Prof Shafi Shauq gets Padma Shri for his contribution to education, literature
Srinagar, Jan 25: Eminent Kashmiri scholar, poet, linguist and translator Prof Shafi Shauq on Sunday was named among the recipients of the Padma Shri Award 2026, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, for his outstanding contribution to education, language and literature.
Expressing happiness over the recognition, Prof Shauq said that it was a moment of great joy to see his name among those who have truly made a difference in society. “I have received many awards and honours in the past, but the Padma Shri is given to very few individuals who have excelled in different fields of life. Being counted among them is a matter of immense pride,” he said.
He said that he was informed early in the morning over phone and that the officials were well aware of his literary work and books. “I never wrote for awards or recognition. I simply accepted whatever came my way,” he added.
Prof Shauq has authored dozens of books in English and Kashmiri, including works on poetry, history, dictionaries and grammars. He has also received several international awards for his poetic contributions. “This honour holds a special place as his name now stands alongside legendary literary figures such as Akhtar Mohiuddin and Rehman Rahi, who were earlier conferred with the Padma Shri,” he said.
With academic background in science and English, Prof Shauq devoted over five decades to Kashmiri language and literature. He served as a professor at the University of Kashmir for more than three decades, teaching Kashmiri literature and guiding students and research scholars. “If my work helps students and researchers, that itself is a great achievement for me,” he said. (KNO)
