The Parsis of Karachi are extremely fond of reading Parsiana. Rowena Irani’s (pictured) grandfather is one of them. He looks forward to reading about Parsis though he doesn’t know anyone in particular. He is an 86-year-old widower living by himself since 
the last four years. But after reading the recent article on her ("Requiem for Rowena,” Zoroastrians Abroad, Parsiana, November 21, 2016), he doesn’t want to pick up the magazine any more.
Let me write a few lines about my daughter Rowena. She was a spunky young 22-year-old. She finished her fourth grade in Karachi and then migrated to the USA with her parents and brother. She finished high school from Heights High. Rowena was a senior student at Wichita State University studying psychology and after her bachelors intended to go to Texas University to study for her masters. Those who knew Rowena loved her. She was funny, laughing and full of life. Apart from attending college she also worked at the Children’s Home where children come from homes where they are neglected and abused. The girls loved Rowena because she was their friend, sister and teacher. She would study and help them with their homework and assignments. Miss Ro or the Selfie Queen was what they fondly called her.
When the family came to know that Parsiana wanted to write a tribute for Rowena they were pleased, not knowing that the nightmare would begin all over again. To all the editors of Parsiana I want to ask, had this tragedy befallen your family, would you have liked someone to write such a piece, and to top it all reproduce Dane Owens’ picture and call him her gora (white) ex boyfriend? How disrespectful to this Irani family which has been through a nightmare. You didn’t bother to contact the family regarding Rowena and her life but instead turned the whole story into gossip. You have taken the information from Kansas Wichita Children’s Home and Wichita Eagle News. You have no idea what you have done to several families who know the Irani family.
Kindly be respectful and render an apology to the Irani family who will never be the same without their daughter. Go on Facebook and see how many people are saddened by this whole tragedy, not only in the USA but also in other parts of the world.
The Wichita Eagle newspaper took time to come to the Irani house and talked to Rowena’s brother Rooshad and his wife Afshan. What a lovely tribute to this wonderful girl who didn’t deserve such a death. Not a word was mentioned by the newspaper about this incident or her killer. That surely was a beautiful tribute.
TORANJ IRANI
Kansas, USA
toranj.irani@sbcglobal.net
The editors reply:
Parsiana apologizes for any distress the article may have caused Rowena Irani’s family. The write-up was meant to focus on Rowena and the tragic circumstances under which she died. While the local media reports in the US focused primarily on the murder, Parsiana went out of its way to focus on her persona and therefore sought to incorporate comments by Rashna Gazder and even Almitra Mavalvala although the latter arrived just as our pages were going to press.
There was some debate on whether to carry the photo of Owens but the majority on our team felt the face of the assailant needed to be shown to the community too.