P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Mirshakar, Mirsa'id

Tajik poet and playwright Mirsa'id Mirshakar was born on May 5,

1912, into a family of herders in Badakhshan. He received his early

education in Dushanbe, and worked for the Kommsomol-Tajikistan

Daily. He joined the CPSU in 1942.

From 1940 to 1960, he was the secretary and associate director of

the Union of Writers of Tajikistan. Between 1966 and 1975, he was the

Associate Director for the Committee that awards the Rudaki State

Prize. And in 1978, he became the head of that committee.

Mirshakar published his first long poem, entitled "Lavoi Zafar"

("The Banner of Victory") in 1934. He also was active in the production

of materials for children. As a result of his untiring efforts, the works of

Muhammad Iqbal and Khalil Somoni were published in Tajikistan for

the first time in 1958.

Mirshakar's major contributions include "Rubo'iyyot dar borai

Lenin" ("Quatrains About Lenin," 1938), "Bahori Jovid" ("Eternal

Spring," 1940), "Dostoni Qishloqi Tilloi" ("The Story of the Golden

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