Niloufer Cyrus Patel, wife of Cyrus Minocher Patel, passed away on Tuesday. She served as the Director Circulation at Dawn, and among her many achievements, was the focal person leading the success of Dawn Spelling Bee for over a decade.

She was the mother of Zeryus Cyrus Patel, sister of Rukhsana Sohrab Lawyer, daughter in-law of Mani Minocher Patel, daughter of (late) Freny and (late) Sohrab Lawyer.

Her funeral was held at 11am at her residence.

"Dawn has lost one of its finest. She was not just director circulation, she was a crusader for free press," wrote Dawn Editor Zaffar Abbas on Niloufer's demise. "When Dawn was under severe attack and its distribution disrupted, she worked tirelessly to make sure the paper reaches most of its readers. RIP"

Condolences from colleagues and members of the journalist fraternity poured in following the news of Niloufer's demise.

PPP Senator and former colleague Sherry Rehman wrote a farewell message for Niloufer on Twitter: "Goodbye Niloufer Patel. She was the kindest person I ever met.

"Helped me set up my desk in the Dawn building when I came back from college, lost on my first day at work. She was always there. Gone in 25 days to a galloping cancer. May she be resting in peace, in a better place."

"Such terrible, terrible news. There was never a gentler soul and a more loyal friend and colleague," said former Dawn editor Abbas Nasir on Twitter. "Thoughts and prayers with her family. Condolences to the Dawn team. She will missed. RIP Niloufer."

"A kind and gentle soul has been taken from us. Very sad day," wrote Dawn.com Editor Jahanzaib Haque.

Dawn Magazines Editor Hasan Zaidi, in his message, said, "She was always there, always ready to help, always the smiling face working behind the scenes to make things happen."

Senior journalist Muhammad Ziauddin called her demise "a great loss for the print industry as a whole, for Dawn particularly".

"Niloufer Patel was an amazing person and a delight to work with. She will be sorely missed," said journalist Zarrar Khuhro in a tweet.