Alishir Ibadinov (1953)
Son of Omar, grandson of Ibadin, Alishir Ibadinov was born 12 December 1953 in the Eskiarab village, Altiarik region, Ferghana province of what was then the Uzbek SSR. After 10 years of schooling, he was employed as successively, sports instructor, insurance agent, and postal worker. In 1972, Ibadinov was conscripted into the Soviet military. He was posted to the Soviet Navy cruiser Admiral Senyavin, calling at the Indian Ocean ports of Bombay, Aden, Port Loui, Mogadishu, Berbera, and Basra.
The stories he wrote during this period appeared in the journal Gulistan (Uzbekistan) in 1975.
After returning to civilian life, Ibadinov entered the Tashkent State University, Faculty of Journalism; and was awarded the Gulistan journal's Annual Prize. During Ibadinov's student years, three of his books on literary criticism were published; and the Uzbek writer Adil Yakubov, in his compilation Uzbek Civilization (Uzbekistan Medeniyeti) devoted an entry to Ibadinov. He also translated E. Berezinkov's novel Red Bukhara (Kizil Buhara).
He subsequently left Tashkent and returned to Ferghana. Presently he is a correspondent of the journal Voice of Uzbekistan (Uzbek Avazi), and continues to publish his own works.
One of Alishir Ibadinov's most important products is entitled "Sun is Also Fire" ("Kuyash Ham Alav"). It appeared in the journal Gulistan in 1980. Given the time and place of its publication, this piece constitutes not only a demonstration of true historical knowledge, but also of exemplary civic courage. This is because Ibadinov dared to write true history as opposed to the history approved by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. It is a historical treatment of Central Asia set during the early middle ages, drawing heavily upon significant works such as Balasagunlu Yusuf's eleventh-century Kutadgu Bilig; Kashgarli Mahmud's eleventh-century Diwan Lugat at-Turk; the eighth-century stelas of Orkhon; and the historian W. Bartold's Turkistan Down to the Mongol Invasion. This work by Ibadinov has been translated into English, with extensive annotations, and published in H. B. Paksoy, Editor, Central Asian Monuments (Istanbul: Isis Press, 1992).
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Basic chronology of Ibadinov's life is adapted from a letter by Alishir Ibadinov to the present writer in 1992. For works at the foundation of Ibadinov's "Sun is Also Fire," see also Talat Tekin, A Grammar of Orkhon Turkic (Indiana, 1968); W. Bartold, Turkestan Down to the Mongol Invasion (London, 1977) 4th Ed.); Balasagunlu Yusuf, Wisdom of Royal Glory, Robert Dankoff, Translator (Chicago, 1983); Kashgarli Mahmut, Compendium of Turkic Dialects, Translated by Robert Dankoff with James Kelly, 3 Vols. (Cambridge, MA., 1982-1984).
by H. B. Paksoy
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