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Gentlemen of the Jury, ‘Zorro’ is dead
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Mr. Zarook (left) receiving the 2007 Life-Time Achievement Award from the then Editors' Guild Secretary Upali Tennakoon at the annual journalism awards ceremony in 2008
To his fingertips, he was a gentleman of the jury and if a court verdict was forthcoming, it would be “well done thou sincere and committed journalist.”
The long-serving and widely respected journalist M.J.M. Zarook died yesterday at the age of 89 after an outstanding career of more than half a century, during which he imprinted his name in four media groups and also in the hallowed courtrooms of Hulftsdorp. Among the notable cases he covered was the SWRD Bandaranaike assassination trial. He was moulded by the veteran D.B. Dhanapala regarded as the doyen of journalists in Sri Lanka.
Ever on the write-side of the law, Mohamed Jameel Mohamed Zarook – affectionately known to colleagues and friends as ‘Zorro’ – began his career at Independent Newspapers Limited or the Sun-Davasa Group. Later, he moved to the old Times of Ceylon, then to the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House) and finally to the Wijeya Newspapers Limited where he worked as legal editor till his retirement in 2009.
Humble, meek, soft-spoken and ever ready to help, Zorro was a mentor to a large number of English print media journalists, especially on court reporting.
In 2008, he was given the 2007 Life-Time Achievement Award at the annual journalism awards ceremony conducted by the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Press Institute. Last year, he was given the highest award by the Sri Lanka Press Association.
Zorro passed away around 7 am yesterday at his Grero Place residence at Havelock Road in Colombo 5. In keeping with religious traditions, he was laid to rest yesterday evening at the Dehiwala Jumma Mosque Burial Grounds. He leaves behind his wife Nazly, son Rushdi, a lawyer, and daughter Hafsa.
Farewell ‘Zorro’. May Allah grant you eternal rest — Jennathul Firdouse.