Basheer’s widow breathes her last

Fabi Basheer, widow of renowned writer Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, died at a private hospital here on Wednesday. She was 77.

Fabi, who had been fighting cancer for several years, was admitted to the hospital two days ago. She was in the intensive care unit till she breathed her last around 1.30 p.m., said hospital sources.

Basheer and Fabi entered into their wedlock in 1958 and they lived together at their famous “Vailalil” house at Beypore in Kozhikode till the writer died in 1994. It was Basheer, himself who fondly changed his wife’s name from Fathima Beevi to Fabi. A teacher by profession, Fabi quit the job after her marriage and became an active presence in the literary life of her celebrated writer-husband.

Author of a memoir, ‘

Basheerinte Ediye ,’ that narrated several interesting anecdotes from her years together with Basheer, Fabi was an active presence in the literary circles of the city even after her husband’s death. She is survived by their two children Shahina and Anees. Her body will be buried at the Beypore Juma Masjid graveyard at 10 a.m. on Thursday, said sources close to her family.