P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Afsahzoda, A'lokhon
Tajik literary critic and intellectual A'lokhon Afsahzoda was born
into a farming family in the village of Voru of Panjakent on November
10, 1935. He joined the CPSU in 1964.
Afsahzoda graduated from Tajikistan State University in 1961 with a
degree in Persian and Tajiki language and literature. Subsequently, he
worked as a Laboratory Assistant and a Junior and Senior Scientific
Worker in the Manuscripts Division of the Department of Oriental
Studies of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan. In 1971, he became
the Director of the Text and Publications Division of the Academy. He
received his doctorate degree in philology in 1981.
Afsahzoda has published a considerable number of books and arti-
cles on Tajik literature of the past and present. His forté, however, is the
works of Jami in relation to which he published Laili va Majnuni
Abdulrahmoni Jomi (Abdulrahmon Jami's Layli and Majnun, 1970).
In 1980, he published Abdulrahmon Jomi (Abdulrahmon Jami) an
autobiography of the poet. His other Jami-related works include Ruzgor
va Osori Abdulrahmon Jomi (The Time and Works of Abdulrahmon
Jami, 1980), Tahavvoli Afkori Jomi (The Development of Jami's
Thought, 1981), and Osori Jomi (Jami's Collected Works, in eight
volumes, 1986-1987). Afsahzoda's other contributions include Hofizi
Shirozi (Hafiz of Shiraz, 1971), Kamoli Khujandi (Kamol Khujandi,
1976), Iftikhori Sharq (The Pride of the Orient, 1983), Akademisian
Abdulghani Mirzoev (Academician Abdulghani Mirzoev, 1984), Ad-
abiyoti Forsi va Tojiki dar Nimai Duvvumi Sadai 15 Milodi (Persian
and Tajiki Literatures During the Second Half of the 15
th
 Century,
1985), Zindagi dar Teatr (Life in Theater, 1985), Dar Safi Buzurgon
(Among the Great Ones, 1986), Paivandi Qarnho (The Connection of

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