Azernews.Az

Today marks the 188th anniversary of the birth of Hasan bey Zardabi, the founder of the national press of Azerbaijan and a pioneer in science, education, and social reform, Azernews reports.

Zardabi is remembered with deep respect as the man behind many "firsts" in Azerbaijani history: the creator of the first national newspaper, the initiator of the charitable movement in the Muslim East, the founder of the national theater, and the first naturalist and evolutionist scientist in Azerbaijan.

Born on June 28, 1837 in the village of Zardab in the Goychay district, Hasan bey received his early education in a local mullahkhana before continuing at a secondary school in Tbilisi. He later graduated from Moscow University, specializing in natural sciences.

In 1869, he began teaching natural science at a Russian-language secondary school in Baku. His influence extended beyond the classroom. In 1873, together with cultural figures Najaf bey Vezirov and Asker aga Adigozalov, Zardabi staged comedies by Mirza Fatali Akhundzadeh, such as Haji Gara and Lankaran Khan's Vizier, laying the groundwork for Azerbaijan’s national theater.

Zardabi's most enduring legacy began on July 22, 1875, when he founded and published “Ekinchi”, the first Azerbaijani-language newspaper aimed at enlightening the masses. Despite its short run—shut down by tsarist authorities in 1877—Ekinchi played a crucial role in the birth of the national press and intellectual awakening.

In later years, he contributed articles to Azerbaijani and Russian publications like Ziya, Keshkul, Kaspi, and Novoye Obozreniye, continuing his mission of public enlightenment. He was also instrumental in the 1901 opening of the first school for Azerbaijani girls in Baku, promoting gender equality in education.

Zardabi passed away on November 28, 1907, and was originally buried near the Old Bibiheybat Mosque. In 1957, his remains were moved to the Alley of Honors in Baku as a tribute to his monumental legacy.

Today, institutions such as the Azerbaijan Museum of Natural History and the Ganja Pedagogical Institute bear his name, continuing to inspire new generations with the values he championed: education, enlightenment, and national progress.