P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Abdullo, Ghani
Tajik poet and playwright Ghani Abdullo, Rashid Abdullo's brother,
was born on March 11, 1912, to a family of laborers in Samarqand.
Abdullo received his early education in the traditional schools of
Samarqand. He joined the CPSU in 1963.
Abdullo graduated from the Samarqand Pedagogical Institute in
1932. Soon after graduation, Abdullo joined the Education Commis-
sariat of the Republic of Tajikistan, working in the public education
sector in Dushanbe. Still later, he became the Secretary of the Union of
Writers of Tajikistan, then the leader of the Literature Division of the
Lahuti Theater. Like his brother, Rashid, he was imprisoned by Stalin's
regime, but unlike his brother, he survived the torture.
Ghani Abdullo's literary career began in the early 1930s as a lyrical
poet. His early works, in Uzbeki, include Satrhoi Sokhtmon (The Levels
of the Building, 1932) and Bo Nomi Vedding (Vedding by Name, 1933);
both works were published in Tashkent. Abdullo's Tajik poetry appears
under the title of Sado (Sound, 1935); he also published a story entitled
"Du Sohil" ("Two Shores," 1935), as well as several works on literary
criticism, including one dealing with the works of Jalol Ikromi (1933).
Ghani Abdullo's later career is that of a playwright who wrote about
contemporary issues and the history of the Tajiks, especially the
struggles of the Soviets in World War II. His contributions include
Vodii Bakht (The Realm of Luck, 1934), Rustam va Suhrob (Rustam and

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Iraj Bashiri

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Suhrab, 1935), and Shurishi Vose' (The Vose' Uprising,  1936). It is not,

however, until 1956 and 1957 that his Sharafi Inson (Man's Honor) and
Surudi Kuhsor (The Song of the Mountains) appeared on the Tajik stage.
Then, a year later, his Tufon (Storm) brought the life of V. I. Lenin to
the Tajik theater for the first time. His other plays, including Hurriat
(Freedom) and Mo az Bomi Jahon (We, From the Roof of the World,
1965) were staged shortly thereafter.
Ghani Abdullo was a People's Distinguished Artist of Tajikistan. He
joined the Union of Writers of Tajikistan in 1934 and was awarded the
Rudaki State Prize for literature in 1972. He passed away in Dushanbe
in 1984.