Khalilullah Khalili, Afghan National Literary Treasure

Today marks the 24th death anniversary of Khalilullah Khalili, the famous Afghan poet and diplomat and one of the Afghan literary treasures.

Khalilullah Khalili was born in Kabul in 1907 and died on May 4 in Islamabad, Pakistan at the age of 80.
Khalilullah Khalili, known as Ustad Khalili, was the son of Mirza Hossain Khan Mustaufi.

He was a professor of history and literature at Kabul University until 1949, when he became Minister of Information and Culture. He served in Parliament and in 1963 became a diplomat.

Late Khalili lost his father when he was seven during the kingdom of Amir Amanullah Khan.

He was a great poet whose works are known internationally including his poetry especially quatrains, and many of his works have been translated into English. He was the author of more than 62 works ranging from poetry to fiction and sufism.

After the Communist invasion of Afghanistan, he became known as the poet of the Afghan resistance with the publication of his collection, ''Blood and Tears.''

One of his famous books is "Hero of Khorasan", on Habibullah Kalakani, Emir of Afghanistan in 1929.

His last poetry collection was ''Nights of Exile,'' published in Pakistan.

Khalili is also considered one of those who wrote the first samples of the new Persian poetry in Afghanistan that is referred to as Nimayi poetry named after the founder of the school Nima Yoshij in Iran.

He is one of the few Afghan poets whose poems have been included in Afghan school books.

Ustad Khalili has left behind four sons, Nejat, N.J., Jarullah, Motassim and Massoud Khalili, Afghanistan's ambassador in Spain, and four daughters including Marie Nasiri, Saleha Sarem, Salma Yousufzai and Batool Safi.