to achieve that
distinction. I have remained eternally grateful to Prof. Bokhari for his
most valuable advice and motivational guidance. He demonstrated a very
special relationship between a teacher and a student, even though, at
that time he was serving as the Director-General of All India Radio.
While working at All India Radio, his charismatic personality attracted
the most talented people in the organisation.
In fact, once he was questioned in the National Assembly for having
recruited a large number of employees who had studied at the Government
College, Lahore. Prof. Bokhari instantly rose to the occasion and listed
one organisation after the other, both in
private and public sector where, statistically the proportionate number
of ex-Government college students was much higher than All India Radio.
His timely statement silenced all his critics.
Three years later, immediately after partition I called on Prof.
Bokhari when he took over as the Principal of Government College
Lahore. Earlier, I had attended my classes for M.A. English at St.
Stephen College Delhi but due to partition could not complete my M.A.
degree.
Once again, I received one of the best advices in my career as Prof.
Bokhari said that since I had already studied for 2 years under the
Oxford-educated teachers in Delhi, my first priority should be to
complete my studies for obtaining the M.A. degree in English. I took his
advice, and I had the good fortune to be one of his student where he
lectured on Shakespeare and other English subjects. These 2 years were
the most fruitful and productive period in shaping my intellectual
growth & development in 1947-1949.
Immediately after partition when he took over the reins of the principal
of the Government College, a wide gap in the teaching and administrative
staff that migrated to India caused a serious problem.
Prof. Bokhari, a lonesome person rose to the occasion and he admirably
filled up the gap. He brought to bear his full experience of
administration acquired during his tenure as Director-General of All
India Radio. And as far as the English department was concerned it was
never so strong when he along with Prof. Sirajuddin -- provided the most
powerful duo of English teachers -- perhaps the best in the subcontinent
of India and Pakistan.
Prior to my departure for the states to specialise
in the field of communications,
Prof. A.S. Bokhari gave a special certificate
of merit which to this day remains one of the most precious treasures of
my life.
In June 1950, I had the opportunity to meet Prof.
Bokhari in New York when he came as an advisor and speechwriter
to our first Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan in his official tour of
America.
We had a very meaningful meeting. He indicated to me that he is being
tipped as Ambassador to France. He made no secret of the fact that he
was not at all happy as his forte was the English language and knowledge
of French language is essential to be an effective ambassador for
France. We had a long discussion.
At that time I was doing my M.A. in UN and World Affairs at the
University of New York a special course in the department of
International Affairs. Dr. Clyde Eagleton a leading authority was my
Dean and professor and an advisor to the United Nations.
Dr. Eagleton had earned the reputation of having written one of the most
celebrated pieces of literacy jurisprudence -- the UN charter. I
presented a copy of the UN charter to Prof. Bokhari and made a humble
suggestion that there was a unique opportunity for a person of his
calibre to be the ambassador of Pakistan at the UN where he,
given the chance, could make an outstanding contribution. The idea was
sold. He spoke to the Prime Minister.
In 1951, he was appointed the Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the
United Nations.
As soon as he took over the job, I arranged for him to be invited to
address the English Speaking Union as a speaker at the New York
University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the United
States. The speakers at the forum included Nobel Prize laureate, Winston
Churchill, President Roosevelt and other notables.
At the end of his brilliant lecture where he received a standing
ovation, he met me and said: “Bashir, of course, you were one of my
favorite students. I always thought that you don’t come from a rich
family. Your brother Riaz worked for me in All India Radio -- a thorough
gentleman but a man of modest means. How come you are here? Only
children of very rich families can afford the costly education in
America”.
I put my hand in my pocket pulled out a few dollars and some change and
said: Professor Sahib, this is all I have between me and starvation.
He gave me one of his affectionate looks and a typical smile and said:
Tomorrow morning you will report at 12 East 65 St. New York, at my
office at 9:00 AM sharp and assume the responsibility of my Public
Relations Officer. The incumbent had left and the search for his
replacement was in progress in Pakistan. And here was a God-given
opportunity for me to serve Prof. Bokhari, and serve Pakistan.
One of my most enriching experiences was working closely for Prof. A.S.
Bokhari for nearly one year. During this period our relationship
flourished as the shift took place from Teacher-Student to Boss-Employee
and then as friends and colleagues.
A daily visit to Lake Success -- that is where UN was located prior to
its new and present building on East River, New York.
As Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN, the achievements of Prof.
Bokhari need several books.
As the permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations
1951-54 the achievements of Prof. Bokhari are a shinning example in the
most glorious chapter of the nation’s history at the international
level.
