Draft:Rustom Fakirjee Cowasjee
{{Short description|20th century Parsi ship maker from Karachi}}
{{Draft topics|biography|south-asia}}
{{AfC topic|bdp}}
{{AfC submission|||ts=20250603105602|u=FurnFire|ns=118}}
{{AFC submission|d|bio|u=FurnFire|ns=118|decliner=Kovcszaln6|declinets=20250507115443|ts=20250419052550}}
{{AFC comment|1=Possibly notable. Need one more in-depth article like Pakistan & Gulf Economist. Gheus (talk) 10:08, 9 May 2025 (UTC)}}
{{AFC comment|1=Needs significant coverage {{em|about him}}. Kovcszaln6 (talk) 11:54, 7 May 2025 (UTC)}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Rustom Fakirjee Cowasjee
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| birth_date = 1901
| birth_place = Karachi, British India
| death_date = 1992
| death_place = Karachi, Pakistan
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| spouse = 1
| children = 3 sons and 1 daughters
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| father = Fakirjee Cowasjee
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Rustom Fakirjee Cowasjee (1901-1992) was a Parsi ship maker and director of the East & West Steamship Company.
Early Life
Rustom Fakirjee Cowasjee was born in Karachi in 1901.{{Cite web |last=Ardeshir |first=Cowasjee |date=2 September 2001 |title=Justice-II |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1072477}} His father was Fakirjee Cowasjee{{Cite journal |title=Rutom F. Cowasjee: shipping magnate |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ANrsAAAAMAAJ&q=rustom%20fakirjee%20cowasjee%20born |journal=Pakistan & Gulf Economist | date=1992 |volume=11}} and his mother was Aimai.{{Cite web |title=Noshirwan Cowasjee |url=http://www.zoroastrian.org.uk/vohuman/Article/Cowasjee,Noshirwan.htm}} He had a younger brother, Noshirwan Cowasjee (1913-2007), who was part of the shipping business. Cowasjee was educated at both Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi High School and NJV Government Higher Secondary School.
Shipping Business
In 1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah invited Cowasjee to Bombay regarding merchant ships sailing under Pakistan. Jinnah requested start sailing a month after the Independence Day (Pakistan){{Cite web |last=Cowasjee |first=Ardeshir |date=28 November 2004 |title=No water under the keel |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1072951}} On 2 May 1947, the first Pakistani shipping company, the Muhammadi Steamship Company Limited was founded by Cowasjee and Mohammad Ali Habib.{{Cite web |last=Cowasjee |first=Ardeshir |date=27 October 2002 |title=At the bottom of the sea |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1072649}}{{Cite journal |last=Shah |first=Anwar |date=July 2011 |title=Promoting Private Sector's Ship Owning |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1022719963 |journal=Pakistan & Gulf Economist; Karachi |volume=30 |issue=28|id={{ProQuest|1022719963}} }} The Muhammadi Steamship Company Limited was not sought after by companies willing to charter their ships under it’s name, however, Cowasjee, with the help of Stavros G. Livanos arranged for ships to be chartered and bear the livery of the company. In 1974, 71 ships were sailing under Pakistan, however in that year, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto introduced nationalised shipping, which deeply affected not just Cowasjee’s company, but all other shipping companies of Pakistan.
Personal Life
Rustom Fakirjee Cowasjee married Mucca Rustomjee.{{Cite web |title=In pictures: Ardeshir Cowasjee 1926-2012 |date=25 November 2012 |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/766794/in-pictures-arsehir-cowasjee-1926-2012}} Mucca Rustomjee was the daughter of Rustomjee H.J Rustomjee and Dinbano. Together, they had 3 sons and a daughter, Ardeshir Cowasjee, Cowasjee Cowasjee (alias John){{Cite web |last=Cowasjee |first=Ardeshir |date=24 May 2009 |title=A brief, happy interlude |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/466486/a-brief-happy-interlude}} Cyrus Cowasjee and Zenia Cowasjee. His wife died in March 1997.{{Cite book |last=Golwalla |first=Sunnu Farrokh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VZvXAAAAMAAJ&q=Sands%20of%20Time:%20History%20of%20Karachi,%20Zarthosti,%20Banu%20Mandal%201912%20to%202000%20and%20Sketch%20of%20Zarathushti%20Associations%20in%20Karachi |title=Sands of Time: History of Karachi, Zarthosti, Banu Mandal 1912 to 2000 and Sketch of Zarathushti Associations in Karachi|date=2002 |publisher=Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal }} She was the President of Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal from July 1980 till December 1988. Her aunt, Soonamai Rustomjee was a founding member of the Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal.
Death
References
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