P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Prominent Tajik Figures of the Twentieth Century

159
Latifi, Otakhon

Tajik politician and journalist Otakhon Latifi was born in Panjakent
in 1936. He joined the CPSU in 1956.
Latifi graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Leninabad State
University in 1963. Thereafter, he worked for Irfon Publishers and
served as Editor for Komsomolets Tadzhikistana and Komsomoli Toji-
kiston. From 1964 to 1973, he was a special reporter for Komsomol-
skaia Pravda in Central Asia and Kazakhstan. In 1973, he became
Pravda's special reporter in Tajikistan.
Latifi joined the Communist Party in 1956 and left the party in the
latter part of the 1980s after he became an advocate of Gorbachev's
perestroika (openness). Between 1989 and 1991, he was Tajikistan's
Vice-Premier. As a founder of the Rastokhez Movement, after the defeat
of the Opposition in 1993, he fled to Moscow and stayed away from
Tajikistan for the next four years.
Latifi played a major role in the United Tajik Opposition, and re-
turned to Dushanbe after the Government and the Opposition signed a
peace accord in Moscow.
Latifi's contributions include Tiramohi Zarrin (The Golden Summer,
1974) and Ruzgori Sohibdilon  (The Days of the Wise, 1985) , which he
wrote with the cooperation of A. Rabiev.
Latifi received the Badge of Honor and the Honorary Order of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan.
He was assassinated in September, 1998.
Loiq Sherali
See Sheraliev, Loiq.
Lutfi
See Obidkhojaev, Lutfullo.

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160
M
Mahkam Pulod
See Pulodov, Mahkam.
Mahkamov, Burhon
Tajik poet Burhon Mahkamov, also referred to as Burhon Farrukh
and Burhon Farrukh, was born into a family of workers in Konibodom
in 1929. He joined the CPSU in 1952.
Mahkamov graduated with a degree in Tajiki language and literature
from the Khujand State University in 1944. Between 1950 and 1956, he
worked for the Communist Party. Thereafter, until 1962, he worked for
Pioniri Tojikiston and Mash'al. From 1962 to 1965, he was employed
by Education Publications. Finally, from 1965 to 1977, he was an em-
ployee of the Ministry of Publications. His poetry depicts the social and
political trends of his time.
Mahkamov's contributions include "Subhi Bahor" ("A Spring Morn-
ing," 1946), "Asrori Yak Noma" ("The Secrets of a Letter," 1965),
"Vasfi Javoni" ("Describing Youth," 1970), "Gunbadi Asror Omiz"
("The Mysterious Dome," 1974), "Surudi Zindagi" ("The Anthem of
Life," 1976); "Khandai Iqbol" ("The Laughter of Fortune," 1980), and
"Okharin Ishtiboh" ("The Last Mistake," 1984).
Mahkamov joined the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union in 1965.
He received the Badge of Honor and the Order of the Presidium of the
Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan.
Mahkamov passed away, no date is available..