Gul Hassan Kalmati (; 5 July 1957 â 17 May 2023) was a Pakistani travelogue historiographer, scholar, and writer from Sindh. He was well-known as a 'people's historian' who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Karachi and its pioneers. He was also a social activist. He fought for the rights of the indigenous people of Sindh against land grabbing and development projects.
Gul Hassan Kalmati was born on 5 July 1957 at Gadap Town, Arzi Baloch Village in Karachi. He had eight siblings.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978 from Sindh Muslim Arts and Commerce College Karachi and in 1983, he obtained a Masters in Journalism and later on, he also received a M.A. degree in Sindhi Literature from the University of Karachi.
Kalmati was a schoolteacher in Lyari. Later on, he was an employee of the local government department in Sindh government.
Kalmati wrote more than 11 books in Sindhi, English and Urdu on various topics, including:
He also wrote columns and articles for various newspapers and magazines, such as Dawn, The News, Daily Ibrat, and Daily Awami Awaz. He was also associated with various social and cultural organizations, such as Sindhi Language Authority, Sindhi Adabi Board, and the Pakistan Writers Guild.
He died on 17 May 2023 at a local hospital in Karachi after battling liver cancer. He was 66 years old. His funeral was attended by people from Malir district and other parts of the city. He left a widow, seven sons and a daughter.