LAHORE, March 15: Pakistan’s most celebrated news photographer F.E. Chaudhry passed away here on Friday, the day he was to celebrate his 105th birthday.
Popularly known as Chacha and Lahore’s first and all-time great news photographer, Mr Faustin Elmer (F.E.) Chaudhry was perfectly alright as he got up on Friday morning. He talked to his eldest son, Cyril Chaudhry, with whom he was staying these days.
Cyril then went for his morning prayers and found F.E. lying on his bed motionless upon his return. Chacha was rushed to a local hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.
The death came as a shock to his friends who had arranged Chacha Chaudhry’s birthday party at Lawrence Garden’s Cosmopolitan Club in the evening. This was to complement a special service in the morning held by Father Andrew Nisari of the Sacred Heart Cathedral to mark the 105th birthday of FE as the oldest parishioner of Lahore.
F.E. Chaudhry was the recipient of 27 awards, including the President’s Pride of Performance, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Tamgha-i-Kidmat and the Tehrik-i-Pakistan Gold Medal.
He was known for having a great sense of humour but also as a strict disciplinarian who as a teacher and mentor helped youngsters rise as leaders in their chosen fields. One of his sons, Cecil Chaudhry was the hero of 1965 and 1971 wars with India and was decorated with Sitara-i-Juraat and Sitara-i-Basalat. Cecil passed away on April 13, 2012 of lung cancer.
Another son of his, Anthony Chaudhry is also a former Pakistan Air Force Wing Commander and now is the Chief Flying Instructor at the Lahore Flying Club. Cyril Chaudhry served as manager in the Bata Shoe Company.
Chacha has also left behind two daughters, Dr Stella Khan and Ms Sheila Rais.
Chacha’s funeral service will be held at Lawrence Road’s Sacred Heart Cathedral at 1pm on Sunday. He will be laid to rest at the Jail Road cemetery.
Fondly remembering his days with Chacha, renowned journalist Hussain Naqi said he was a man of impeccable integrity, a true professional.
Mr Naqi said Chacha took deep interest in protecting the rights of journalists, repeatedly holding different offices of the then PFUJ, PUJ, the PPL Workers Union. He was also elected as president of the Lahore Press Club.
Renowned photographer Majid Mir said Chacha Chaudhry was his spiritual leader.
“His was always the complete picture. He was a great teacher, a great human being and a great nationalist,” Mir said.
Dawn’s photographer, Azhar Jafri, another follower of Chacha, remembered him as a man who would achieve the impossible, and the one who contributed immensely to the news photography in the country, Pakistani journalism’s “weak” section.
Mr Jafri called for preserving pre- and post-partition history as captured by Chacha Chaudhry, saying his pictures truly reflected the country and Lahore as they actually were.