Rumana Husain

Rumana Husain is a Karachi-based writer, artist, and educator known for her two acclaimed coffee-table books: Karachiwala – A Subcontinent within a City (2010) and Street Smart – Professionals on the Street (2015). She has authored or illustrated more than 90 children’s books, several of which have received awards in Pakistan, Nepal, and India. Husain began her career teaching art at Karachi Grammar School and later taught illustration at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture. She headed the CAS School from 1986 to 1996, helping shape its educational philosophy. In 1988, she co-founded the Bookgroup and later served as its Director. She worked with the Children’s Museum for Peace and Human Rights from 2000 to 2008, continuing as a consultant until 2022. From 2020 to 2024, she led the Pakistan Literacy Project at Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, mentoring writers and illustrators and overseeing hundreds of children’s books. She has conducted workshops nationwide and writes regularly for Dawn and The News on Sunday. A co-founding Senior Editor of NuktaArt (2004–2014), she has also created major fabric appliqué installations for institutions in Pakistan and abroad.