Most Doctors and students who passed through UNZA School of medicine will always remember Prof Karashani fondly.Prof Karashani died suddenly on Saturday August 13 at around 23hrs.It came as a great shock to the Zambian medical fraternity especially those who had been with him the previous day at the UNZA school of Medicine symposium.
Prof Karashani taught one of the most challenging courses in medical school- Anatomy.He taught it with dedication commitment and passion.
He was an an amazing gentleman,full of humour and related well to all people.
‘They don’t make them like that anymore,’ one doctor said ‘ We were privilaged to have been taught by him.’
One of Prof Karashani’s outstanding attributes was his ability to remember peoples names.He knew the names of ALL the students who passed through his class and he would still know them years later.
Amazingly even upon meeting his former students 20 years later he would greet each of them by name.
One doctor recounts… ‘I had not seen him for more than 10 years and when we met, he was able to call me by name. And everyone around me was also called by name. That was simply amazing..’
Another narrates’ Prof Karashani didn’t take my Anatomy class when I was in 3rd year so I did not expect him to know me.But I once bumped into him at wedding in Kitwe and went to greet him.He had an expression on his face of surprise.I guess he was trying to figure out if I was one of his students.Later he walked up to me with a look of of triumph and called me by my first name.I was totally blown away!To this day I do not know how he managed to know my name.’
At the time of his death he was the respected Patron of the University of Zambia Medical students Association(UNZAMEDA) and several former students had him as the guest of honor at their weddings.
Born on 20th September, 1940 at Karagwe Tanzania,Joseph Karashani did his primary education at Berega Rubungo and Mugeza Primary schools.He did his Secondary education at Nyakato secondary school and St Andrews College in Dar es Salaam where he obtaiined the Cambridge school certificate with several distinctions.He went to Makerere University Medical School Kampala between 1958 and 1965 where he obtained the MB ChB degree of the University of East Africa in March 1965.He entered the department of Anatomy at the Queens University of Belfast in 1969 and was allowed to enter a direct PHD program which he obtained in 1972.He attended several courses in Oxford,UK Fukuoka Japan and USA
He started his university career as a tutorial fellow in Anatomy at University college of Dar es Salaam in 1968 after doing his rural posting in Mpwapwa and Iringa.He was appointed lecturer in Anatomy in 1973 at University of Dar es Salaam.He was promoted to Assosiate Professor in 1976 and Professor in 1979.
Prof was a family man with 4 children.
Prof Karashani first came to UNZA School of Medicine in 1976 as external examiner.He came back repeatedly after that in 1981,1984,and 1985 before being persuaded to accept an appointment in 1986 by Prof Kopano Mukelabai the Dean of the school of medicine at the time.
He arrived in Zambia with his family on 5th March 1986.
He contributed immensely to the academic processes of the School heading the Department of Anantomy and facilitating the training of several Zambians to take over from him.
He was appointed assistant Dean (post graduate) in 1995.Notable virtues for this appointment were recorded as ‘academic stature,commitment and respect he commands in the School and abroad and also accessibility and approachability.
He was dearly loved by students in every generation.Of the 1514 medical  graduates from UNZA School of medicine since 1973,1211 directly passed through his instructional care(accounts for 80%) an immense contribution indeed.
He was very instrumental in the establishing of the UNZA Biomedical Research Ethics committee which he headed from 2001 to 2007.
He was an accomplished organist and once choirmaster at St Albans Anglican Church in Dar es Salaam and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka.He played chess,badminton and loved swimming.
He will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of meeting him.MHSRIP
I Â saw him at the induction of the new doctors yes and he rememberd evry doctor by name i was amazed…MHSRIP
Once more, MYSRIP. Vividly remember those lectures in Anatomy – 1987/88
rest in peace sir,you are a great man
True prf…
Too bad.
Did any body take the trouble to ask the late, what it takes to have a good memory like his or that has gone wih him? MHSRIP.
It’s true, he was a great man. I personally knew him as a family friend. Very kind and loving old man, he treated everyone like they were special. No wonder he knew all his students.
