Raza Ali Abidi


Raza Ali Abidi is a Pakistani journalist and broadcaster who is best known for his radio documentaries on the Grand Trunk Road in Pakistan and his travelogue along the banks of Indus River. His published works include several collections of cultural essays and short stories. He has worked with the BBC Urdu Service and retired in 1996.

Early life and career

Raza Ali Abidi was born in 1935. He moved to Karachi, Pakistan with his family in 1950. He graduated from Islamia College, Karachi and worked for 15 years as a little-known journalist. Then he moved to London and worked for BBC from 1972 to 2008.
"Raza Ali Abidi is a writer of consequence because of his travels. He owes almost all his writings to his travels but he doesn't travel at random."
In November 2013, he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by The Islamia University of Bahawalpur for his services in the field of broadcasting, journalism and arts. He was also honored as adjunct professor by the same institute. The Islamia University, Bahawalpur has recently been declared as the top higher education institute in Southern Punjab, by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

Publications

Travelogues

"Abidi long remained associated with the BBC Urdu Service. There seems to have been an understanding between the BBC and South Asia as each time it was the BBC which had a project in store for him. And each time it was a journey in a different manner."