DUSHANBE, November 20, 2008, Asia-Plus — Tajik Journalists’ Union (TJU) has announced the competition for the Abulqasem Lohouti 2008.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the TJU executive secretary Poulod Nourov said that only materials published in print media and aired on radio and TV in 2008 would be accepted for the competition. Only members of Tajik Journalists’ Union have the right to participate in the competition for the award.
“The Lohouti Award is given to journalists for their contributions to development of Tajik journalism,” the executive secretary said.
The deadline for sending materials is February 10, 2009. The awarding ceremony for the winners of the competition is held on March 11, when Tajikistan marks a Day of the Tajik Press.
Abulqasem Lohouti (1887-1957) was a Persian poet and political activist who was active both in Iran (during the Persian Constitutional Revolution) and in Tajikistan (in the early Soviet era).
Born in Kermanshah to a poet by the name Mirza Ahmad Elhami, his first poem was printed in the newspaper
Habab al-Mateen
in Calcutta at the age of 18.
He soon entered politics and even received a medal from Sattar Khan for his efforts.
After being convicted by a court in Qom to death, he fled to Turkey, but soon returned and joined forces with Sheikh Mohammad Khiabani in Tabriz. His forces defeated Mahmoud Khan Puladeen’s troops, but were soon disbanded by freshly dispatched forces. He fled to Baku.
In 1925, he went to Dushanbe and joined the friends of Sadriddin Ayni. His poetry was welcomed by audiences and gained him the position of the founder of Soviet Tajik poetry.
Lohouti is the author of Tajikistan national anthem. Lahouti”s other works include “Kovai Ohingar” (“Kaveh the Blacksmith,” 1947), “Qasidai Kremel” (“Ode to the Kremlin,” 1923), and “Toj va Bairaq” (“The Crown and the Flag,” 1935). His collection of poetry, in six volumes, was published in 1960-1963. He died on March 16, 1957, in Moscow.
