Zulfiya

The beloved poetess of the Uzbek people, a well-known public figure, and an advocate for the struggle for international peace, Zulfiya Isroilova, was born in 1915 in Tashkent into a family of craftsmen. While studying at a women's educational institution (1931-1934), the poetess began to practice writing poems in literary circles. From 1935 to 1938, she studied in the postgraduate program at the Institute of Language and Literature named after A.S. Pushkin of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan.

Then, from 1938 to 1948, she worked as an editor at the Children's Publishing House, a department head at the State Publishing House of Uzbekistan, and from 1950 to 1953, as a department head at the «O'zbekiston xotin-qizlari» magazine, and finally, from 1953 to 1980, she served as the editor-in-chief of the «Saodat» magazine. 

Zulfiya entered the ranks of Oydin, Myuzayyana Alaviya, and Khosiyatkhan Tillakhonova with her first poetry collection titled «Hayot varaqlari» (Pages of Life) (1932), which she wrote at the age of 17. The young poetess's poetry is dedicated to modern, topical themes. The role of Uzbek and Russian classics, folklore, and world literature traditions was immense in Zulfiya's creative development.

The poetess dedicates her poetic works such as «She'rlar» (Poems) and «Qizlar qo'shig'i» (Song of Girls) (1938) to Motherland and the hot lives of the cotton growers, mechanics, and tractor drivers working in its fields and deserts. At the same time, the poems in these collections were also important as works characterizing the period when the young poetess was mastering the secrets of poetic skill.

During the Great Patriotic War, the publication of the poetess's collections such as «Uni Farhod der edilar» (They Called Him Farhad) (1943) and «Hijron onlarida» (In Moments of Separation) (1944) was a sign that Zulfiya was boldly entering the ranks of leading poets. The poems in the collection are characterized by being created in the spirit of love for the Motherland, hatred for the enemy, and faith in victory.

Zulfiya's hopeful poems such as «Mening Vatanim» (My Homeland), «Qo'limda qurolu ustimda shinel» (Weapon in My Hand, Greatcoat on Me), and «Bizni kut» (Wait for Us) have taken a firm place among the works representing the militant spirit of Uzbek poetry of the war period.

A number of poems written by the quick-witted poetess in the post-war years, such as «Chorjo'y—Qo'ngirot» (1947), «Dalada bir kun» (A Day in the Field) (1948), «Zootexnik qiz» (The Zootechnician Girl) (1952), and «Tong qo'shig'i» (Morning Song) (1953), as well as collections and poems such as «Men tongni kuylayman» (I Sing the Morning), «Yuragimga yaqin kishilar» (People Close to My Heart) (1958), «Kuylarim sizga» (My Songs to You) (1965), «Salom, sizga erkparvar ellar» (Greetings to You, Freedom-loving Nations), and «O'g'lim, sira bo'lmaydi urush» (My Son, There Will Never Be War), sing enthusiastically about the praise of the Homeland and the life of people showing dedication in the labor process, and curses are uttered against bloody wars.

Her sketches, poems, and epics, such as «So'roqlaydi shoirni she'rim» (My Poem Inquires About the Poet) (1960), «Oydin» (1953), and «Quyoshli qal'a» (Sunny Fortress) (1967), are dedicated to the bright memories of masters such as H. Hakimzoda, Oybek, Oydin, and Hamid Olimjon. The multi-talented Zulfiya also created plays and opera librettos based on H. Olimjon's epics «Semurg» and «Zaynab va Omon».

Zulfiya was a laureate of the State Prize of the Republic named after Hamza for her poetry collections such as «O'ylar» (Thoughts) and «Shalola» (Waterfall). She was awarded the Union State Prize for her «Saylanma» (Selected Works), the All-India Prize named after Jawaharlal Nehru for her poems on Indian themes, and the international «Nilufar» (Lotus) prize for her works celebrating peace and friendship and her active participation in the movement of progressive Asian and African writers.

At the same time, Zulfiya's artistic and journalistic works written in the spirit of international friendship, peace, and internationalism merge with her great social activities. The poetess visited countries such as India, Yugoslavia, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Burma, and Austria. Zulfiya, a member of the Soviet Women's Committee, participated in the first Conference of Asian and African Writers held in Delhi in 1956 and created the famous work «Mushoira» (Poetic Contest) (1958) dedicated to the memory of the large assembly.

Her poems have been translated into Russian, English, German, Hindi, Bulgarian, Chinese, Arabic, Persian, and other languages. The poetess skillfully translated the works of Nekrasov, Lermontov, S. Shchepachev, V. Inber, Lesya Ukrainka, Edi Ognesvet, M. Dilboziy, and Amrita Pritam into Uzbek. A major public figure, the poetess Zulfiya was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan and the chairperson of the Soviet Committee for Communication with Asian and African Countries (1962).

The government rewarded Zulfiya's fruitful creative work and active social activities with the title of Hero of Socialist Labor, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor three times, and medals. She was awarded the first-class «Cyril and Methodius» Order of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. In 1975, on the occasion of her 60th birthday, the poetess was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples.

At the same time, she is a laureate of the former Soviet State Prize and a Hero of Socialist Labor. Today, taking into account Zulfiya's services to the peace of the homeland and society, the State Prize named after «Zulfiya» has been established.