R-Day Special: Celebrating The Legacy Of Kashmiri Padma Shri Awardee Professor Shafi Shauq

From translating the poetry of Kashmir’s revered Sufi saint Sheikh-ul-Alam from Kashmiri into English to mastering languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit and Arabic, poet and scholar Professor Shafi Shauq has built an extraordinary literary legacy. His pen name, Shauq—meaning curiosity—aptly reflects his wide-ranging intellectual interests and remarkable linguistic abilities.

Now 75, Professor Shauq began his academic journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Degree College, Anantnag. His growing fascination with literature later led him to pursue a doctorate in English, marking a decisive shift in his scholarly path.

His academic ambitions extended further when he undertook advanced studies in the Kashmiri language, becoming the first permanent faculty member of the Department of Kashmiri at the University of Kashmir. He retired in 2010 after a distinguished career that included serving as Head of the Department of Kashmiri, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Dean of Music and Fine Arts.

Widely regarded as an authority on Kashmir’s language, culture and spiritual traditions, Professor Shauq has authored 106 books. His work spans not only Sheikh-ul-Alam but also the mystic poet Lala Ded, the Sufi saint’s spiritual counterpart and one of Kashmir’s most significant female voices.

Born in the small village of Kapren in Shopian district of south Kashmir, his love for literature was shaped early in life. He grew up listening to Persian and Kashmiri stories narrated by his father, a self-taught man with no formal education, whose storytelling left a lasting imprint on his son’s intellectual and creative pursuits.

He credits his taste for literature to his brother, who, having remained only as a teacher at a school in his village, was, for him, a doyen who also compiled the poetry of Sheikh-ul-Alam.

Belonging to a modest family, with his father owning a small orchard and also doing business in the walnut, he cultivated an interest to learn languages other than Kashmiri from within the family.

Professor Shauq, whose family named him Mohammad Shafi Lone, says he was influenced by his brother Ghulam Nabi Lone, who was 20 years older to him and was known by the pen name Naji Munawar (Naji meaning teacher). An educational institution is named after his brother in South Kashmir. “My brother had a great influence on me, and I have virtually learnt from his lap. He was the one who was my first mentor,” says Professor Shauq.

“I did my BSc from Anantnag Degree College. But I had a deep craving for learning, I also developed an interest in Kashmiri, Persian and Arabic and know these languages. But the quest does not end here, you have to learn for the entire life,” he says.

Speaking about his work, Professor Shauq says he has authored 106 books, including translations of Sheikh-ul-Alam’s writings, as well as five English-language volumes on Lal Ded.

He has devoted his life to the promotion of literature and has donated his land and property in his native village for this purpose. The premises now house a library where readers can access literary works. “I have dedicated my land and building in the village to the cause of art and literature. This award, I believe, should inspire those who wish to spread knowledge and light the way for others,” says the former Sahitya Akademi awardee.

Former students remember Professor Shauq as a deeply learned teacher and a committed researcher. Writer and poet Mushtaq Mehram, one of his earliest students, recalls his broad literary insight. “He remained a researcher throughout his life, and his contribution, especially his work on Sheikh-ul-Alam, is immense,” he says.