IDC Mourns Passing of Farook Khan, Veteran Journalist of South Africa
The Indian Diaspora Council (IDC) joins in solidarity with individuals and organizations in South Africa and other countries in mourning the passing of veteran and renowned journalist Farook Khan of South Africa who passed away at the age of 75 on Thursday, 3rd October 2019 in South Africa. He was in intensive care for several days and succumbed to the devastating effects of cancer. We express deepest sympathies and condolences to his family, his siblings, extended family, friends and associates.
Farook Khan was a prominent journalist, author, researcher and creative director. “He enjoyed an illustrious career in journalism and later became the chairman of the Culture India Pageant. Khan worked for the Post Newspapers, DRUM Magazine, The Daily News, Sunday Tribune, Star, Pretoria News and Cape Argus titles in Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria and Cape Town. He had written many newspaper articles in his career on various topics. He also captured the lifestyle of the Grey Street Casbah in a book he wrote titled the Goodwill Lounge”.
Farook Khan was appointed as Indian Diaspora Council’s Coordinator, South Africa, a position which has become increasingly significant with the rapid outreach, expansion and growth of the Indian Diaspora Council to advance the shared heritage, aspirations and interests of the global Indian Diaspora. “We place very high value in your prominent position as author, veteran journalist, and researcher in South Africa, as well as your abiding interest and support of in the Indian community in South Africa and the global Indian Diaspora, and connecting back with their ancestral roots in India and other countries of origin”, as noted in the letter of appointment.
“Mr. Farook Khan’s death has come as a shock to me. I has just arrived from India to Dubai and I learned of his death on late afternoon on Thursday. We became good friends over the past 23years years. However the past 7 years brought us much closer after producing the book “Mandela in Focus” together with Mr. Kevin Joseph launched in December 2018. Mr. Farook Khan was an international renowned journalist, author, principal of Culture India pageant, and was an encyclopedia of knowledge and history of the world. The world has lost a Legend of journalism and I have lost one of my best friend”. Rita Abraham, Chair of IDC Women’s Forum, South Africa.