Elmira Gafarova

Elmira Mikayil gizi Gafarova (1 March 1934 – 1 August 1993) was an Azerbaijani politician and diplomat.

Early life Gafarova was born on 1 March 1934 in Baku, Azerbaijan. In 1952, she completed her secondary education and was admitted to Azerbaijan State University in 1953. In 1958, she graduated from the university with a degree in Philology and continued with her postgraduate studies until 1961 when she obtained her PhD in Philology. Gafarova was the deputy of the Komsomol committee of the university. In 1958, she was admitted to Azerbaijan Communist Party. In 1962, she was appointed the chairwoman of the Organization Committee Center of Azerbaijani Komsomol and served as the first secretary of the organization from 1966 to 1970. She was also elected to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan. From 1987 through 1991, she was the Speaker of Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR and was elected deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. When she was the speaker of parliament, Gafarova played a significant role in restoring the historic name of Ganja on 30 December 1989, and made the Nowruz, celebrated throughout Azerbaijan, an official public holiday on 13 March 1990. She is also credited with passing a law on restoration of independence of Azerbaijan on 18 October 1991 and admission of the Azerbaijan Republic to the United Nations on 2 March 1992.

Awards Gafarova has been awarded with various orders and medals of the USSR.[1She's been awarded with Order of the Red Banner of Labour and Order of Honor during her career.

Elmira Gafarova died on 1 August 1993 in Baku, Azerbaijan. She was buried in the Alley of Honor.