Mohammad Yousuf Taing (born 1935 in

Shopian Shopian (), known as Shupyan () in Kashmiri, is an administrative division of the Shopian district. It is located in southern part of Kashmir Valley, of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Shopian is called the ''Apple town of Kashmir'' as majority o ...

, India), also known as M. Y. Taing, is a researcher, scholar, critic, writer, politician and historian. He is also biographer of

Sheikh Abdullah Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (5 December 1905 – 8 September 1982) was an Indian politician who played a central role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah was the founding leader and President of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Confer ...

. He is a prolific literary thinker writing in three Indian languages. Previously served as secretary to

Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Jammu () is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary source ...

, member of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, director of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, he is currently serving patron of Jammu and Kashmir Centre for Creative Arts (JKCCA), in office since 2021. He also served as member of

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council (also known as the ''Jammu and Kashmir Vidhan Parishad'') was the upper house of the legislature of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. History The first Legislature was established by the ...

(MLC) twice from the National Conference and deputy chairman of

Early years

Taing was born at

, in

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

in 1935. The traditional occupation of his family was fruit trading. He had his early schooling in his hometown and later went on to graduate from the

University of Kashmir University of Kashmir (UoK), informally known as Kashmir University (KU), is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public State university (India), state university located in the Hazratbal neighbourhood, on the western side of ...

. Then, he joined the weekly journal Jahani Nav, published from

Srinagar Srinagar (; ) is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary ...

, as its editor. This was the beginning of his journalistic career. Later he was to work on the editorial side of the weekly Aaina, in close collaboration with its editor Shamim Ahmed Shamim. He also worked for other newspapers in Srinagar such as Aftab, Zamindar, Haqeeqat and Chattan.

Career

Taing joined the Department of Information for the

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory since 2019 * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered by India as a state from 1952 to 2019 * Jammu and Kashmir (prin ...

Government as the Assistant Editor of its monthly publication 'Tameer', and he took over as

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, a ...

of the journal. It was during his stewardship of Temeer between 1958 and 1960 that it assumed notable status as a literary journal devoted to

Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to: * People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir * Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley * Kashmiri language, the language of the Kashmiris ethnic group People with the nam ...

language and literature. He assumed editorial duties of the Urdu bi-monthly Sheeraza, an organ of the

, in 1962. This began a long association with the organization, which he came to head as

Secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

in 1973. He continued to head this body until 1993. During his tenure, the

Academy An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

rendered yeoman's service for the promotion of languages and literature of the state, as well as the encouragement of research. Taing has also worked as the

Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of Information,

Cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

Adviser,

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...

, and Director General of Culture, all for the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

Publications

He has published four critical works in

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

and English, and edited more than a dozen books on literary subjects. In addition to this, he has written numerous research papers and contributed to literary and cultural treaties. A collection of Taing's Kashmiri writings was published in 1988 under the title 'Talash'. This was followed by a collection of his Urdu writings under the title ''Shinakht''. His critically acclaimed work ''Mahjoor Shinasi'' (criticism) won him the

Sahitya Akademi Award The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...

in 1998. This work comprises fourteen articles on the life and works of Ghulam Ahmad Mahjoor, the harbinger of

modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

poetry. This work, which comprehensively evaluates the poetry of the

poet, takes full advantage of the methods and principles of historical and biographical criticism and discusses the intrinsic literary worth of

Mehjoor Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad (August 1885 − 9 April 1952), known by his pen name as Mahjoor, was a poet of the Kashmir Valley. He is especially noted for introducing a new style into Kashmiri poetry and for expanding Kashmiri poetry into previously u ...

as well as his influence on modern

poetry. Taing has traveled extensively within and outside the country. He has visited

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

, United States, former

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

as a member of literary delegations, he is the very first living literary figure of

language in whose Honour a private literary organization has published a full-fledged Special Number of its magazine. He was the sole amanuensis of the late

Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (5 December 1905 – 8 September 1982) was an Indian politician who played a central role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah was the founding leader and President of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Confer ...

's autobiography entitled 'Aatish-e-Chinar' which won the

. He has compiled and edited several other books with critical annotations and well-researched introductions. These include Kashmiri Zaban Aur Shairi (in three volumes), Heemal, Gulrez, Waliullah Mattoo Kuliyat-e-Maqbook, Kuliyat-e-Rasul Mir, Kashmir Mein Urdu, Kuliyat-e-Mahjoor, Parbat Aur Panghat and Yi Chhu Son Watan.

Awards

Recognizing his contribution to literature and education, the

President of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...

honoured Taing with the

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...

in 2008. Taing also won the

and the Best Book Prize from

in 1994. Other accolades include the Robe of Honour and Silver Plaque from the President of Auqafi Islamia in 1986 and the Robe of Honour from Adabi Markaz Kaamraz in 1998. The J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages also conferred on him its robe of Honour in 1999 and made a documentary film on him. He was nominated in 1999 to the

to represent art and culture. He has been the Chief Patron of Gurjar Desh Trust

Jammu Jammu () is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute ...

for the language journal "Awaz-e-Gurjar" for the last 15 years.

Books

* ''Tlash'' 1988 (Criticism) * ''Kulyat-e-

Mahjoor Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad (August 1885 − 9 April 1952), known by his pen name as Mahjoor, was a poet of the Kashmir Valley. He is especially noted for introducing a new style into Kashmiri poetry and for expanding Kashmiri poetry into previously u ...

'', 1982 (Edited) * ''Kulyat-e-

Rasul Mir Rasul Mir (Kashmiri language, Kashmiri: ) also known as Rasul Mir Shahabadi, was a Kashmiri romantic poet born in Doru Shahabad. He is often referred to as ''imām-e-ishqiya shairi (The epitome of romantic poetry) for his literary contribution t ...

'', 1984, 1997 (Edited) * '' Maqbool Shah Kralwari'' (2 volumes) 1972, 1978 (Edited) * ''Mahjoor Shinasi'', 1993 (Criticism) * ''Rash'', 2001 (Research) * ''Shesh Rang Research and Criticism'', 2005 * ''Ranga Devay'', 2007 * ''Kashir Kitab History – Heritage'' – 2008 ;In

* ''Shinakht'', 1987 (Criticism) * ''Kashmiri Zaban aur Shairi'', 3 volumes (Edited) * ''Kashmir Mein Urdu'', 3 volumes (Edited) * ''Jesta Jesta'' (Research) 2001 * ''Kashmir Qalam'', 2010 ; In English: * ''

Yusuf Shah Chak Yoūsuf (Yūsuf) Shāh Chak (Persian: یُوسُفْ شاہ چک) was the fourth Sultan of Kashmir from the Chak dynasty from 1578 to 1579 and then from 1580 to 1586. Yousuf succeeded his father, Ali Shah Chak, who crowned Yousuf before he d ...

'' 1980 (Research) * '' Nehru in Kashmir 2012 ; In

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

* '' Himal-Nagrai''

References