Pakistan's Comrade Sobho Gianchandani - Written in red

Any obituary of Sobho Gianchandani, the Sindhi Marxist leader, who died at the age of 95 at a Larkana hospital on Monday, should be written in bold, red letters. Gianchandani remained firm in his beliefs through an entire era – even as the world around him changed dramatically and events altered his own life in many different ways. His contributions, be it pre-or post-partition Pakistan, are immense, ranging from his work as a social scientist, agrarian reformer, literary giant and communist revolutionary, but ultimately he will be remembered as a Sindhi patriot who devoted his life to his soil. Even his very last political campaign, fought just last year, aimed to preserve and continue the study of Moenjodaro’s ruins. Gianchandani lived through the turbulent years of Partition and the struggle for independence in India. During it, he learned the lessons that would stay with him for life at Shantiniketan, with Rabindranath Tagore as his guide and mentor. This period in many ways shaped him as a man who would always struggle for equality, for peace and for the rights of the downtrodden – especially the labourers and peasants of Sindh. As a young member of the Communist Party he showed his rebellious nature when he refused to go along with his party’s – and the Soviet Union’s – decision to switch their support to the British in the Second World War. For this he earned the first of his many stints in jail. With the coming of partition, Comdrade Sobho was one of the few Hindus who refused to migrate, saying he would never leave his land. He remained true to his word till his last breath and in the interim led a life of unwavering integrity. Alongside his political commitment, for which he was arrested many times, Sobho Gianchandani was also a noted literary figure, writing essays and stories in Sindhi. He was the first non-Muslim recipient of the Kamal-e-Fun Award granted to him in 2004 by the government of Pakistan for excellence in literature; staying true to his ideals, he refused to accept the award from General Musharraf or his lackeys, sending family members in his stead.. Gianchandani had also worked alongside figures such as Abul Kalam Azad and Mahatma Gandhi. From these men of history, he clearly learned a great deal. He passed on this knowledge to others who came after him – and was always known as the man from Mohenjandaro – a title given to him by Tagore on the basis of the fact that he was born and grew up in a village close to that historical city. Today, he has himself become a part of history. With his passing, perhaps now Comrade Sobho will be recognised as one of those rare figures who never compromised his vision to build a tolerant welfare state. Tributes have poured in for him from many places, including the Chief Minister of Sindh and other key political figures from the province. It is unlikely we will in our lifetime see another man with quite the same commitment, quite the same zeal and quite the same courage as Comrade Sobho Gianchandani.