Tursun Kudakeldiuly Zhurtbay
Tursun Kudakeldiuly ZHURTBAY was born on 15 August 1951 in the village of Shagan, Abai District, Semey Region (now East Kazakhstan Region).
Main Stages of Professional and Creative Activity
1958–1964 - studied at primary and lower secondary schools in Kyzyltastybulak, Yekiasha, and Bashkol (Beskaragai District).
1964 - lived with his father, Kudakeldi Zhurtbayuly, in the Degelen nuclear testing site area.
1964–1968 - studied at and graduated from the secondary school named after Hero of the Soviet Union Zh. Moldagaliev in the village of Shagan, Abai District.
1968–1969 - worked as an accountant and records clerk at Branch No. 3 of the Kyzyltu State Farm in Abai District.
1969–1974 - studied at and graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of the Kazakh State University named after S. M. Kirov (now Al-Farabi Kazakh National University).
1974–1976 - correspondent for the regional newspaper Zhetisu of Almaty Region.
1976–1980 - literary staff member and subsequently editorial department head at the journal Bilim zhane Enbek (now Zerde).
1979–1980 - concurrently served as a correspondent in Kazakhstan for the all-Union popular science magazine Tekhnika Molodezhi (Technology for Youth).
1980–1990 - literary staff member of the Literary Criticism Department of the journal Zhuldyz; subsequently headed, in succession, the Poetry, Essays and Publicism, Literary Criticism, and Prose Departments. Until 1998, he also worked as an adviser to the Editor-in-Chief under an employment contract.
1982–1992 - member of the Literary Criticism Council of the Union of Soviet Writers.
1984–1998 - member of the Editorial Board of the journal Zhuldyz.
1984–2021 - member of the Board of the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan.
1984 - participated in the All-Union Conference of Young Writers in Moscow.
1987–1991 - Chairman of the Legal Commission under the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan, on a voluntary basis.
1990–1992 - on the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences, was invited to work as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department for the Study of the Literary Heritage of M. O. Auezov at the Institute of Literature and Art named after M. O. Auezov (Auezov House Museum).
1990–1991 - lectured at Abai Almaty State University.
1991–1996 - President of the Association of Literary Critics and Scholars under the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan, on a voluntary basis.
1991–2001 - Senior Lecturer at the Faculties of Philology and Journalism of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.
1992–1996 - Head of the Department for the Study of the Literary Heritage of M. O. Auezov at the Auezov House Museum.
1992–1997 - President of the International M. O. Auezov Charitable Foundation.
1992–1998 - concurrently served as Academic Adviser to the journal Aqiqat.
1996–1998 - Director of the M. Auezov House Scientific and Cultural Centre of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
1998–2001 - Doctoral student and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Literature and Art.
1999–2001 — concurrently served as Academic Adviser and Editor at the Kazakh Newspapers Open Joint-Stock Company.
2001–2018 - Director of the Otyrar Kitapkhanasy Scientific Centre at L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
Since 2018 - Chief Research Fellow at the Otyrar Kitapkhanasy Scientific Centre at L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
2006; 2008 (March–July); 2013; 2018 (September–December) - delivered lectures at the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing on the history of Kazakh culture, the history of Kazakh literature, the psychology of creativity, Abai studies, and Auezov studies.
2001–2011 - member of the Specialized Academic Council for the defense of doctoral dissertations at L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
Academic Degrees and Titles
1992 - was awarded the degree of Candidate of Philological Sciences by the Specialized Academic Council of the Institute of Literature and Art named after M. O. Auezov. The degree was based on his monograph Beiuaq and his dissertation report entitled “Historical and Artistic Truth in M. Auezov’s Novellas ‘Kily Zaman’ and ‘Karash-Karash’.” Academic supervisor — Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor M. Myrzakhmetov.
2000 - defended his doctoral dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philological Sciences at the Specialized Academic Council of the Institute of Literature and Art named after M. O. Auezov. The dissertation, entitled “M. Auezov’s Creative Life and Artistic World,” was based on his monograph “Besigingdi Tüze!..”. Academic adviser — Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor S. Kirabayev.
2001 - awarded the academic title of Associate Professor in the specialty “Literary Studies” by decision of the Higher Attestation Committee.
2001 - awarded the title of Professor of L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University by decision of the University Academic Council.
2002 - awarded the academic title of Professor in the specialty “Literary Studies” by decision of the Higher Attestation Committee.
2010 - elected a Full Member (Academician) of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Kazakhstan.
Honorary Professor of the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing (2013) and Shakarim State University of Semey (2011).
Creative Achievements
1992 — awarded the international Alash Prize named after Sh. Kudaiberdyuly by the Union of Writers of Kazakhstan for his monograph Beiuaq.
1995 — awarded the I. Zhansugurov Republican Literary Prize for his two-volume historical work Dulyga.
2010 — received an award from the International Organization of Turkic Culture TÜRKSOY for promoting the culture and science of the Turkic world.
1999, 2000, 2020 — recipient of the Scholarship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of literature and culture.
Awards and Decorations
1996 — Certificate of Honour from the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for strengthening cultural relations between the two countries.
1997 — UNESCO Certificate of Honour for his contribution to the development of cultural relations.
2001 (August) — Badge of Honour “For Outstanding Contribution to the Science of Kazakhstan.”
2001 (December) — Certificate of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan “For Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
2001 (December) — Jubilee Medal “10 Years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
2004 — Commemorative Medal “100th Anniversary of Mikhail Sholokhov”, awarded by decision of the Presidium of the Municipal Academy of Russia.
2007 — Jubilee Medal “10 Years of Astana.”
2007 — Gold Medal named after A. Baitursynov, awarded by the Association of Higher Educational Institutions to outstanding authors.
2011 and 2018 — Kultegin Badge of Honour “For Outstanding Scientific Achievements and Contribution.”
2011 (December) — Medal “20 Years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
2011 — Silver Medal named after A. Baitursynov, awarded by the Association of Higher Educational Institutions to outstanding authors.
2017 — Jubilee Medal “20 Years of Astana.”
2020 — International Abai Medal of TÜRKSOY.
Honorary Citizen of Abai District of Abai Region (2001) and Urzhar District (2017).
January 2026 — the “Alashtanu Lecture Hall of Professor T. K. Zhurtbay, Honored Figure of Kazakhstan” was opened at Shakarim State University in Semey.
State Awards
2015 — awarded the honorary title “Honored Figure of Kazakhstan.”
2021 — awarded the Order of Parasat.
2026 — awarded the Order of Barys, 1st Class.
Author of 134 literary, popular science, and scholarly monographic books.
