Halima Xudoyberdiyeva
Uzbek poet and journalist, People’s Poet of Uzbekistan from 1992, editor-in-chief of the magazine Saodat (1984–1994) and first chair of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan.
Biography
Halima Xudoyberdiyeva was born on 17 May 1947 in the Boyovut district of the Sirdaryo region, in a peasant family. After secondary school she studied at the Faculty of Journalism of Tashkent State University (1968–1972).
Her first collection, “First Love” (Ilk muhabbat, 1968), appeared while she was still a student. After graduating she began work as a department head at the magazine Saodat. The collections “White Apples” (1973) and “Chaman” (1974) made her known to a wide readership. In 1975–1977 she attended the Higher Literary Courses in Moscow; “My Mountains, My Support” (1976) and “Grandfather Sun” (1977) came out in those years, and “White Apples” was also published in Russian in Moscow.
She headed a department at the Yosh Gvardiya publishing house in 1978–1982, was deputy editor of Saodat in 1982–1983 and its editor-in-chief in 1984–1994. In 1991–1994 she was the first chair of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan.
Her poems deal with love, loyalty, the homeland and the fate of women. Her later books include “The Sacred Woman” (1987), “There Are Those Who Lived to See These Days” (1993) and “What Tomyris Said” (1996); a volume of selected poems appeared in 2000. She also wrote journalistic articles.
She received the Order of the Badge of Honour in 1984 and the Hamza State Prize of the Uzbek SSR in 1990; in 1992 she was given the title People’s Poet of Uzbekistan. In May 2017, for her 70th birthday, a presidential decree awarded her the order “El-yurt hurmati”.
Halima Xudoyberdiyeva died in Tashkent on 17 August 2018, aged 71. In 2021 she was awarded, posthumously, the order “Fidokorona xizmatlari uchun”.
Education
- National University of UzbekistanUniversity · Tashkent · 1968–1972 · Faculty of Journalism
- Maxim Gorky Literature InstituteUniversity · 1975–1977 · Higher Literary Courses
Career
- Yosh Gvardiya publishing houseHead of a department · Tashkent · 1978–1982
- Saodat magazineDepartment head, deputy editor, editor-in-chief (1984–1994) · Tashkent · 1972–1994
Awards
People's Poet of Uzbekistan1992 · Uzbekistan
Order «El-yurt hurmati»2017 · Uzbekistan
Order «For Selfless Service»2021, posthumously · Uzbekistan
Hamza State Prize of the Uzbek SSR1990 · Uzbek SSR
Order of the Badge of Honour1984 · USSR
Life path
- 1968First collection
“First Love” was published while she was a student.
- 1968–1972Tashkent State University
Studied at the Faculty of Journalism.
- 1972At Saodat magazine
Began her career as a department head.
- 1973–1974“White Apples” and “Chaman”
Collections that made her known to readers.
- 1975–1977Higher Literary Courses
Studied in Moscow; “White Apples” was also published in Russian.
- 1978–1982Yosh Gvardiya publishing house
Head of a department.
- 1984–1994Saodat magazine
Editor-in-chief (deputy editor in 1982–1983).
- 1984Order of the Badge of Honour
Awarded on 16 November.
- 1990Hamza State Prize
Laureate of the Hamza State Prize of the Uzbek SSR.
- 1991–1994Women’s Committee
First chair of the Women’s Committee of Uzbekistan.
- 1992People’s Poet of Uzbekistan
Received the honorary title.
- 2017Order “El-yurt hurmati”
Awarded for her 70th birthday.
- 2018Death
Died in Tashkent on 17 August.
- 2021Order “Fidokorona xizmatlari uchun”
Awarded posthumously.
Books
- “First Love”1968 · Poetry collection
Her first book, published in her student years.
- “White Apples”1973 · Poetry collection
The collection that made her known to readers; later published in Russian in Moscow.
- “Chaman”1974 · Poetry collection
A collection that followed “White Apples”.
- “My Mountains, My Support”1976 · Poetry collection
A book published during her studies in Moscow.
- “Grandfather Sun”1977 · Poetry collection
A collection of poems from her mature period.
- “The Sacred Woman”1987 · Poetry collection
A collection devoted to the images of woman and mother.
- “There Are Those Who Lived to See These Days”1993 · Poetry collection
A book of poems published in the years of independence.
- “What Tomyris Said”1996 · Poetry collection
A book of poems on historical themes.
- “Selected Poems”2000 · Selected works
A volume of selected poems from different years.