Sayed Yousuf Mirranay

Sayed Yousuf Mirranay (Pashto: سيد يوسف ميړنی), was an Afghan political figure. A prominent member of the Afghan Social Democratic Party (Afghan Mellat), he was born in 1947 (1326 Hijra) in the Khogiani district of the Nangarhar province at the foothills of the Spin Ghar Mountains. His father Haji Sayed Jalal belonged to a religious family of the Ahmad Khil village in Eastern Afghanistan. His Brother Dr. Syed Gulam Farooq Mirranay is an Afghan scholar, political and social reformist and politician, who was an elected member of the House of the People or Wolesi Jirga in 2005 and is the official spokesperson for the Afghan Social Democratic Party (Afghan Mellat).

Mirranay, after the completion of his studies in the Kaga Primary School went to Kabul and pursued his education in Ibn-I-Sina High School and finally graduated from the Kabul Technical High School in 1965 (1344 Hijri). Soon after graduation he got a job with Ariana Afghan Airlines and started his work in the Kandahar International Airport. Meanwhile, it was during 1965 that the Afghan Social Democratic Party (Afghan Mellat) was established and Yousaf Mirranay was among the first to join it. Mirranay although very young started his political life by fighting for the realization of his party's ideals, which was the creation of a united, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan. His stands and his struggle for the creation of a just and democratic society in Afghanistan brought him face to face with the regimes of the time in Afghanistan. Mirranay became an unwanted person for the government and therefore was transferred from one department to another as he himself once wrote, " apart from the Ministry of Foreign affairs, which was not meant to be for the people like me, I practically served in almost every Department of the Government".

Mirranay joined the Institute of Industrial Management and was able to successfully complete his studies.

Yousaf Mirranay is also known for his academic works. He was fluent in Pashto, Dari and English and has been the author of numerous books and articles on aspects of Nationalism and the history, literature and culture of the Afghans. From among many of his academic works only two booklets entitled "Nation and Nationality" and "Culture" has been published.

Mirranay like numerous other members of his party and other supporters of nationalistic and democratic values in Afghanistan was considered a threat to the Communist Government of Afghanistan established after the coup of April 1978. He was imprisoned soon after the coup but was released after a short period. In August 1978 he was imprisoned for the second time, never to be seen again.

Mirranay's writings were based on his understanding of his society, his people and the Afghan culture Mirranay believed that lack of a truly democratic and strong central government in Afghanistan could jeopardize the independence and sovereignty of the country. To achieve such a goal, he believed that he had to fight what he saw as the reactionary and autocratic regimes of the time inside Afghanistan and externally to struggle against all what he saw as imperialistic and colonial powers.

Mirranay even in his young age envisaged the dangers of imported ideologies for the country and warned about international conspiracies. He travelled to every province, many villages and mosque and warned the people not to remain indifferent to what was happening in their country. His advice for the people of Afghanistan was to bring up the Afghan children with Islam and the Afghan culture. Mirranay was strongly of the opinion that creation of a united, strong and prosperous Afghanistan is possible only if people of all ethnic backgrounds in the country are given the opportunity of participating in the social, political and economic life of the Afghan society

Named in his honour a traffic intersection, Sayed Yousef Mirranay Choke, Jalalabad, Afghanistan, commissioned by the Government of Afghanistan in Jan 2010

In Jan 2010, Afghanistan Government named in his honour a traffic intersection, Shaheed Sayed Yousef Mirranay Choke in Jalalabad city, Afghanistan. The ceremony was attending by senior government officials.

His family resided in Australia since the early 90s. His eldest son, Dr. Said Khushal Mirranay is a medical doctor and a well-known and respected figure in the Afghan Australian community.