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AzerNEWS Staff

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President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have signed an obituary honoring the memory of People's Poet Nariman Hasanzada, at the age of 95, AzerNEWS reports.

The obituary describes Hasanzade as one of the most distinguished figures of modern Azerbaijani literature, a recipient of the Heydar Aliyev Award, an individual presidential scholarship holder, an Honored Art Worker, and a People's Poet of Azerbaijan.

Nariman Hasanzade was born on February 2, 1931, in the village of Poylu in Azerbaijan's Gazakh district. After graduating from secondary school, he studied at the Faculty of Language and Literature of the Hasan bey Zardabi Ganja State Pedagogical Institute between 1949 and 1953. He later continued his education at the Maxim Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow from 1957 to 1961.

In 1962, Hasanzade enrolled in postgraduate studies at what is now Baku State University, where he completed his dissertation and earned a Candidate of Sciences degree in 1965.

Beginning his professional career in 1962, Hasanzade worked for the "Azerbaijan Youth" newspaper, the "Azerbaijan" literary magazine, and the Azerbaijan State Television and Radio Committee. From 1978 to 1991, he served as editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Literature and Art", playing a significant role in strengthening its influence on the country's literary and cultural life.

Between 1991 and 2001, he held the positions of First Deputy Minister and Acting Minister of Press and Information of Azerbaijan. From 2001 until the end of his life, he headed the Department of Humanities at the National Aviation Academy.

The obituary highlights Hasanzade's outstanding contribution to Azerbaijani literature, noting that his poetry brought a fresh voice while remaining faithful to the rich traditions of national literature. His works, centered on patriotism, national freedom, traditional values, and moral integrity, earned him a lasting place among Azerbaijan's leading literary figures.

His poems, known for their sincerity, lyrical style, and expressive language, reflected the emotions and aspirations of contemporary Azerbaijani society. His narrative poems and verse dramas explored key moments and prominent personalities in the nation's history through the lens of patriotism and statehood. Many of these works were successfully staged in theaters and warmly received by audiences. Numerous songs based on his poetry continue to enjoy widespread popularity.

Beyond his literary achievements, Hasanzade was recognized as a scholar, educator, and public figure. Throughout his career, he actively participated in Azerbaijan's cultural and public life, serving as director of the Azerbaijan branch of the USSR Literary Fund and as a deputy in local councils and the 12th convocation of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan.

The obituary also notes that Hasanzade consistently demonstrated a deep sense of civic responsibility and devoted himself to the preservation and promotion of Azerbaijan's cultural and spiritual values.

His decades of service to Azerbaijani literature and culture were recognized with some of the country's highest state honors, including the "Shohrat Order" (2001), the "Sharaf Order" (2011), the "Istiglal Order" (2021), and the "Heydar Aliyev Order", which he received in 2026.