Gul Hassan Kalmati, who was known as Karachi’s “living encyclopaedia,” has died.

Gul Hassan Kalmati, who was a well-known historian and writer, died on Wednesday in Karachi after a long illness.

The 66-year-old historian, who was known as a “living encyclopaedia” by his friends, was put to rest in his hometown of Arzi Khan Baloch, which is in the suburbs of Karachi.

He has a wife, a daughter, and seven boys who will carry on after him.

There were thousands of people from all walks of life at the historian’s funeral, including civil society activists, lawmakers, fans, friends, family, and more.

Kalmati was best known as a writer who did a lot of study on Karachi’s history, especially its geography, culture, people, buildings, and coast.

At least 13 of his books have been written in English, Sindhi, and Urdu. Some of his most popular books are “Coastal Islands of Sindh,” “Immoral Characters of Karachi,” “Karachi Ja Lafani Kirdar,” “Sindh Ja Samoondi Bhet,” “Karachi: Sindh Ji Marui,” “Karachi Jon Rehaishi Scheemon,” and “The Impact of Urban Construction on Women’s Livelihood,” among others.

One of his friends, Dr. Ayoob Shaikh, said that Kalmati was a true gentleman who did a great job writing the history of Karachi. “He rewrote Karachi’s history in a more accurate way and looked into what really happened,” he said.

“He was a great researcher, and everything he wrote was the result of his own hard work and dedication,” Dr. Shaikh said.

Kalmati had been getting treatment for four months, and top doctors were taking care of him at the request of the Sindh government.

The historian used to work for the local government department of the Sindh government. He or she left about six years ago.

Senior writer Riaz Sohail said that he wrote for the Sindhi daily newspaper Awami Awaz when he worked for the government.

“He wrote what nobody cared about,” he said. “He wrote about the people who were born and raised in Karachi. He wrote about the architecture of Karachi, as well as the customs of the fishing villages.

Sohail said, “His findings are very interesting,” referring to his books. He also said that Kalmati’s book should be read by people who want to learn more about Karachi.