Born: 12 December 1928 · Died: 10 June 2008 · Age: 79
Renowned Kyrgyz author who wrote in both Kyrgyz and Russian
Did you know?He served as the Soviet ambassador to Luxembourg and later represented independent Kyrgyzstan in various European nations.
Quick facts
Date of birth12 December 1928
Date of death10 June 2008
Age at death79
Cause of deathPneumonia, kidney failure
NationalityKyrgyz
BirthplaceSheker, Kyrgyzstan
Occupationpolitician, diplomat, journalist
Editor's Take:
Chinghiz Aitmatov brought the steppes and mountains of Kyrgyzstan into world literature. He wrote in Kyrgyz and Russian. His stories set ancient legends against Soviet modernity, as in the story of a man forced to forget his own mother. His work was hugely popular across the USSR and translated widely. He remains a national hero in Kyrgyzstan. A memorial complex near Bishkek marks his grave. Readers across Central Asia still treasure his books.
Key Milestones
1958: Publishes Jamilia
1963: Wins the Lenin Prize
1980: Publishes The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years
1990: Becomes an ambassador
Chinghiz Torekulovich Aitmatov (12 December 1928 – 10 June 2008) was a Kyrgyz author who wrote mainly in Russian, but also in Kyrgyz. He is one of the best-known figures in Kyrgyz literature.
Chingiz Aĭtmatov's birthday is December 12. He was born on December 12, 1928 in Sheker, Kyrgyzstan.
How old was Chingiz Aĭtmatov when he died?
Chingiz Aĭtmatov died on June 10, 2008, aged 79.
Who shares a birthday with Chingiz Aĭtmatov?
Famous people who share Chingiz Aĭtmatov's December 12 birthday include Gustave Flaubert, Frank Sinatra, Edvard Munch, Jennifer Connelly and Alfred Werner.