Humra Quraishi*

Lamat Hasan

Delhi-based writer, columnist and human rights activist Humra Quraishi passed away on January 16 weeks before her 70th birthday. Tributes poured in from her colleagues, friends and well-wishers. She was remembered for her fearless journalism, for being the voice of the marginalised and for being a 2 am friend. Even those whose lives she hadn’t touched were moved by the void she had created with her passing.

Best known for her reportage on Kashmir, her death was announced by her daughter Sarah, son Mustafa and daughter-in-law Mansi and grandchildren Ali, Hasan Amna in a statement.

“It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of our beloved Humra Quraishi. Your presence at the farewell prayers would mean a great deal to us as we come together to remember her kindness, love, and enduring legacy.” She was laid to rest a day later in Gurgaon.

Humra’s most important work was “Kashmir: The Untold Story”, published in 2019. In this book, she documented the unending humanitarian tragedy as it unfolded in the Valley when she started frequenting the state in the 1990s. Her dispatches from Kashmir were an eye-opener for the world presenting the stark reality on the ground and the blatant human rights violations. In their tribute, many of her journalistic colleagues from Kashmir lauded her brave and unbiased reportage.

Her lifelong commitment, undaunted courage and perseverance to stand up for the truth have left an indelible footprint in many hearts. She was a portrait of grace and grit till the very end. She continued to voice her concern for the minorities and the causes that were close to her heart. In one of her last columns she wrote about how Anhad was empowering rural Kashmir by teaching embroidery to women and nurturing interfaith harmony through its #Mere Ghar Aake To Dekho campaign.

On December 25, on a social media platform she spoke about the escalation of attacks on Christians and how following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, the communal situation in the country had only worsened. She quoted historian Irfan Habib and said that one felt insulted by the systematic otherisation of the minorities – not as a Hindu or a Muslim – but as a citizen of India.

Her collaboration with her mentor - celebrated writer Khushwant Singh - was well-known. With him, she co-wrote “The Good, the Bad and the Ridiculous: Profiles” – a provocative and unabashedly entertaining collection of pen portraits of famous men and women whom Singh crossed swords with. She also helped him write his part autobiography, part biography “Absolute Khushwant.”

Humra was a beacon of hope in this increasingly polarised world. Her courage was contagious, and her extraordinary voice will not be lost. Her legacy will live on in her works and continue to inspire generations.

[*Frontier readers are familiar with Humra Quraishi’s regular weekly column, albeit her association with Frontier was very recent]
Lamat Hasan, an Independent Research Journalist based in Delhi)

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Frontier
Vol 57, No. 32, Feb 2 - 8, 2025