Prolific Gojri writer, researcher and columnist Dr. Javaid Rahi is a prominent name for his tribal activism in Jammu & Kashmir and beyond.
He has played a remarkable role in the renaissance of the Gojri language and brought the vibrant ethos, history and culture of the Gujjar tribe back to the mainstream.
Dr. Rahi was born in Chandak village of Poonch district, located on the Line of Control. He got his Doctorate in ‘Tribal Languages of Jammu & Kashmir’ from the University of Jammu.
Over two decades, Dr. Rahi has donned the garb of researcher, poet, historian and social reformer, authoring 10 books and editing over 400 Gojri journals, compilations and textbooks, among others. He has also contributed more than 300 articles in English, Urdu and Gojri on Gujjar cultural heritage in various newspapers.
“It is for the first time, writers, sportspersons, educationists, engineers, medical practitioners, social activists and others working for the uplift of the Tribal community have been felicitated. Representation of members belonging to the Tribal community was very poor in the state awards. These Tribal awards will motivate the next generation to excel in their area of work,” said Dr. Javaid Rahi, recipient of Tribal Awards 2021 in Literature
The Gojri academic headed the high-profile, multi-volume research projects for an encyclopedia of Himalayan Gujjars, Hamalyai Gujjar Enclopedeo-Gojri, and Gojri Look Virasti (a folklore dictionary) for the Culture Ministry. He has also prepared a Hindi-Gojri dictionary.
Some of Dr Rahi’s Urdu and English publications are:
- Gujjar Shanakhat Ka Safar
- Jammu Kashmir Ke Qabail Aur Unki Zubanein
- The Gujjar Tribe of Jammu and Kashmir
- Gujjar Tarekh-o-Saqafat
Dr. Rahi is convener and co-coordinator of the Gojri chapter of J&K State Board of School Education and has prepared a Gojri curriculum to be taught up to class 8.
The local activist has seeded many literary-cultural meets in Jammu & Kashmir, including border areas stretching from Teetwal, Tangdar and Keran in Kupwara to Uri in Baramulla; from Khaneter and Chhatral in Poonch to Budhil in Rajouri.
He has also organised provincial, state and national level conferences in both Jammu and Srinagar.
Dr. Rahi has translated several books into Gojri. These include Masnavi Moulana Rum by Jalaluddin Rumi, My Experiments with Truth by MK Gandhi, Gulistan-e-Sadi by Saadi Shirazi and Tareekh Ibn Khaldun, along with William Shakespeare’s Othello and King Lear.
Dr. Javaid Rahi has been published by:
- J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages
- J&K State Board of School Education
- Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, J&K
- Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation
- Other government and non-government bodies
In 1999, Dr. Rahi received the state’s highest literary award for his book ‘Look Virso’ and the Best Playwright Award in 2000 from the Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.
The same year, the Union Ministry of Culture awarded him a National Fellowship to undertake research on tribal and nomadic communities, with special focus on Gujjars.
Other felicitations include a robe of honour from the Haryana Gujjar Samaj.
