TEHRAN – A number of Iranian and foreign scholars and promoters of Persian literature have been honored with Ferdowsi Plaques in memory of the poet of the Persian epic masterpiece Shahnameh.

The literati received the plaques during a ceremony held by the University of Ferdowsi in Mashhad on Monday to celebrate National Ferdowsi Day, the organizers announced.

Nimet Yildirim, the head of the Persian Language and Literature Department at Ataturk University in Erzurum who is also the translator of the Shahnameh into Turkish, was among the honorees.

Aleem Ashraf Khan, a scholar from the Persian Department at the University of Delhi, as well as Afghan scholar Abdul Ghafoor Arezo were the other recipients of plaques. 

Members of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature Ali-Ashraf Sadeqi and Ali Ravaqi, as well as lexicographer Hassan Anvari also received plaques.

In addition, vocalist Shahram Nazeri who has performed concerts based on poems from the Shahnameh also received a plaque.

The organizers also unveiled a postage stamp to commemorate National Ferdowsi Day, which is also Persian Language Day.

Photo: Turkish scholar Nimet Yildirim (3rd R) poses with some Iranian cultural figures after receiving a Ferdowsi Plaque at the University of Ferdowsi in Mashhad on May 15, 2017. (Tasnim/Nima Najafzadeh)

RM/MMS/YAW