DUSHANBE, June 12, Asia-Plus -- National Hero of Tajikistan also Hero of Socialist Labor, Tajik national poet Mirzo Tursunzoda has been awarded Russia’s decoration “Star of Asia and Africa” posthumously.  

Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Ramazan Abdulatipov handed the decoration to the poet’s son Masoud Tursunzoda at a reception the was held in the building of the Russian Embassy in Dushanbe yesterday on occasion of Russia Day (Russia’s Independence Day).   

Mirzo Tursunzoda, who was chairman of the Soviet Committee for Solidarity with Peoples of Asia and Africa in 1956-1977, was awarded the decoration for his considerable contribution to expansion of cooperation with peoples of Asian and African continents.  

Mirzo Tursunzoda (1911-1977) was an important poet and  a prominent politic figure of Tajikistan. Today Tursunzoda has been elevated to the level of a national hero of Tajikistan. Tursunzoda''s face appears on the front of the one Somoni note. The town of Tursunzoda is named in his honor. He was awarded the Stalin and Lenin prizes.