Nabi Alekber oghlu Babayev (Azerbaijani: Nəbi Ələkbər oğlu Babayev; December 10, 1924 – January 15, 2007), better known as Nabi Khazri (Azerbaijani: Nəbi Xəzri), was an Azerbaijani poet, playwright, publicist, translator and screenwriter.
Nabi Khazri was born on December 10, 1924, in the village of Khirdalan to an ethnic Azeri merchant family. His father, Karbalai Alekber Baba oghlu (1873–1933) was a merchant and the son of a Shia Muslim cleric. Khazri graduated from secondary school and began his career. After participating in the Second World War in 1942–1943, he worked as an editor at the editorial office of the "Communist" newspaper in 1943–1945 and worked as broadcaster at "Azerbaijan radio". At the age of 20 he was invited to the Union of WritersbySamad Vurgun. He studied at Azerbaijan State University in 1945–1947, at Leningrad State University in 1947–1949, and Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in 1949–1952. After completing his education in 1952, Nabi Khazri worked as a consultant at Azerbaijan Writers Union until 1957 and in 1957–1958 as a literary worker at the editorial office of the "Literature and Art" newspaper. He worked as the secretary of the Union of Writers of Azerbaijan in 1958–1965, the chairman of the Azerbaijan State Television and Radio Broadcasting Committee in 1965–1971, and the Deputy Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan in 1971–1974. Since 1974, Nabi Khazri was the chairman of the presidium of the Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of Azerbaijan which were renamed "The World of Azerbaijan" International Relations Center in 1992.[1][2]
Nabi Khazri died of acute ischemic stroke at 10:45 am on January 15, 2007, and was buried on 1st Alley of Honor on January 16.[2]
His first book of poems, "Prosperous Dreams" was published in 1950. Nabi Khazri was the author of "Years and coasts" (1969), "Caravan of the stars " (1979), "Generations-centuries" (1985), "White lightnings" (1986), "I swear on the soil" (1989), "The leaves of the plane tree" (1995), "The bloody tulips of the Century" (1996) and other books.[citation needed] Nabi Khazri's poems have been translated and published in many different languages. His literary translations have enabled Azerbaijani readers to get acquainted with poetry of the world. A book of selected works by Nabi Khazri was also published in Tehran in 1988 by transferring it to the Arabic alphabetbyPiruz Dilanchi.
Nabi Khazri was awarded several orders and medals for his literary and social activities, including the highest state awards and orders of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan
