Muhammad Qahraman

Qahraman, Muhammad (b. 1929), son of Muhammad Sadiq Mirza. Born in Turbat Haydariyya, he was named Sultan Muhammad. His grandfather, the Qajar Muhsin Mirza Zilli, a poet and translator of renown, had mastery of French and his works in prose and verse appeared in the Armaghan journal. His father had departed to Tehran at the age of 18 to further his studies, but he married Muhsin Mirza’s daughter, returned to his hometown, found employment at the Finance Administration, though he retired after two years and engaged himself in agriculture in the estates inherited from his father. His mother was an educated woman of refined taste who wrote some novels which are unpublished. His paternal uncle, Murtaza Mirza Qahraman, a poet with nom de plume ‘Ishq, and his father, Hasan’ali Mirza Shuja’ al-Saltana, with the nom de plume Shikasta, were renowned poets of vigor. Qahraman lost his mother and father at the ages of five and 13 respectively. He received his primary education in his hometown and studied at high schools in Tehran and Mashhad. A classmate of Mahdi Akhawan Thalith in grade five, he remained friends to the latter’s death which plunged him into deep grief. In his youth, Qahraman departed for Tehran and studied at the School of Law. Upon his graduation, he returned to his birth place, the village of Khurramabad in Turbat Haydariyya and engaged himself in agricultural activities. He settled in Mashhad in 1959, found employment at Bank-i ‘Umran, though he retired after a year and a half. He began his work at the university library in December 1961 and after 27 years retired in 1988. Qahraman was raised in a family interested in literature and poetry and endowed by such background, he composed poetry at an early age. He collected pastoral twin couplets and local expressions and proverbs in the beginning and composed ghazals in the dialect of Turbati from the age of 14 and composed poetry in all poetical genre from the age of 30. A skillful poet composing in all poetical forms, he mainly composed ghazals, hence his recognition as a ghazal poet. A follower of the Indian style of poetry, his compositions are particularly vigorous and delicate and he is regarded as one of the most distinguished contemporary ghazal poets. His works include: edition of the divans of Shihab Turshizi (d. 1801), Siydi Tehrani, Sa’ib Tabrizi, Kalim Hamadani, Nazim Hirawi, Mirza Razi Danish Mashhadi. He also published an anthology of poets following the Indian style.

Farhang-i Sukhanwaran-i Nami-yi Mu’asir (4/ 2850-2857).