Amirali Hoodbhoy was born on 17th April 1915 into a large Sindhi Ismaili business family in Karachi. After completing his education he joined the family business, but was always searching for a deeper meaning to life. This search led him towards studying the texts of different religions and philosophies, eventually leading him to the Theosophical Society in the early 1960s. His mentor was Jamshed Nusserwanji Mehta, a philanthropist and a Theosophist. Following the footsteps of Jamshed, he joined the Karachi Theosophical Society and found the sanctuary he had been searching for. Non-violence, pluralism, tolerance, respect for the rights of others, love, harmony quest for peace and the search for knowledge and wisdom --- these were the ideals which became his religion after joining the Theosophical Society. He immersed himself whole heartedly into the service of the TS and the Theosophical Order of Service.

It was in keeping with his character that he gave full time honorary service to 11 charitable institutions. In 1968 he became honorary general secretary of the Karachi Theosophical Society, a position he maintained upto his death in 1997. In 1974 he became honorary secretary of the Society for the Rehabilitation of Special Children as well as the Poor Patients Relief Society, giving medicines to the poor and needy. Since 1968 till the time of his passing he was honorary assistant secretary of the Theosophical Order of Service. He was also a member of Sindh Provincial Co-ordinating Council for Disabled Persons and a member of the Advisory Board of the Association of Physically Handicapped Children. He also organized Braille classes in the Ida Rieu School for the Blind and coordinated programmes for the disabled throughout the city of Karachi.

In the last 15 years of his life he became involved in the promotion of Population Welfare Programmes, including vaccination services, and health treatment in charitable dispensaries located in the city.

With boundless energy he would go daily to supervise the health centres, attend meetings, take home books and ledgers, to pore over accounts, hold long discussions with his theosophical colleagues and give lectures on Sufism, on the mystical poets of Sindh and on various theosophical subjects.

On the occasion of his first death anniversary the Theosophical Society sent a tribute to his family saying "Mr. Amirali Hoodbhoy was a true worker --- we are unable to find any member willing to do even a quarter of what Mr. Hoodbhoy could achieve. He was a true Theosophist giving practical expression to the ideal of Universal Brotherhood. He had an open mind and was open to the truth and beauty in all the religions and philosophies of the world."

Mr. Amirali Hoodbhoy passed away on the 5th of November 1998, and with his passing the Karachi Theosophical Society lost a dedicated and much respected member.