Sad Prof. i hope the people you mentored will take over from u! MYSRIEP
He will be missed deeply. Feel really blessed to have been taught by him. He had profound wisdom, calm and solid. A very rare species. Rest in peace prof
I cannot agree more as his former student. He was just an exceptional human being with an amazing and accurate memory. Most Zambian trained doctors, including myself, feel indebted to this extraordinary, humble being. So sad……..God bless his family.
Sounds like his students would have loved to have him even as republican president … oh no this is Zambia – he is only good as a dedicated teacher of Zambians!
I am not into medicine and probably will never be. But I have great respect for people who spend a great deal of there lives behind curtains trying to help and develop this country silently.
Sad this story is, At least it has taken as away from the stories of job seekers called Politicians
Damn wish he taught me! maybe I would have gotten a better grade in anatomy.No offence to Kafumukache and Munthali I hated anatomy. I have all the respect for the Prof.He was indeed approachable and accessibly.Not like some other high and mighty lecturers.
Didnt know him but its a great loss to Zambia as his work required extraordinary skill,passion and intellect.may his soul rest in peace. GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
Rest in peace. He has served diligently and all who passed through him must learn from his good works. LT surely wasnt there a better photo that the black and white one
MHSRIP Great Professor indeed.
Lecturing to 80% of Ridgeway graduates is really a great contribution. These are the people that deserve to be awarded awards for distiguished service by the president. Maybe it will come posthumously kaya!
JUDGING BY THE TESTIMONIES FROM HIS STUDENT, HE WAS A GREAT MAN. THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED TO MY FELLOW COUNTRYMEN. CHAMA CHAMA PINDUZI :-?
Indeed, this was the only Prof who taught me in 7 years of undergrad who demanded my (and all his students) passport size photo for his records. No wonder in that class he knew all of us by name within 2 weeks, and 1 month later he could identify people through their handwriting. No wonder he remained one of referees through out. He was a nice man also during public eveing functions, very jovial but dead serious and shrewd in classs. MHSRIP.
May God receive his great servant Prof. I knew him, very simple I didn’t even know benze ba nzelu so
Dont drink beer and your memory will serve you right.You sots!
wakufa sazibika. RIP
Prof JTK as we popularly called him taught me Anatomy, had a special sense of dignity about him, very official, smartly dressed, a hearty laugh, a man of many talents – Medicines, playing saxophones, poetry, etc. He corrected Anatomy scripts to the letter, commas and all. He’s among the great professors ever to teach at Ridgeway alongside the likes of late Prof Makulu (a real character and genious), Prof Chifumbe Chintu, and Prof Krikor…He was an epitome of what a great human being should be in whatever area we serve God on this planet – business, politics, sport, religion, arts, etc. “Be the best at whatever you do.” MLK Jr
he was a great man indeed. rest in peace……………………
#21, he enjoyed his alcohol, at times he would come to lecture after a few tots of Martini. Only sign would be he would really look excitable. Of the lecturers that taught me at UNZA he was probably the one i would have thought had the highest IQ, honestly. MHSRIP
Must have been a greatman indeed…. he run the race very well. MHSRIP
Emulate him. Don’t try to walk on air after acquiring whatever qualifications. Qualifications are supposed to be put to good use and not to be a source of showing off and demanding respect from everyone around you like a number of Zambians do. Rest in eternal peace Prof.
i wept as i heard the news of death of Prof,left trembled and hopeless.i schooled in Lusaka High School in 2004 to 2006 and i happened to stay with Prof at the same house in UNZA compounds also went in the same church were he was a very good pianolist. may he rest in peace and he will always be remembered
This was one of the humorous jokes shared by the late Prof during one evening function in 1995: A Prof from Africa went to Europe for a 5 day International Conference. On the the 4th day he wrote a telegram to his wife and said: I DID A POWERFUL PRESENTATION ON THAT STUDY AND I’M HAVING A WONDERFUL AND BRLLIANT TIME. I WISH YOU WERE HERE. The only problem is that when the telegram reached the wife in Africa, there was no E in the last word……………..
We met the Prof with my wife who is a medical doctor and he was able to greet her with her first name am informed he remebered all his students by name.
