P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Prominent Tajik Figures of the Twentieth Century

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stories are centered on the life of Tajikistan's youth during the war and

in peace time. The lives of collective farmers and laborers of Tajikistan
are of special interest to him.
Tursun began writing during his school years. His first short story in
1967 was entitled "Dar Roh" ("On the Road"). His first collection of
short stories, Dilli Garm (Warm Heart), was published in 1971. His
other contributions include "Sukuti Qullaho" ("Silence at the Peaks,"
1974); "Kamoni Rustam" ("Rustam's Bow," 1976); "Paivand" ("Con-
nection," 1976); "Az Subh to Shom" ("From the Morning Until Night,"
1979); "Barf Ham Miguzarad" ("The Snow, Too, Will Pass," 1983);
"Zindagi dar Domani Talhoi Surkh" ("Life on the Slopes of Red Hills,"
1983); and others.
Tursunov became a member of the Union of Writers of Soviet Union
in 1972. He received the Honorary Order of the Presidium of the
Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan.
Tursunzoda, Mirzo
Tajik poet Mirzo Tursunzoda was born on May 2, 1911, into a fam-
ily of wood workers in the village of Qaradogh of Hissar. He received
his early education first from his father, and later by attending Soviet
schools. He joined the CPSU in 1941.
Tursunzoda graduated from the Tashkent Pedagogical Institute in
1930. For a while, he worked in Dushanbe at Javononi Tojikiston, and
in Khujand in the literary division of the theater of the region. Then,
between 1946 and 1977, when he died, he was the Director of the Union
of Writers of Tajikistan.
His first work, Parchami Zafar (The Banner of Victory), was pub-
lished in 1932. He was a regular participant of the literary gatherings
convened by Sadriddin Aini, in both Samarqand and Dushanbe.
Tursunzoda's language was simple; he made extensive use of the
language of the masses. His version of Shurishi Vose' (The Vose' Up-
rising)--the first opera of Tajikistan--was presented on stage in 1939.
His other works include Qessai Hinduston (The Story of India, 1947),
Man az Sharqi Surkh (I Am from Red East, 1951), and Sadoi Osio (The
Voice of Asia, 1956).
Tursunzoda was an innovative poet. His poems "Dar Kishvari Toji-
kiston" ("In the Country of Tajikistan," 1952) and "Hasani Aroba Kash"
("Hassan the Cartman," 1954), indicate his dedication to the develop-

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