Normurod Narzullayev

The creative career of the poet and translator Normurod Narzullayev began in 1954. Normurod Narzullayev's poems have been translated into English, Spanish, French, German, Czech, Polish, Vietnamese, Turkish, and Hindi. The People's Poet of Uzbekistan Normurod Narzullayev was awarded the prize of the Uzbekistan Youth Organization.

He was awarded the honorary titles of «Honored Cultural Worker of the Republic of Uzbekistan» and «Excellence in National Education of Uzbekistan», and in 1998 he was awarded the «Shuhrat» (Fame) medal.

Biography

Normurod Narzullayev was born on July 7, 1934, in a peasant family in Xo'jahayron village, Kasbi district of Qashqadaryo region. He received seven years of education at the school in his village. In 1948, he entered the Qarshi Pedagogical College. In 1956, he graduated with honors from the Faculty of Language and Literature of the Samarkand State Pedagogical Institute.

He began his career in 1956. He first worked as a proofreader, then as a literary contributor, department head, and executive secretary for regional newspapers.

From 1968 to 1969, he studied in the postgraduate program of the Uzbek Literature Department at Samarkand State University named after Alisher Navoiy.

From 1969 to 1974, Normurod Narzullayev held responsible positions in Samarkand and Tashkent. In 1974, he was appointed First Deputy Chairman of the Writers' Union of Uzbekistan, and from 1976 to 1981, he served as secretary in this union.

From 1991 to 1996, he served as the editor-in-chief of the «Kamalak» publishing-printing association, and from 1996 to 1997, he served as the director of «Kamalak» publishing house. From 1997 onwards, Normurod Narzullayev worked as a chief consultant at the «Qatortol-Kamolot» production-publishing enterprise of the «Kamolot» youth foundation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The distinguished poet passed away on March 17, 2006.

Creative Work

During these years, his first poems were published on the pages of periodicals. Ten years later, the poet's first poetry collection, «Suyunchi» (Good News) (1965), was published by the Literature and Art Publishing House named after G'afur G'ulom. To date, about thirty of the poet's books have been published.

The poet is the author of collections such as «Sizni Vatan erkalar» (The Motherland Caresses You) (1966), «Mehr chashmasi» (Fountain of Affection) (1970), «Zarafshon zarlari» (Golds of Zarafshon) (1970), «Ufqlarda ko'zlarim» (My Eyes on the Horizons) (1973), «Yog'du» (Radiance) (1974), «Nigohlar» (Looks) (1976), «Lahza va larza» (Moment and Tremor) (1973), «Sevgi sehri» (Magic of Love) (1981), «Oq samanim» (My White Steed) (1982), «Tong elchisi» (Ambassador of Dawn) (1984), the two-volume «Saylanma» (Selected Works) (1984-1985), «Shamolni ushlagan bola» (The Boy Who Caught the Wind) (1985), «Yaxshilik deb yashayman» (I Live for Goodness) (1987), «Ayni vaqt» (The Very Moment) (1989), and «Bosh maydon» (Main Square) (1991).

Normurod Narzullayev's collections of poems and songs titled «Oq farishtam, oppoq farishtam» (My White Angel, My Pure White Angel) (1995), «Yurt ishqida yonaman» (I Burn with Love for the Homeland) (1996), and «Bola ko'zi bilan ko'ring dunyoni» (See the World Through the Eyes of a Child) (1998) left a significant mark on the poet's work.

Normurod Narzullayev's poems have been translated into English, Spanish, French, German, Czech, Polish, Vietnamese, Turkish, and Hindi. Normurod Narzullayev is also famous as a songwriting poet under the pseudonym Narziy. Many songs created based on his poems have won prizes at international and republican competitions. Songs in theatrical works and motion pictures such as «Meros» (Legacy), «Uzilgan torlar» (Broken Strings), «Toshkentda tuman» (Fog in Tashkent), «Sevgi nidosi» (Cry of Love), and «Fotima va Zuhro» also belong to the pen of the poet Normurod Narzullayev.

Translations done by Normurod Narzullayev from the works of Heinrich Heine, Maxim Tank, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Jobir Navruz, Qaysin Quliyev, Ibrohim Yusupov, Andrey Dementyev, and other poets were also welcomed by Uzbek readers.

Normurod Narzullayev was awarded the prize of the Uzbekistan Youth Organization in 1971. He was awarded the honorary titles of «Honored Cultural Worker of the Republic of Uzbekistan» in 1984 and «Excellence in National Education of Uzbekistan» in 1994. In 1998, he was awarded the «Shuhrat» medal. He was awarded the title of «People's Poet of Uzbekistan».