Shafi Shauq
A Kashmiri poet, scholar and translator with over 100 books and two Sahitya Akademi awards, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
Shafi Shauq has spent his life writing in Kashmiri and carrying its literature into other languages. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Shri in the field of literature and education, from Jammu and Kashmir [1].
Teacher
Shauq was born on 18 March 1950 in Kaprin village, Shopian district [2]. After a science degree from the University of Kashmir in 1970, he did his MA, MPhil and PhD in English there [2]. He taught at the university for 33 years, retiring as head of the English department and dean of both the arts and oriental learning faculties [2].
Writer
He has written, edited or translated more than 106 books in Kashmiri, English, Hindi and Urdu [2]. His works include a Kashmiri dictionary, Kaeshur Lughat, a Kashmiri grammar, and a history of Kashmiri language and literature [2]. His poetry includes Yaad Aasmaanan Hinz (Remembering the Skies) [2]. His translation series The Best of Kashmiri Literature brings Kashmiri writing to English readers [2].
He has worked on national reference projects such as the Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature and the Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre, and has written for television and film [2].
He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for poetry in 2006 and for translation in 2007 [2].
Sources
- [1] Padma Awards 2026: list of awardees — Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Accessed 11 October 2026.
- [2] Padma Awards 2026 investiture ceremony brochure: citation for Shafi Shauq — Press Information Bureau, Government of India. Accessed 12 October 2026.
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