Ibrayım Yusupov

Ibroyim Yusupov (; 5 May 1929 – 24 July 2008) was a Soviet, Karakalpak and Uzbek poet, teacher, translator and playwright. He was the People’s Poet of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan. He was also the Hero of Uzbekistan.

From 1961 to 1962, he was the editor-in-chief of the "Amudarya" journal, and then he worked as a researcher at the Institute of Language, Literature and History of the Academy of Sciences of Karakalpak. From 1965 to 1980, he was the chairman of the Writers’ Union of the Karakalpak Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

In 1990, he was criticized for his anti-Soviet activities because of his poem "Where have they brought us," which sharply criticized the policies of M. Gorbachev.

In 2004, on the occasion of the adoption of the Constitution of Uzbekistan, the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, awarded Ibroyim Yusupov the title of Hero of Uzbekistan and the "Golden Star" medal. President Karimov called Yusupov "one of the weapons of Uzbekistan." He said, "We should have given this title to Yusupov much earlier. I am very proud to be a contemporary and friend of such a great man and poet".

He married Bibizada Jumanazarova, the daughter of Mateka Jumanazarov, the chairman of the Presidium of Karakalpakstan (1941–1960). He was personally acquainted with Sharof Rashidov, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan.

Career He was the People’s Poet of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan (1975), and the Hero of Uzbekistan (2004). He graduated from the Karakalpak Pedagogical Institute in 1949. He was a teacher at the same institute (1949–1961), the editor-in-chief of the "Amudarya" journal (1961–1962), a researcher, a sector head at the Institute of History, Language, and Literature named after N. Dovqorayev, the chairman of the Writers’ Union of Karakalpakstan (1965–1980), the editor-in-chief of the "Soviet Karakalpakstan" newspaper (1980–1985), and the director of the Center for Spirituality and Education of Karakalpakstan (1985–2000).

He translated the works of the classics of world literature into Karakalpak (Mangu Springs, 1986). He was the laureate of the Karakalpakstan State Prize named after Berdaq (1974). Ibroyim Yusupov is considered to be the author of the state anthem of Karakalpakstan. His poem "Dear Friends" was translated into Uzbek by Muhammad Ali.

Awards Hero of Uzbekistan (25 August 2004) "El-yurt hurmati" order (5 April 1999) "Do'stlik" order Order of the Red Banner of Labor (5 April 1979) Medal "For Distinguished Labour" (18 March 1959) People’s Poet of Uzbekistan

Death I. Yusupov’s death was mourned by the first President of the country, I. Karimov. He was buried in the "Shorsha Bobo" cemetery in Nukus.