Akram Piracha
June 16, 1936-Oct. 12, 2023
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Aisha Piracha-Zakariya

Akram Piracha, 87, resident of Palo Alto - a beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home on October 12, 2023. He was born in 1936 in what was then British India and grew up in the city of Lahore (Pakistan) during the Partition of India that ended British colonialism.

Akram received his Bachelor of Arts from Government College and Master of Arts in Political Science from Punjab University, both in Lahore, Pakistan. He briefly taught Political Science at Government College from 1959-60, leaving for a SEATO fellowship at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, before joining UNICEF. His career with UNICEF spanned 35 years, during which he served in various capacities, beginning with his first field posting to Indonesia, and later as Head of Mission responsible for all UNICEF programs in Laos and Thailand following the Vietnam War. His life’s work also took him to postings and special assignments during the 1990s in China, the Philippines, Iraq, Bosnia, and Namibia. At UNICEF Headquarters in New York, Akram served as Chief of Asia Sector and Special Assistant to Jim Grant, UNICEF’s trailblazing Executive Director. A fierce and dedicated advocate for maternal health and education of children in the developing world, Akram retired as Director of UNICEF in 1995. He and his wife left their home in Greenwich, Connecticut of 13 years and returned to his native Pakistan where he continued his humanitarian work, and was especially active in grassroots efforts to provide clean water and rebuild homes and schools following the devastating 2005 earthquake in northern Pakistan.

After moving to Palo Alto to be closer to his daughters several years ago, Akram became an active member of the Palo Alto Rotary Club and Avenidas, where he enjoyed connecting with other members and learning new skills such as creative writing at Avenidas.

His interests included DIY home improvement projects, Persian and Urdu poetry, traveling the globe, taking cruises with friends and family, and spending time with his family, especially his two grandchildren. Beloved by his family, he is survived by his darling wife of 55 years, Tahira, his daughters Aisha Piracha-Zakariya and Amena Piracha, his son-in-law, Fawad Zakariya, and his grandchildren, Sanaa and Aadil Zakariya. They will all miss his sparkling green eyes, broad smile, storytelling abilities, and unique brand of humor.

Friends are invited to celebrate Akram's life by sending a donation in his name to support children's education at TCF, USA (The Citizens Foundation): https://fundraise.tcfglobal.org/fundraiser/975995936307/in-honor-of-akram-piracha

Tags: teacher/educator, public service