The Most Famous
WRITERS from Tajikistan
This page contains a list of the greatest Tadzhik Writers. The pantheon dataset contains 7,302 Writers, 3 of which were born in Tajikistan. This makes Tajikistan the birth place of the 96th most number of Writers behind Turkmenistan, and Sri Lanka.
Top 4
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Tadzhik Writers of all time. This list of famous Tadzhik Writers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Rudaki (860 - 941)
With an HPI of 67.75, Rudaki is the most famous Tadzhik Writer. His biography has been translated into 54 different languages on wikipedia.
Rudaki (also spelled Rodaki; Persian: رودکی; c. 858 – 940/41) was a poet, singer, and musician who is regarded as the first major poet to write in New Persian. A court poet under the Samanids, he reportedly composed more than 180,000 verses, yet only a small portion of his work has survived, most notably a small part of his versification of the Kalila wa-Dimna, a collection of Indian fables. Born in the village of Banoj (located in the present-day Rudak area), the most important part of Rudaki's career was spent at the court of the Samanids. While biographical information connects him to the Samanid amir (ruler) Nasr II (r. 914–943), he may have already joined the court under the latter's predecessor, Ahmad Samani (r. 907–914). Rudaki's success was largely due to the support of his primary patron, the vizier Abu'l-Fadl al-Bal'ami (died 940), who played an important role in the blooming of New Persian literature in the 10th-century. Following the downfall of Bal'ami in 937, Rudaki's career deteriorated, eventually being dismissed from the court. He thereafter lived his last years in poverty, dying blind and alone in his hometown. In Iran, Rudaki is acknowledged as the "founder of New Persian poetry" and in Tajikistan as the "father of Tajik literature".
2. Vladimir Voinovich (1932 - 2018)
With an HPI of 53.70, Vladimir Voinovich is the 2nd most famous Tadzhik Writer. His biography has been translated into 28 different languages.
Vladimir Nikolayevich Voinovich (Russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Войно́вич, 26 September 1932 – 27 July 2018), was a Russian writer and former Soviet dissident, and the "first genuine comic writer" produced by the Soviet system. Among his most well-known works are the satirical epic The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin and the dystopian Moscow 2042. He was forced into exile and stripped of his citizenship by Soviet authorities in 1980 but later rehabilitated and moved back to Moscow in 1990. After the fall of the Soviet Union, he continued to be an outspoken critic of Russian politics under the rule of Vladimir Putin.
3. Gulnazar Keldi (1945 - 2020)
With an HPI of 48.02, Gulnazar Keldi is the 3rd most famous Tadzhik Writer. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Gulnazar Keldi (Tajik: Гулназар Келдӣ; 20 September 1945 – 13 August 2020) was a Tajikistani poet from Dardar and editor of the publication Adabiyet va sanat (Literature and Art). Keldi wrote the lyrics of "Surudi Milli", the national anthem of Tajikistan.
4. Iskandar Khatloni (1954 - 2000)
With an HPI of 42.05, Iskandar Khatloni is the 4th most famous Tadzhik Writer. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Iskandar Khatloni (Tajik: Искандар Хатлонӣ; October 1954 – September 21, 2000) was a journalist from Tajikistan who worked for Radio Free Europe and was murdered in Moscow, Russia while covering the Second Chechen War.
People
Pantheon has 4 people classified as Tadzhik writers born between 860 and 1954. Of these 4, none of them are still alive today. The most famous deceased Tadzhik writers include Rudaki, Vladimir Voinovich, and Gulnazar Keldi. As of April 2024, 1 new Tadzhik writers have been added to Pantheon including Iskandar Khatloni.
Deceased Tadzhik Writers
Go to all Rankings
Rudaki
860 - 941
HPI: 67.75
Vladimir Voinovich
1932 - 2018
HPI: 53.70
Gulnazar Keldi
1945 - 2020
HPI: 48.02
Iskandar Khatloni
1954 - 2000
HPI: 42.05
Newly Added Tadzhik Writers (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Writers were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 3 most globally memorable Writers since 1700.