Everyday driving to the Lake Success and later to the new UN building on
East River, Manhattan we would discuss the strategy of how to reconcile
two or three Arab delegates who had developed serious differences with
their counterparts. Prof. Bokhari, by nature had an egalitarian
temperament, and during the journey the old faithful driver Brown in our
Buick car would occasionally make his friendly comments. Prof. Bokhari
listened to him patiently gave him all the encouragement to express his
views.
Due to the extraordinary skill at making the most attractive speeches in
various forums in the UN., Prof. Bokhari was elevated to the largest
number of Committee Chairman in the shortest possible time.
This achievement was most incredible as there was no brief provided by
Pakistan’s foreign office and until the last moment, just before rising
on his feet to make the speech he would put his hand behind where I
usually sat to enquire if I had received any instructions from the
Government on the subject under discussion. Invariably I would touch his
hand to indicate that as per the normal practice no brief or
instructions were received. Despite no word from the Government, he
would make a brilliant speech, receive standing ovation and more often
than not earn for the country a good name and nomination as the Chairman
of the respective Committee by consensus.
As I recall, it was during the discussion on the Tunisian question in
the UN Security Council in April 1952, when Prof. Bokhari, had his
finest hour at the United Nations.
I witnessed several delegates who took part in the discussions including
China, United States and France. But the real battle of wits took place
in the most dramatic fashion when Prof. Bokhari and the distinguished
representative of the United Kingdom
Sir Gladwyn Jebb locked up in a verbal shooting match that lasted for
almost one hour. It was like a “Bait Bazi” or Shikwa and
“Jawab-e-Shikwa” style of highly charged dual with slings and arrows
emerging from both sides. Sir Gladwyn Jebb had earned the reputation of
one of the leading orators at the UN -- a disciple of Winston Churchill
crafted in the famous mould of the greatest Prime Minister England had
produced.
The ensuring hot debate was finally wrapped up by Prof. Bokhari who had
the last word on the subject. He made no secret of his mind-set when he
protested that “I am highly disappointed by my friend Sir Gladwyn Jebb,
the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom As the
accomplished Master of the English language, as he was,
Prof. Bokhari said that there are many pleasant things which the
distinguished
Sir Gladwyn Jebb and I share. Among them are love and respect for the
English language. I must bitterly complain that the distinguished
representative of the United Kingdom did violence to this common beloved
of ours on this occasion”.
And this is how the fierce battle of words ended when Prof. Bokhari made
the concluding remark:
“Sir Gladwyn Jebb, with a facility of language for which I envy him, was
pleased to call himself a tortoise, and myself a hare, thus accusing me
of impetuousness. He concluded that in the British Commonwealth, to
which he and I and our countries have the honor to belong, there is room
for many kinds of political animals. This is probably true but if in the
British Commonwealth there are any ostriches, they are not to be found
in my country”.
Sir Gladwyn Jebb who was sitting bang opposite, facing Prof. Bokhari
rose to his feet walked towards him, made a bow and said: “Sir, I give
up. I surrender. Sir, you are a Diplomats Diplomat”.
It was my greatest pleasure and privilege to be present on the occasion,
and listen to the greatest ever Shakespearean type of drama which even
Sir Lawrence Oliver would be proud to own. Next day, I brought a copy of
the New York Times to Prof. Bokhari which had a 6-column headline:
“Sir Gladwyn Jebb of U.K. calls Prof. A.S. Bokhari, Pakistan’s
Permanent Representative at the UN - A Diplomats’ Diplomat.”
What a tribute paid to Prof. Bokhari by a man known as the
greatest British orator after Winston Churchill at no less a place than
the United Nations, at no less an occasion than the meeting of the
Security Council. And what an honor for Pakistan.
The series of discussions on Tunisia lead by Prof. Bokhari finally
resulted in securing the sovereignty and independence of the country
granted by France.
As a befitting tribute to him one of the key highways of Tunisia is
named after
Prof. A.S. Bokhari.
One of the highest mountains he climbed in his brilliant career was when
the illustrious Secretary General of the United Nations, Dag
Hammarskjold created a highly prestigious position for Prof. A.S.
Bokhari and appointed him as Under-Secretary in charge of Public
Information. In this capacity Prof. Bokhari demonstrated his full
intellectual acumen and extraordinary professional skills as the most
powerful communicator in the history of the United Nations to-date.
The grandson of Prof. Bokhari who bears formidable resemblance with his
grandpa has asked me to recapture some of the finest moments I spent
with him during my close association in three phases -- prior to
partition, 1947-9, and 1951 till his death on December 5, 1958. My
answer was how do you do justice to a man who was blessed with so many
gifts from Almighty Allah and nurtured and polished so many qualities of
his mind and heart through his own efforts.
