Nairobi, April 28 -- I am writing to describe the Zarina Patel I knew and loved and the role she played in my awakening to Kenya's post-independence struggles to restore the democratic constitution we inherited on December 12, 1963.

It is hard not to begin without recording the outpouring of grief from leaders, academics and ordinary Kenyans on the death this week of this indomitable writer who fought for the poor and marginalised.

Within that framework fell her devotion to the cause of women's liberation, and prolific writings which brought out of the shadows the politically buried achievements and sacrifices of the Kenyan Asian community in our freedom struggle.

Vital chunks of that critical early history of African-Asian anti-coloni...