Exclusive: Photos of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan’s Visit to Dar-es-Salaam and other East African Photos by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
1. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan meets a delegation during a visit to Tanzania sometime between 1966 and 1970 while serving UNHCR. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
Editor’s Note: During his long tenure from the early 1960’s to 1976 as either the Deputy High Commissioner or the High Commissioner of the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan (1933-2003), uncle of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, visited numerous countries around the world to address issues concerning refugees. During a visit to Tanzania in the mid to late 1960s, the Prince met individuals from both the public and private sectors including leaders and members of the Ismaili community. A collection of about a dozen photos of the Prince’s visit which were taken by Rai Abdul M. Ismaily (1926 – 1981), lovingly known as Papa Jaan, have been made available to Simerg. We express our thanks to the Ismaily family for their generosity, and appreciate the efforts of our regular contributor, Mr. Muslim Harji, for facilitating the publication of this small collection on this website. Readers will also be interested to see Papa Jaan’s unique collection of His Highness the Aga Khan’s visits to Hunza, Kampala and Karachi which were published on this blog in recent weeks – see links below.
Many captions accompanying the photos (numbered 1-12), are incomplete and we invite our readers who are familiar with Prince Sadruddin’s visit to submit specific dates and places where the photos were taken, as well as name the individuals we have not been able to completely identify. Please send the information to simerg@aol.com or submit it via the comments box at the end of this post.
2. The Mukhis and Kamadias of four Dar-es-Salaam jamatkhanas in their colourful regalia as they await the arrival of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan outside the grand social hall located alongside Dar-es-Salaam’s darkhana jamatkhana. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
3. Iconic scout master Mumlo Dhanji, now in Vancouver, Canada, leads his band along the narrow path dividing the Darkhana jamatkhana and its adjacent grand social hall, as members and leaders of the Ismaili community await the arrival of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
4. Ismaili girl guides perform a marchpast as members and leaders of the Ismaili community await the arrival of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
5. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan meets members of a delegation during his visit to Tanzania sometime between 1966 and 1970, while serving UNHCR. At left is President Abdulla Tejpar of the Aga Khan Council for Tanzania. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
6. Ismaili community members including volunteers await the arrival of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
7. Members of the Ismaili community partake in a jaman (feast) to celebrate Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan’s visit to Dar-es-Salaam. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
8. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan meets members of a delegation during a visit to Tanzania sometime between 1966 and 1970 while serving with UNHCR. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
9. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan greets Rai Shamshuddin Tejpar, the President of the Ismailia Association for Tanzania. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
10. Famed Ismaili missionary, the late Alwaez Abu Aly Aziz Alibhai, centre in striped blazer, at a function held in Nairobi. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
11. Mukhis and Kamadias of all the four Dar-es-Salaam jamatkhanas (Darkhana, Upanga, Kariako and Changombe) pictured outside the grand social hall adjacent to the darkhana jamatkhana during Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan’s visit to the city. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
12. Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan is accompanied by President Abdulla Tejpar of the Aga Khan Council for Tanzania at a function marking the Prince’s visit to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Photo: Abdul M. Ismaily. Copyright.
Date posted: March 14, 2016.
Last updated: March 18, 2016.
Corrections to captions:
- It has been brought to our attention that Photo #10, with Missionary Abu Aly in the picture, was taken in Nairobi at the Parklands flat. We had earlier mentioned that the picture was taken in Dar-es-Salaaam at a function commemorating Prince Sadruddin’s visit. The caption was corrected on March 18. We regret the error.
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Please also see:
- Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Visit to Pakistan by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
- Photos of His Highness the Aga Khan’s Visits to East Africa by Azhar Chaudhry
- Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Visit to Uganda by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
- Exclusive: Photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 1960 Visit to Hunza by the Late Abdul M. Ismaily (“Papa Jaan”)
For Papa Jaan’s profile, please click Contributors. Readers are invited to submit their feedback below.
Journey through nostalgia!!! Brought back lot of fond memories. During Prince Sadruddin’s visit, he also visited our store PEERAS, on Independence Ave. I have a great photo of him with my dad, Fatehali.
Second last picture of all Mukhi/Kamadia Saheban…..third from the left in brownish suit is my father-in-law, Varas Najmudin Kassam Dewji (former Darkhana Mukhi)
If the pictures were during 1960’s I was but a little girl aged 6-7 and remember running up the steps of the stage during a performance in Dar in the hall to get Prince Sadruddin’s autograph. Prince Sadruddin pulled me to his lap and asked my name. I gave him my name and he asked if I knew the meaning…..and, of course, I did. He laughed, ruffled my hair and signed the autograph. I can never forget that moment.
I was just forwarded this link. Beautiful pictures and wonderful memories. Especially, picture # 5 of my grandfather, extreme right in a beige suit, Count Kassum Sunderji. A great man in his own right.
Finally got the names of our Mukhi/Kamadiasahebs in the photos!
Mukhi Akber Lalji Samji and Kamadia B.K. Karsan (Darkhana)
Mukhi Abdul Karmali Mohamed and Kamadia Mr Kassam (Upanga)
Mukhi Shamshu Meghani (Karimabad) kamadia (not identified!) (Karimabad)
Mukhi Fateh Amersi Hemraj and Kamadia Sadruddin Kaim (Changombe)
I can see our Roshan Hasham leading the Girl Guides parade
Such lovely photos and memories of our childhood days in Dar Es Salaam. Pity we all got separated from each other!
Mowla bless us all!
Thanks for Sharing. These are beautiful pics of Prince Sadruddin’s visit to Dar. I can’t remember if I was in Dar at that time but boy did it bring on the memories of Town jamatkhana and the festival hall and the main entrance to the jamatkhana. I had tears in my eyes just looking at these. What a lovely man the Prince was:)
Beautiful photos of our handsome Prince.
Wow..a treasure trove!!
Thanks for publishing the memorable pictures of Prince Sadruddin. I liked them very much.
They are very lovely photos of our beloved late Prince Sadruddin who looks so charming, brings
a lot of memories and our heartfelt thanks to the family of late Rai Abdulbhai Ismaily.
Rajabali and Banu Nanji
Thanks for remembering and bringing these pictures to everyone’s attention.
#10 is in Nairobi Parkland flats. Rai Abuali is seated between mukhi and mukhiani of main Nairobi jamat khana.
Thank you Julie for this correction, which has been incorporated into the caption. We urge readers who are familiar with the pictures to send us details of where and when the photos were taken.
Photo #10 is in Nairobi Parklands flat. Alwaez Abu Aly is seated between the Mukhi and Mukhiana of the Downtown Jamatkhana (then Darkhana)!