P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Ikromi, Jalol

Tajik author Jalol Ikromi was born in Bukhara in 1909. His father

was an educated man interested in the Russian language and culture.

From childhood Ikromi, too, was interested in literature and science. He

joined the CPSU in 1945.

Ikromi received his education first in the new method-schools in

Bukhara and later (1922) at the Dorul-Mu'allimin of Bukhara. While

there, he became acquainted with Muhiddin Aminzoda and Payrav

Sulaymoni. Hearing that Sadriddin Aini was coming from Samarqand to

Bukhara, Ikromi composed a poem entitled "Ba Dukhtaroni Tojik" ("To

Tajik Girls") and presented it to the master. After analyzing the poem,

Aini advised Ikromi to stick to prose. Ikromi thus wrote his first prose

work, entitled "Shabi dar Rigistoni Bukhoro" ("A Night in the Rigistan

of Bukhara"). It was published in Rahbari Donish in1927. When the

Dorul-Mu'allimin in of Bukhara moved to Samarqand, Ikromi moved

with it so that he could benefit from Aini's knowledge. Ikromi's stay in

Samarqand, however, was short-lived. He returned to Bukhara to get

married (1930).

Between 1928 and 1930, Ikromi's "Shirin" ("Sweet"), "Rahmatullo

Ishon" ("Rahmatullah Ishan"), "Chi Boyad Kard?" ("What Needs To Be

Done?"), "Yak Havzi Purkhun" ("A Pond Filled with Blood"),

"Ghalaba" ("Victory"), and "Dor ur-Rohati Musulmonon" ("The Place

of Rest for the Muslims")  were published in Rahbari Donish.

Ikromi's enthusiasm for language took him to the Dorul-Mu'allimin  of

Tashkent. In 1930, he participated in the First Congress of Tajik Lan-

guage Specialists . Recognizing the need for talented writers and poets

in the young republic, in the same year, Ikromi took his family to

Stalinabad. There he worked on the Committee for Scientific Research,

and later on served as the editor of Rahbari Donish.

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