ABIDJON MAHMUDOV
Abidjon Abdukholiqovich Mahmudov was a representative of the Jadidist movement in Turkestan, a state and public figure, a large investor, and a publisher.
He was born on May 12, 1871 in the city of Marghilan. His father, Abdukholiq, was from Bukhara. Abidjon Mahmudov moved to Kokand and received madrasa education there. He went to the Cheleken Peninsula in the Caspian Sea, engaged in oil extraction, and became rich.
He graduated from the Faculty of Mining Engineering of St. Petersburg University. After returning to Kokand, he engaged in the mining industry, and participated in the opening of many oil fields in the Ferghana Valley. He bought the sulfur mine in Shorsuv. He actively participated in the resistance movement in the Fergana Valley and provided them financially. In 1914, he established a printing house in Kokand. He was the editor and publisher of the newspapers “Sadoi Fergana” (1914), “Tirik Soz” (1917), and “Ferganskoe eho” (1914) published in Russian. He appeared in the press with current issues, called the people of Turkestan to be enlightened, and urged them to fight for freedom.
In 1917, Abidjon Mahmudov was elected as the deputy chairman of Kokand City Duma. When the National Center headed by Mustafa Chokai moved from Tashkent to Kokand in early November 1917, they were located in his yard. Abidjon Mahmudov played a major role in the convening of the 4th extraordinary congress of All-Turkistan Muslims and the establishment of the Turkestan Autonomous Government. He worked as a minister of food in the autonomous government. He handed his printing house over to the Autonomous Government. Uzbek and Russian newspapers of the Turkestan Autonomous Government were published in the printing house. According to Pyotr Alekseenkov, he later held the post of Minister of Justice in the Autonomous Government[1].
After the termination of the Autonomous Government by the Soviet authorities in February 1918, according to Mustafa Chokai, Abidjon Mahmudov fell into the hands of the Bolsheviks in Bukhara[2]. In May 1918, after the members of the Turkestan Autonomous Government were pardoned by the Soviet authorities, he went to Moscow in 1919-1921 and worked as the head of the press department and other positions at the Turkestan representative office under the People’s Commissariat of National Affairs of the RSFSR. After returning to Tashkent in 1921, he first worked in the Central Executive Committee of the Turkestan ASSR. Then he went to the Fergana Valley, founded a branch of the “Milliy Ittihad” organization, and carried out anti-Soviet activities. He was imprisoned several times by the Soviet regime. After his release, he died shortly after a serious illness in Kokand on November 21, 1936 at the age of 65[3].
[1] Алексеенков П. Кокандская автономия. –С. 26.
[2] Мустафо Чўқай ўғли. Истиқлол жаллодлари. –Б. 49.
[3] Ражабов Қ. Маҳмудов Обиджон Абдухолиқович //Ўзбекистон миллий энциклопедияси. Т. 5. –Тошкент: “Ўзбекистон миллий энциклопедияси” Давлат илмий нашриёти, 2003. –Б. 559 – 560.
