P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Prominent Tajik Figures of the Twentieth Century

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

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Usmon, Toji

Tajik author and journalist Toji Usmon was born in Khujand on July

12, 1906. He joined the CPSU in 1930.

Usmon graduated from the State University of Central Asia in Tash-

kent in 1933. Between 1933 and 1953, he served as associate Editor of

Tojikistoni Surkh, Editor of Khujand's Bo Rohi Lenin, and associate

Editor of the satirical journal Khorpushtak.

Usmon's first stories appeared in Tojikistoni Surkh in 1930. In 1957,

he published an account of the lives of prominent Tajik women entitled

Bistu Si Adiba (Twenty-Three Intellectual Women). He also published

many articles and studies in praise of the workers and farmers, but

against the oppressive regime of the Soviets.

Usmon's works include "Kashfi Asror" ("Discovery of Secrets,"

1959); "Sho'ira Mahasti Khujandi" ("The Poetess Mahasti Khujandi,"

1962); "Dukhtari Niqobpush" ("The Masked Girl," 1965); and "Mubo-

rak Qadam" ("With Auspicious Steps," 1965).

Usmon joined the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union in 1967. He

died in Khujand on October 23, 1968.