LAHORE: Madeeha Gauhar, renowned theatre personality and Artistic Director of Ajoka Theatre, who fought all her life for human rights, died of cancer on Wednesday.

Her funeral will be held today (Thursday) at her residence, 24 Sarwar Road, Lahore Cantt. Madeeha's untimely death, not only left the world of performing arts in a shock but also left a sense of great loss behind, since Madeeha had been an ardent advocate of truth and human freedom for which she chose the vehicle of Punjabi language to be used in her plays to send her message across the world.

For her services and contributions to cultural and performing arts, Madeeha was awarded with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the government of Pakistan in 2003. Government of Netherlands awarded her with Prince Clause Award in 2006. In 2014, she was awarded Fatima Jinnah Award by the Government of Pakistan. Madeeha was engaged in the theatre since her school days and had been President of Najam-ud-Din Dramatics Club of Kinnaird College and Government College Lahore Dramatics Club. She did her Masters in theatre direction from the University of London. She is survived by her two sons Nirvaan and Sarang and her husband the playwright Shahid Nadeem.