KT’s former chief translator dies at 68

Tag joined Khaleej Times in 1985 and was associated with the newspaper for 33 years

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A Staff Reporter

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Published: Thu 2 Dec 2021, 11:29 PM

Tag Elsir Mohammed Malik Ibrahim, a former Khaleej Times journalist, passed away in his hometown Khartoum, Sudan, on Wednesday morning. He was 68.

Mr Tag joined Khaleej Times in 1985 and was associated with the newspaper for 33 years.


Even in casual conversations, colleagues would call the veteran chief translator ‘Mr Tag’ out of respect for his knowledge and seniority.

His former colleagues remembered him as a man of wisdom, with one calling him a “walking encyclopaedia when it comes to Arab and Middle East affairs”.


“Mr Tag mentored many Khaleej Times journalists like myself,” said a colleague, who worked with him for over a decade. “He could talk for hours about Arabs, their culture, glory and legacy. He was an intellectual in every sense of the word.”

Another colleague recalled how polite he was. “Mr Tag would greet everyone by name, with a smile. He would wish everyone he met good morning as he came in, and good evening as he left. Colleagues would often crowd around his desk to hear his insights on news breaks about the region.”

Yet another colleague recalled his work ethics. “He was very punctual and would be at his desk much before his shift began and left much later. He would never say no to work, absorbing as many copies as he could. His writing was very descriptive.”


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