Jamsheed Marker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamsheed Marker
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|
|---|---|
| Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office September 1990 – March 1995 |
|
| Prime Minister | Benazir Bhutto |
| Preceded by | Sardar Shah Nawaz |
| Succeeded by | Ahmad Kamal |
| Pakistan Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 17 September 1986 – 30 June 1989 |
|
| Prime Minister | Muhammad Khan Junejo |
| Preceded by | Ejaz Azim |
| Succeeded by | Zulfiqar Ali Khan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 November 1922 Hyderabad, India |
| Died | 21 June 2018 (aged 95) Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | The Doon School Forman Christian College University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | British India |
| Branch/service |  Royal Indian Navy |
| Battles/wars | World War II in Burma |
Jamsheed Marker (born 24 November 1922 – died 21 June 2018) was a famous Pakistani diplomat. He was also known as a cricket commentator. He worked as a diplomat for over 42 years.
He was Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States from 1986 to 1989. During this time, Benazir Bhutto and Muhammad Khan Junejo were Prime Ministers. Jamsheed Marker played a part in helping to arrange the Soviet army's departure from Afghanistan.
Later, from 1995 to 2005, he taught a course. It was called "Diplomacy in International Relations" at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Contents
Awards and Recognition
Jamsheed Marker received important awards for his work.
- The Hilal-i-Imtiaz Award (Crescent of Excellence) was given to him. This was from President Pervez Musharraf in 2003.
- He also received the Sitara-i-Quaid-e-Azam Award.
Early Life and Education
Jamsheed Kekobad Ardeshir Marker was born on 24 November 1922. His birthplace was Hyderabad, India. He came from a well-known Parsi family. The Parsi people follow the Zoroastrian religion. His family was involved in the shipping business.
His father, Kekobad Ardeshir Marker, ran a family medicine business. His mother, Meherbano Marker, was a homemaker.
Jamsheed Marker went to The Doon School. This was an elite boarding school in Dehradun, India. He also studied at Forman Christian College University in Lahore, Pakistan.
He enjoyed playing cricket from a young age. He played cricket while at school in Dehradun. He continued to play at F.C. College in Lahore.
Career Highlights
During World War II, Mr. Marker was an officer. He served in the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve. He commanded a ship that cleared mines from the sea. He was given the Victoria Medal for his service in the military.
After the war, he worked in his family's businesses. These included shipping and medicines. In the 1950s, he became very popular. He was known for his radio commentary on cricket. Cricket is one of Pakistan's most loved sports.
Cricket Commentator
Jamsheed Marker was a well-known radio cricket commentator. His first broadcast was in 1954. It was from the Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore. This was when the Indian cricket team visited Pakistan for the first time. He worked with another commentator, Omar Kureishi, for Radio Pakistan.
Diplomat
Jamsheed Marker worked in his family's shipping business until 1965. In April 1965, he became Pakistan's High Commissioner to Ghana. He also served in Guinea and Mali at the same time.
He then represented Pakistan in many other countries. These included Romania, the Soviet Union (1969–1972), Canada, East Germany, Japan, West Germany, and France. He also served at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
He was Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States from 1986 to 1989. Finally, he was Ambassador to the United Nations in New York City from 1990 to 1994. Jamsheed Marker served as an Ambassador for 30 years straight. He worked in ten different capital cities. He also had nine other roles at the same time.
Jamsheed Marker could speak many languages. He spoke English, French, German, Russian, Urdu, and his native language, Gujarati.
As Ambassador to the United States in 1986, he helped with important talks. These talks led to the Soviet military leaving Afghanistan. In his 2010 book, "Quiet Diplomacy," he wrote about these contacts. He worked with officials from both the United States and the Soviet Union. Pakistan played a very important part in these negotiations. He also worked closely with General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq on important defense matters for the country.
In 1999, he worked for Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General. He was a Special Representative for East Timor. Kofi Annan praised Marker's "empathy for both sides." The Portuguese foreign minister admired his "sophisticated and calm approach." The Indonesian foreign minister said his "diplomatic skills smoothed the way." Mr. Marker wrote about his experiences in his 2003 book, "East Timor: A Memoir of the Negotiations for Independence."
He also opened the Pakistani Embassy in East Germany. Even though he was not Muslim in a mostly Muslim country, he was highly respected. He had good relationships with many leaders in Pakistan.
Teaching and Later Recognition
From 1995 to 2005, Mr. Marker taught at Eckerd College in Florida. He taught a course on "Diplomacy in International Relations."
In September 2004, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz named him "ambassador-at-large." This was to honor his many years of service.
In June 2011, Forman Christian College University gave him an honorary doctorate. This was at their graduation ceremony.
Death and Legacy
Jamsheed Marker was married to Arnaz Minwalla. Before that, he was married to Diana Faridoon Dinshaw. She passed away in 1979. He had two daughters with Diana: Niloufer Reifler and Feroza. Sadly, Feroza died in a car accident in 2001.
Jamsheed Marker passed away on 21 June 2018 in Karachi. He was 95 years old. He is survived by his daughter Niloufer, his wife Arnaz, and his brother Minocher Marker.
Jamsheed Marker served as a Pakistani diplomat for 30 continuous years. He helped negotiate the withdrawal of the Soviet military from Afghanistan in 1988-1989. Because of his long service, he earned a special title. As of June 2018, he was recognized in the Guinness World Records. He was called the 'ambassador to more countries than any other person'.
Published Works
- "Quiet Diplomacy" (2010)
- "East Timor: A Memoir of the Negotiations for Independence" (2003)
- "Cover Point" (2016)
