Today is the birthday of the outstanding Azerbaijani poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, an outstanding Azerbaijani poet, playwright, and literary critic of modern Azerbaijan, and Honored Art Worker.

He was born on August 16, 1925, in the city of Sheki.

In 1934, the future poet moved with his family to Baku and, after graduating from high school here, in 1942 entered the Philological Faculty of Azerbaijan State University. In 1947, he graduated from the university, and in 1950, he completed his postgraduate studies. Working from 1950 at Azerbaijan State University in the positions of lecturer, associate professor, and professor, he devoted more than 50 years of his life to the development of education in the country.

In 1951, Bakhtiyar Vahabzade defended his candidate's thesis, and in 1964, his doctoral dissertation in philological sciences. His works were the first to be dedicated to the creative path of Samed Vurgun. He published various monographs on this topic. These works, based on scientific facts, reveal the connection of modern literature with the traditions of classical Azerbaijani literature, and the innovation brought by Samed Vurgun to the development of literature in Azerbaijan. He was one of the authors of the two-volume "History of Azerbaijani Literature."

In 1980, he was elected a corresponding member, and in 2000, a full member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (NASA).

Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, who is one of the brightest personalities in Azerbaijani literature, played an important role in enriching our artistic thought through his work. The master of the pen focused on events that occurred at various stages of the history of the Azerbaijani people, starting from ancient times, and vivid images of outstanding personalities.

His works - lyrical poems, dramas, and publications - have been translated into many languages of the world. The poet's creative path began during the Great Patriotic War.

He was elected five times as a deputy to the Supreme Council of People's Deputies of the republic, and then was a deputy of the Milli Mejlis (1995-2000).

In the 1960s, Azerbaijani literature was able to distance itself from communist ideology, and a national spirit began to appear in the works of literary figures, although these works were still far from politics. And only the poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade was able to release a work that reflected the fate of the Azerbaijani people, whose lands were divided between Russia and Iran at the beginning of the 19th century into Northern and Southern Azerbaijan - the poem "Gulistan" (1959). For this poem, Bakhtiyar Vahabzade was persecuted by the Soviet authorities and in 1962 was dismissed from Azerbaijan State University, being accused of "ardent nationalism." He was reinstated only two years later.

Bakhtiyar Vahabzade's dramatic works, in which many events of our history come to life, played a major role in educating the younger generation. His plays were successfully staged in Azerbaijani as well as foreign theaters, bringing fame to their author.

Vahabzade is the author of more than 70 books ("Light into Deep Layers," "Artist and Time," "Greatness in Simplicity," "Time and I," "Warmth of the Native Hearth"), two monographs, 11 scientific-journalistic books, and hundreds of articles. The poet's plays - "Conscience," "Second Voice," "After the Rain," "Scream," "The Sword That Strikes Us," "Unpunished Sin," "Gallows" - were staged at the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theater.

He is the author of more than 20 poems on historical and contemporary themes - "Gulistan," "Istiglal," "Abandoned," "Martyrs," and others.

The poet also contributed to Azerbaijani science as a research scientist. The scientific community always met with great interest his works, which are the result of research in