Javaid Rahi


Javaid Rahi is an Indian author, researcher and tribal social worker. He is a writer and poet in Gojri, Punjabi and Urdu languages.
He has written 25 books and edited over 300 books and issues of magazines in different languages especially in the field of tribal literature, history, and culture of pastoralists including Gujjars, Bakarwals, Shina-Dard, Sippis, and Gaddis— and other Scheduled Tribes groups of India.

Early life and education

Javaid was born in 1970, at Chandak village of Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir. He completed his Master of Arts degree in 1999 and Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Jammu in 2004. He conducted a study on the six "tribal languages" of Jammu and Kashmir including Gujari, Shina, Gaddi, Balti, Purgi and Ladakhi also known as Boti.

Social work and reforms

Rahi started tribal social activism in 1994 through awareness among Tribal and marginalised communities about constitutional rights and guaranties grant to them as Scheduled Tribe. A dedicated chapter on Javaid Rahi's contribution to tribal society of J&K appears in the book “India’s Greatest Reformers – 51 Extraordinary Stories”, written by Prof. K L Johar Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar. The book was published in 2024 and released by the Delhi University.
Through tribal conferences, seminars, and public gatherings, he worked to press for adoption of a national model in J&K, aiming to empower the ST communities previously deprived of constitutional rights under the state's special status pre-2019. In 2019, in result of a long struggle, the nationwide laws including Political Reservation for STs, Forest Rights Act 2006, SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989, Conservation Act 1982 and many other Acts are implemented in J&K "Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation Act, 2019," that empower Scheduled Tribes J&K.
From 2019 he travelled tribal areas of J&K to inform tribal communities about new laws extended.With his awareness programmes thousands of Forest Dwellers tribal families are now enjoying rights under Forest Rights Act of 2006.

Tribal research and literary work

His research studies on tribal communities were carried out for institutions such as Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Tribal Research Institute-J&K, Department of Tribal Affairs, J&K besides community organisations including Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, Jammu and Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation.
Rahi also served as a member of Curriculum Committees for master's degree in Gojri run by University of Jammu and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri and University of Jammu. He also compiled a series of textbooks in Gojri for schools from 1st primary to 12th class, for the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education.
Under his supervision, the first-ever Gujari dictionary was compiled, containing a vast repository of approximately 70,000 words, further enhancing the linguistic heritage of the tribal communities.

Main works

Books

Rahi has authored a number of reference books in Gujari, Urdu, English, and other languages, published by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation.

Dictionaries in Tribal Languages

  • Mono lingual Gojri Dictionary -Published by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, in 2015.
  • Compiled first-ever Hindi- Gojri Dictionary Published by Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation J&K in 2002.
  • Compiled and edited Lughat-e-Gojri Published by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in 2014

    Encyclopedia

  • Research: "Himailyai Gujjar Encyclopedia" a Project of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India allotted under the Cultural Heritage of Himalaya Scheme, published in 2004.

    Research books

  • Jammu Kashmir ke Qabaila-aur-unki Zubanein
  • Gujjar Tribe of Jammu and Kashmir
  • Gujjar Shanakhat Ka Safar
  • Gojri Lok Geet -2018
  • Gujjar Aur Gojri
  • Gujjar Tarekh
  • Tagore ki Chunam Shairi Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages
  • Gojri Grammer Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages
  • Qadeem Gojri Lughat Published by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages

  • Awards and recognition

The government of Jammu and Kashmir awarded Javaid Rahi with the State Level "Tribal Award 2022" presented to him by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha for his outstanding work in the field of tribal research and social reforms. He was also awarded on first 'National Tribal Pride day' on 15 November 2021, by Tribal Affairs Department, J&K Govt.
  • J&K Tribal Awards 2022 : Department of Tribal Affairs Government of Jammu and Kashmir for contribution to Tribal literature.
  • Jagom Memorial National Award’ for his distinguished services in the field of preservation and documentation of intangible tribal folk cultural heritage of Gujjars -Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir
  • BGSB University felicitates Dr. Javaid Rahi
  • Best Book Award Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages"
  • IIT, Jammu Award of Excellence in Tribal Research.
  • University of Jammu honour for lifetime achievements in the field of literature and tribal research.
  • Best Play-script Award in the Gujari language. Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages."
  • National Fellowship Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture in New Delhi.