Rasul Gamzatovich Gamzatov

Rasul Gamzatovich Gamzatov was an outstanding Avar Soviet poet, prose writer, publicist, and a Soviet and Russian public and political figure, as well as a translator. Rasul Gamzatov was born on 8 September 1923 in the Dagestani village of Tsada into the family of a well-known poet. In his youth he began writing poetry in the Avar language. In 1940, after finishing school, Gamzatov worked as a teacher and published his works in local newspapers. His first poems appeared in Dagestani newspapers in 1943 and brought him recognition in literary circles.

 

In 1950 Gamzatov enrolled in the Literary Institute in Moscow, where he studied Russian literature and refined his poetic style. In 1952 his first collection of poems, 'High Stars', was published. By 1963 Gamzatov had gained all-Union recognition thanks to the collections 'My Dagestan' and 'The Cranes'. In 1974 the poet was awarded the Lenin Prize. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Gamzatov continued to actively write poetry and prose, remaining a sought-after author in the post‑Soviet space. Rasul Gamzatov died on 3 November 2003 and was buried in a Muslim cemetery at the foot of Mount Tarki-Tau, next to his wife's grave. Documentary and television films have been dedicated to Rasul Gamzatov; numerous monuments have been erected in his honor, and streets, libraries, educational institutions, and museums have been named after the poet.