He was indeed a great man. i was privileged to be taught by him. i have a difficult name but he got it right the first time and remembered it all the time there after. he is one person one would rush to shake hands with whenever u meet at a function. amazingly he would also know who dubed the histology report and from who. a great loss to ridgeway and i hope EBK can walk his path. RIP Prof.Â
Wonderful man. He certainly put in a lifetime’s work. RIP
We have lost a great teacher, mentor and friend. He made the subject of Anatomy, which can be daunting at times, enjoyable and interesting. I will always remember his attention to detail, dedication and fairness. He was truly a cut above the rest. Rest in Peace.
I’m mourning up to now. The best prof to have lived on earth
What a loss! why didnt someone ask him what he was eating to have suck a memory?
on 33 i meant such a memory.sorry guys my keyboard is sick.
Your key board has lost memory lol
Thank you for your service. MHSRIP
Twaliwa sana anatomy mu 1993,abali 20 something! sanasana ba lumpeni
JTK was a remarkable man. He had such charisma. I still remember those diagrams he would make on the blackboard explaining embryology- developmenct of the left atrium and how similar it is to the meeting of the blue and white nile…. It was an honour to have been taught by you sir! MHSRIP
i am very happy that most of people who comments in Lt  are very learned but what surprise me contribute like street cadres when it comes to politics. i suggest that political science should be reintroduced in zambia to help our learned to understand  politics by ideology not emotionally only.
Prayers for this great man’s family and friends, students and colleagues included. Carry his greatness on.
He really was a great man from everybody’s sentiments! Rest in Peace
I miss the trully glorious days when Unza was Yunza …
I liked him too. But am more into entomology
Never knew the man but it’s interesting to read all the good sentiments about him. MHSRIP.
Great loss to all doctors, the medical fraternity and the nation. Loved his drink (like most of us), but that never got in the way of his professional commitment. He has a special place in my heart.
He was a gentleman too. Reminds me of my my ex-girlfriend Ruth,he called her by her swahili name Zawadi.
MHSRIP
We will for sure miss him he was one of my favourite lecturer with dr munalula and dr kanyimba sadly missed MHSRIP
Did all these Doctors giving comments finish there medical school? I doubt it!! A lot of you enjoy insulting fellow bloggers on other threads, shame on you especially if you completed medical school and passed through prof JTK.
“… that the place should know that they were feeling how the place had given itself to them and how they in turn were giving something of themselves to the place, on account of it,
.. that although they themselves have gone, they have left feeling that something utterly of themselves would always be there,feeling itself a part of it… JTK earned the respect of all his students. His passion, dedication and sense of purpose, His moral authority. Amongs our teachers, Prof David Makulu, Prof Joe Pobee, Prof Krikor Erzingastian, Prof Chifumbe Chintu. Wherever you go in the world few can match them. MHSRIP
#48, now thats too much, the clinical proffessors you are mentioning kuti balubana in the ward here in the UK. They are ok for 3rd world not here, i suppose thats why their patients end up in semi-first world south africa. JTK yes, because there is nothing new in anatomy.
ba ‘grateful’ naimwe mulebako grateful! Bushe imwe nga mwalubana ninshi nibonse?
A true mentor, you shall surely be missed. All praises may be showered on me, but they really belong to those who moulded me. RIP my teacher, my mentor, my friend.
What a loss Prof, what a loss. You were an accademic accomplishment, a viva terror, a perfect Prof. Even cadavers should have felt a sense of belonging in the DR. You were a friend respected, a parent and to the point revered.
Prof rest in peace i remember the good times we had together in the DR 10 years ago. MYSRIP
Prof. Karashani!! I vividly remember my first viva. He met me at the DR door shaking like a leaf. He gave one of his hearty laugh and tried to calm me down. He was serious with his marking!! Had passion for his subject. The challenge is to us who have befitted to carry on where he left. The department leaves much to be desired at the moment. The pre-clinical studies need new energy. JTK did his part what about us?
I am liking the anatomical names here!
It wasnt only names it was computer numbers as well. This man could associate every computer number to each student. I passed through his hands as well, rest in peace great man.
One thing I will miss prof for is his pure honesty. He made me cry
in 3rd yr but it was for my good that now I know anatomy like the back of my hand
and those cadavers bless , I see the difference of other docs esp in 1st worlds and
count my self lucky and proud to be Zambian and educated by Zambia to compete at an international level.
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Comment: Dr EBK is definitely his successor, the man knows Anatomy like he eats it for breakfast. RIP Dr Karashani