On View: Yudhvir S. Jain’s Typewriter

When visitors enter the memorial exhibition inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum, one artifact in particular will take them back in time. Among the other objects that speak to the hobbies and interests of the victims of the September 11 attacks, a typewriter belonging to Yudhvir S. Jain harkens back to an era before smartphones and sleek laptops were ubiquitous.

In 2001, typewriters were largely obsolete in the workplace, but Yudhvir still preferred to work on his electric typewriter at home after a day working at Cantor Fitzgerald, located in the North Tower.

Born in India, Yudhvir moved to the United States with his wife, Sneh, in 1976. While the couple raised two daughters, Yudhvir earned degrees in chemical engineering and computer science. On 9/11, he had been working at Cantor Fitzgerald for only a few weeks.

After Yudhvir’s death, his family recalled missing hearing his typing at night. Beyond his quirky affection for his typewriter, Sneh fondly remembers his generous and loving personality, exemplified by the nightly cup of tea he would prepare for her.

The selection of artifacts currently on view in the memorial exhibition all speak to the hobbies, writings or drawings of 19 of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 and Feb. 26, 1993 terror attacks. These artifacts will remain on view in the gallery for one year. Visitors to In Memoriam can learn more about each of the 2,983 people killed on 9/11 and in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center by exploring the interactive tables in the gallery.

Anyone interested in donating materials in memory of a loved one—objects, photographs or audio remembrances—is encouraged to contact collections@911memorial.org.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff