P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Himmatzoda, Muhammadsharif

Tajik politician Muhammadsharif Himmatzoda was born on July 6,

1951 to a family of agricultural laborers of Tavildara. His early educa-

tion was in private Islamic schools (clandestine).

Between 1975 and 1979, he worked in the Internal Affairs Depart-

ment of the Kofarnihon district as a staff member. In 1983, he was em-

ployed by the Pilla factory. Between 1983 and 1984, he served as a dis-

patcher for the "Madad" Concern. In 1991, he became a machinist for

the Ministry of Water Works. Between 1991 and 1999, he was the head

of the Islamic Resurgence Party of Tajikistan. In June 1992, he headed a

force in the Tajik civil War that was 8,000-strong. In 1992, after the de-

feat of the Opposition forces, he traveled abroad. In 1993, he became

the Deputy Chairman for the Movement for Islamic Revival in Tajiki-

stan. In 1997, he was elected to the CNR Commission. He lost his posi-

tion as head of the IRPT to Mullo Said Abdullo Nuri. From February

2000 to the present, he has been serving as People's representative to the

House of Representatives.

Himmatzoda received the Order of Dusti (Friendship) of the Repub-

lic of Tajikistan in 1999.

Hodizoda, Rasul

Tajik intellectual and literary critic Rasul Hodizoda was born on

March 6, 1928, into a scholarly family in Samarqand. He joined the

CPSU in 1970.

Hodizoda graduated in 1950 from the State University of Central

Asia with a degree in Perso-Tajik language and literature. Later on, he

earned a doctorate degree in philology and published extensively on the

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