P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Mirzoev, Ghaffor
Tajik poet Ghaffor Mirzoev was born on January 5, 1929, to a
family of farmers in Khavaling in the Kulab province. Orphaned very
early in life, he grew up in an orphanage.
Mirzoev graduated from the Kulab Pedagogical College in 1945 and
from the Dushanbe Pedagogical Institute in 1949. Before 1952, he
worked for several journals, including Haqiqati Kulob, Bolsheviki
Khovaling, and Sadoi Sharq. He also served on the Tajikistan
Committee for Peace.
Mirzoev's forté is poetry. He started writing poetry as early as his
high school days; he made a considerable impact not only on Tajik
audiences but on many other Soviet lovers of poetry as well. In

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Prominent Tajik Figures of the Twentieth Century

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addition, Mirzoev wrote a number of noteworthy articles, two of which

are "Yak Chand Fikr va Mulohi'za Raji' ba Tanqidi Adabii Nazm"
("Some Thought and Considerations Regarding Literary Criticism of
Poetry," 1954) and "Vazifai Asosii Mo Omukhtan va Mahorati Khudro
Baland Bardoshtan Ast" ("Our Duty Lies in Learning and in Keeping
Our Skills Sharp," 1975).
Finally, in addition to a number of works that Mirzoev contributed to
children's literature, he wrote Az Samimi Qalb (From the Bottom of the
Heart, 1952), Hazor Rahmat (Thanks a Million, 1956), Dil Bar Kafi
Dast (Heart in the Palm of the Hand, 1962), Rui Surkh (Red Face,
1971), Az Gahvora to Maidon (From the Cradle to the Field, 1981),
366 Pahlu (366-sided, Vols. I-IV, 1963-72), and Farzandi Hukumat
(Offspring of the Government, 1983).
Mirzoev joined the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union in 1952.
Mirzoev, Karomatullo
Tajik author Karomatullo Mirzoev was born into a worker's family
in the village of Nilkan of Lenin on January 21, 1941. He joined the
CPSU in 1979.
Mirzoev graduated from the Dushanbe Pedagogical Institute in 1963.
Thereafter, he taught at the area high schools for a year. He then worked
for Pioniri Tojikiston, Komsomoli Tojikiston, and Tojikistoni Shavravi.
Between 1984 and 1987, he was the director of the literature department
of Ma'orif Publications. In 1987, he became the Chief Editor of Adib
publishers.
Mirzoev's first story was published in 1968. His prose works include
"Sitorai Umid" ("The Star of Hope," 1978), Ma'oshi Avval (First
Salary, 1982), Shabi dar Kabudjar (A Night in Kabudjar, 1984), Dardi
'Ishq (The Pain of Love, 1986), Surudi Mahabbat (Anthem of Love,
1988), and Dar Orzui Pidar (Wishing for a Father, 1990).
Mirzoev's works deal with the structure of socialism in Tajikistan,
the youth culture, and the individual's role in society. His most famous
work is entitled Dardi 'Ishq (The Pain of Love).
Mirzoev joined the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union in 1982. In
1993, he won the Rudaki State Prize for Literature.

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