He knew exactly what to say, and how to say it to whatever the audience,
whatever the occasion. He was a master craftsman of words a super-power
of the English language. His knowledge on a variety of subjects was
phenomenal. During my tenure of service with him as his PR officer in
1951 when he was our Permanent Representative to the U.N. one of my
responsibility was as follows:
Every Friday evening he would hand over a crate full of books; say 30 or
40 borrowed from New York library. My duty was to return those books and
borrow another 30-40 books of which he furnished me a list. At that time
every member of the New York Library, the second largest in the world,
next to the Library of Congress in Washington, was entitled to draw a
maximum of 4 books. The librarian who was PhD in English literature had
given very special permission to Prof. Bokhari and there was no limit or
ceiling on his withdrawals. Once I asked the librarian out of curiosity,
why he had made that solitary exception to Prof. Bokhari. His reply was
an eye-opener for me. He said: Every book I loan to Prof. Bokhari is
read by him. Not only that he inserts short slips of his comments and
leaves it inside the books. I enjoy reading his comments. On most
occasions the comments make more sense than the book itself”.
How do you remember a man who had admirers among intellectuals, writers,
poets, painters, politicians, diplomats, business magnates, celebrity’s
heads of the states and important people across the board from all over
the world?
On behalf of Voice of America once I was assigned to visit Hollywood to
interview the celebrities. I interviewed several leading actors and
actresses of that era including Bob Hope, Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Lewis
and many other famous names. They all knew
Prof. Bokhari and had great love and affection for him. I recall two of
the top artists of those times who were so fond of Prof. Bokhari that
they took pride in the fact that they had Prof. Bokhari as their pen
friends with whom they were in regular correspondence. Two such names
stand out in my memory….Greta Garbo and Marlon Brando. These two not
only exchanged letters but also gifts, mostly books. Marlon Brando was
a great fan of Prof. Bokhari and he remembered him with great warmth and
with tears in his eyes recalled his meetings with Prof. Bokhari with
fond memories.
How do you recap a man who had an unassailable integrity, wisdom of
Aristotle, the profound knowledge of Plato, a sharp cutting edge of wit,
a rich sense of humor, an unfathomable love for humanity -- and yet with
all such extraordinary qualities of mind and heart -- an incredible
humility and self-effacing modest personality. He met the highest and
the lowest at par with his or her opposite number.
How do you explain the charismatic charm of a man whom every other
passerby or a motorist who saw him on the streets of New York gave a
second look? He had a kind of a face that stood out in millions.
How do you measure the stature of a man whose immense popularity
extended even to more than 60% of the working women at the U.N. who
officially applied for one hour leave of absence from their respective
duty because they did not want to miss Prof. Bokhari’s address scheduled
in one of the U.N. Committee session. Usually, Prof. Bokhari’s address
lasted from 25 to 45 minutes.
How can you forget a man who wrote “Patras Ka Mazamin” a brief treatise
loaded with humour, one of the greatest classic of Urdu literature,
which he wrote during one of his summer vacations in the hills.
How do you describe a man who told me that Rabindra Nath Tagore wrote
most of his poetry in English and yet he got his Noble Prize for his
Bengali poetry translated in several languages including English. And
quickly added that all my life I was a student of English, I wrote in
English, I taught English, I delivered lectures in English, but I will
be remembered for writing a short book in Urdu: Patras Ka Mazamin, Moral
of the Story: It pays to write in your own national language if you want
to achieve immortality.
How do you honor a man on whose death, eminent people across the world
join together to pay glowing tributes to his outstanding versatile
qualities? People like Dag Hammarskjold, U.N. Secretary General Prince
Aly Khan, successor to Patras, as the Pakistan’s Permanent
Representative to the UN, A.M. Rosenthal the leading U.S. journalist and
at that time the UN Correspondent of the New York Times, President Ayub
Khan, Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, Lionel Fieldon, his predecessor as
Former Director General All-India Radio, Eshtiaq Husain Qureshi, Former
Minister of Education, Pakistan, Former distinguished professor of
Pakistan Studies, Columbia University, and Vice Chancellor, University
of Karachi, N.M. Rashed, the famous poet Sir Gladwyn Jebb, Former
Permanent Representative of U.K. at U.N. Henry Cabot Lodge, Former
Permanent Representative of the U.S. to U.N, Vijiyaya Lakshami Pandit of
India, Begum Shaista Suhrawardy Ikramullah, Robert Frost, distinguished
American poet, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt known as the First Lady of the
World, Marvin Linick Professor Bokhari’s medical doctor in New York
1951-58. His admirers list is unending and ranges people from the
highest to the lowest level. His devotees who owed him immense
allegiance include his two chauffeurs A.S. Brown when Patras served as
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Robert Mason when he
served U.N.
