Dr Shershah Syed

English & Urdu Text : Khalid Iqbal Presentation : Shoaib Sobani

Born to the Famous couple from Desna, Bihar Abu Zafar Azad and Dr Atia, Shershah opened his eyes in Chakiwara, Lyari Karachi in the early fifties of the nineteenth century. Schooling in a Government School and difficulties of early life did not have any negative impact on Shershah’s upbringing who bubbled with energy from the days of infancy. His entry to Dow is an unbelievable story in its own right. While in Dow Batch of ‘79 he was a progressive, liberal man who was a diehard worker of NSF.

He expressed all kinds of revulsion for studies. Attired in Militia gray Shalwar Kameez with signs of baldness he was seen to convince people on the philosophies of communism, idolizing Mao Tse Tung and Chu En Lai. The track record of academics was appalling with regular supplementary in exams but reverence in his mannerism won him the title of “Daddy” from the first year. He was held as a think tank of NSF who not only ran the day to day business of the party but cultivated the party policies from a futuristic angle.

The day of graduation was the last day of Shershah as an NSF worker. A visit to Nairobi helped him to decide his future as a Gynaecologist. A long toil waited for him to get a qualification in the discipline and more so to convert into a candid academician. It was a herculean task to learn a language, to adopt a different culture, to rid himself of a political ambiance so deeply entrenched in every fibre. With faith anything is possible. Life for Shershah reshaped and transformed completely into the character of a global icon over the next three decades.

Dr. Shershah Syed completed his training in obstetrics and gynecology in Ireland. He became a fellow of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, London. Founder of Amnesty International in Pakistan and Koohi Goth Hospital, Karachi a regional center for the management and rehabilitation of women with genital tract fistula. His main interest has been very high maternal death figures, violence against women and training of midwives. He received the FIGO award for best community obstetrician.

He was included in 100 most inspiring persons and received the Bill Clinton and UAE awards as fistula surgeon in Pakistan. Dr. Shershah started a top-level maternity wing in a public hospital in Orangi, an impoverished Karachi neighborhood that by some reckonings is the largest slum in the world. He is a long distance Marathon runner and runs for the Rape Crisis Center and against blindness in children. He has been a very vocal voice for the destitute in Pakistan and was also Pakistan Medical Association Central Secretary General in the past.

Shershah has served as Director of Women’s Right to Life and Health Project of the Government of Sind in collaboration with UNICEF, Columbia University and John Hopkins University, USA to provide emergency cover in city slums and rural Sindh. He is a Member of WHO Core Committee to develop protocols for women reproductive issues. He was the president of the Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Pakistan from 2007–2010, and is the current president of the Pakistan National Forum on Women’s Health (PNFWH)

Retirement from the Government service a few years ago opened new panoramas for Shershah. He emerged as a short story Urdu writer of repute with about 10 published books to his credit. Since he has been a doctor, members of his community sometimes shared delicate events and incidents with him that could not be shared with everyone. He would give them the shape of stories. These stories reflect the inadequacies and perceptions of the society in the medical, social and political environment of this era.

A bird’s eye view on Shershah’s life shows a distinct drift in stance from Beijing to Washington is none less than a turn of mindset by 180 degrees. This may not be the correct perception when you question Shershah on the issue. He has been tremendously impressed by western democracy and the western values while breathing in those societies. American constitution was not framed by atheists

Those were Christians who wrote that no public money would be spent on raising churches and missionary schools. He is cognizant of the ruthlessness and brutalities committed by the super powers and has never supported it. He is now an absolutely secular minded person with lot of conviction in humanism. Shershah finds the ideas of Ibn Rushd very close to his heart and soul.

Over the years as a human rights activist Shershah has raised his voice against poor quality medical education in Pakistan, politicalisation of PMDC, Dow University issues etc. One may disagree with his view points, but who can help you if you are a believer in poking your nose on the pretext of “let right be done”

Shershah’s wife Tayyaba lives in Atlanta. She is a Pediatrician. Besides professional commitments she is raising the daughter who is now school going. She has settled with life in the States to her accord. Shershah has to spend good time with the family every year. This affects his daily chores and obligations with the patients but gives an impetus to the extra-curricular reading and writing work he carries out so religiously.

Shershah has done the class of ‘79 fulfilled by the great and untiring philanthropic work. He is a very simple man with a stress-free life style, vegetarian food just enough to keep you survive, clothes without any bravura and fashion, old modeled car, rustic mobile phone, unfailing morning walk and literally nothing to pretend.

Poem written by Pablo Neruda, Spanish poet, who is a Nobel Prize winner for Literature in 1971 reflects the life of lively and bouncing Shershah. Look at the traits of the living person. Its looks unbelievable that all can be witnesses in the persona of Shershah so vividly – \"You start dying slowly\" You start dying slowly; If you do not travel, If you do not read, If you do not listen to the sounds of life, If you do not appreciate yourself. You start dying slowly: When you kill your self-esteem, When you do not let others help you. You start dying slowly; If you become a slave of your habits, Walking everyday on the same paths… If you do not change your routine, If you do not wear different colors Or you do not speak to those you don’t know. You start dying slowly: If you avoid to feel passion And their turbulent emotions; Those which make your eyes glisten And your heart beat fast. You start dying slowly: If you do not change your life when you are not satisfied with your job, Or with your love, if you do not risk what is safe for the uncertain, If you do not go after a dream, if you do not allow yourself, At least once in your lifetime, to run away..... You start dying slowly























PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 16TH JANUARY 2010 Dear Shoaib The POW series came as a pleasant surprise.It looks like a daunting task.How can u acquire knowledge about 350 class mates with most of them enjoys a missing status.Starting with Shershah was great.Rightly he is currently the most famous man of 79.Wish you best for the future endeavours. Bashir Shoaib, Great write-up on Sheru Dada, a man so versatile and mammoth in character. Younus Shoaib, Congratulations on starting such a novel work.Shershah is perhaps the best choice to start the show. Tariq vakani