Rehman Rahi

Rehman Rahi (born March 6, 1925, Srinagar) is an Kashmiri poet, translator and critic. He was awarded the Indian Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961 for his poetry collection "Nawroz-i-Saba", the Padma Shri in 2000, and India's highest literary award the Jnanpith Award (for the year 2004) in 2007. He is the first Kashmiri writer to be awarded the Jnanpith, India's highest literary award.

Rehman Rahi began his career as a clerk in the government and was associated with the Progressive Writers' Association, of which he became the General Secretary. He was later a sub-editor in the Urdu daily "Khidmat". He did an MA in Persian (1952) and in English (1962) from Jammu and Kashmir University where he taught Persian.

He has long been an ardent advocate of the Kashmiri language. On getting the Jnanpith, he said, "I see the award as an honour for my poetry, and above all an honour for the language(KASHMIRI) in which it was composed and for the people who use this language." [ [http://www.indianexpress.com/iep/sunday/story/25332.html indianexpress.com ] ]

Published works

Rahi's major works include: [http://www.greaterkashmir.com/Home/Newsdetails.asp?newsid=4960&Arch=Arch&issueid=171]
* "Sana-Wani Saaz" (poems)
* "Sukhok Soda" (poems)
* "Kalam-e-Rahi" (poems)
* "Nawroz-i-Saba" (poems)
* "Kahwat" (literary criticism)
* "Kashir Shara Sombran"
* "Azich Kashir Shayiri"
* "Kashir Naghmati Shayiri"
* "Baba Fareed" (translation)
* "Saba Moallaqat"
* "Farmove Zartushtan"
* "Seyah Rudi Jerean Manz" (collection of Kashmiri poetry)
* "Koesher Shyiree Te Waznuk Surati Hal" (Kashmiri poetry and its parameters).

References

External links

* Announcements of the Jnanpith award in [http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/11/stories/2007031102961000.htm The Hindu] , [http://www.indianexpress.com/iep/sunday/story/25332.html Indian Express] , and [http://www.greaterkashmir.com/Home/Newsdetails.asp?newsid=4960&Arch=Arch&issueid=171 Greater Kashmir]