My learned professor of Telecommunications at the City College of New
York, Dr. Hans Richter the pioneer of avant garde
films who bagged the highest number of awards for his film “Dreams that
money can buy” considered Prof. Bokhari a highly urbane individual and a
friendly soul.
Prof. Bokhari was the busiest man in his 8 years’ stay in New York --
the most sought after man to deliver speeches to a wide spectrum of
audiences. From his earliest lecture on Iqbal which originally appeared
in The Statesman, Delhi in 1938 to a series of lectures he delivered in
New York he covered almost every subject under the sun in his speeches
in English.
The incredible man who rose to the highest position in the U.N. as the
President of Security Council in April 1952, coming from a third world
country and at that time little known in the community of nation --
worked wonders in building one of the strongest international image for
his country -- Pakistan.
Among the notables one of his distinguished admirers was Pope Pius XII,
who gave
Prof. Bokhari a heartwarming reception when he visited him in the
Vatican in April 1955.
Tailpiece: In 1957, a senior executive of U.N. died. The
funeral was taken to a cemetery in upstate New York, Valhalla (I hope I
remember the name correctly). The past and the then present U.N.
Secretary-Generals Dag Hammarskjold and Trgvie Lie both were present at
the funeral. I also accompanied Prof. Bokhari.
At the end of the funeral ceremony Prof. Bokhari and I were the only 2
persons at the top of the hill where the departed person was buried.
Prof. Bokhari stood in deep meditation with folded hands and closed eyes
while the two Secretary-Generals Dag Hammarskjold and Trgvie Lie waited
way down at the entrance of the cemetery.
Prof. Bokhari finally opened his eyes gave me a piercing look and made a
death wish. His prophetic words were: “Bashir, this is the place where I
would like to be buried when I die. It is so peaceful. It is heavenly”.
The God Almighty granted his wish. He is buried exactly at the same spot
he desired.
Finally, when we walked downhill, Dag Hammarskjold asked us what took us
so long and why we were waiting on the hilltop. I repeated the prophetic
words spoken by
Prof. Bokhari which came straight from his heart. That is exactly the
spot where about a year later Prof. A.S. Bokhari was buried.
I consider it my good fortune that I was among many eminent persons who
performed his last rites and he was lowered into his grave on December
5, 1958.
Prince Aly Khan, his successor as the Permanent Representative of
Pakistan to the U.N. 1958 to two years later until his death and with
whom also I had the good fortune to be associated in PR work paid one of
the best tributes at Pakistan House New York on December 6, 1958. His
enology is worth its weight in gold.
“Prof. Bokhari’s whole life and work reflected his passion for
erasing barriers which unhappily divide our world. With his favourite
Urdu poet Ghalib, Prof. Bokhari believed that humanity could be united
by true faith of universal brotherhood.
Having drunk at the fountain of spiritual and poetical culture of the
East, he had opened his heart to the civilization of the West. In him
two elements were so fused as to form one unified integrated
personality.
Nothing, therefore, could have been more fitting than that in the
final phase of his career it should have been given to him to play a
role in the United Nations a role for which, he was so naturally
qualified and to which he so deeply aspired.
It was on this world stage that he aided so eloquently with what a
great poet has called the liberation war of humanity. It was here that
his vibrant voice rang for the highest aspiration of free men.
Pakistan takes pride in her gifted son and rejoices in his work. It
says to him as he is about to take his last journey on earth. ‘Well
done, the good and faithful servant.’.
Like all things mortal Ahmed Shah Bokhari has passed away. As the
Holy Quran says: “There remaineth but the shining countenance of the
Exalted and Glorious God”.
I recall the editorial of New York Times, December 7, 1958, a tribute to
Prof. Bokhari. “The world today is poorer for the passing of a man who
gave us a better insight into what good things are possible in a better
future.
So my dear young friend Ayaz Bokhari -- a split image of your grandpa --
when you asked me to recollect some of my finest hours with one of the
greatest man I ever met, I found it a mind boggling assignment.
How can you sum up a man who gave a message to your generation to build
One World -- the greatest need of the hour today.
No, you cannot sum up such a man. Because he did so much for so many, in
so many fields.
A Diplomat’s Diplomat. An intellectual giant. A powerful orator. A
fascinating man of letters. A legend in his own life. An icon of icon.
No, you can not do justice in summing up such a man.
All I can say is the by universal consensus he was crowned a CITIZEN OF
THE WORLD.
May His Soul Rest in
Peace.
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