Internationally known Russia-language writer Timur Zulfikarov has been awarded the Pushkin Gold Medal for his outstanding contribution to literature. The award ceremony took place in Moscow on October 15 during the 17th International Slavic Literary Forum “Golden Knight,” according to artist and singer Irina Dmitrieva-Vann, who announced the news on her Facebook page.
The ceremony was held at Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. Forum president and Russian People’s Artist Nikolai Burlyaev recalled that Zulfikarov celebrated his 90th birthday this year, describing him as “the finest writer of the late 20th and early 21st century.”
Zulfikarov was unable to attend the ceremony in person. However, he recorded a video message the previous day, which was shown to participants.
In his address, the writer reflected humorously on reaching the age of 90 and on the longevity of poets.
“Poets rarely live to such a melancholy age — 90 years. It even arouses a certain suspicion. How did a poet manage to last that long! But I believe that at some point a poet can step over a certain fence and find himself in the company of grey-bearded sages. Those ones already live a long time,” Zulfikarov said.
He added that when he turned 90, he asked artificial intelligence which poets had lived to a similar age.
“It told me that Sa’di lived to 92. At that point I realized that only Sa’di would come to my anniversary, while the rest would be commemorating me in cemeteries,” he said.
The International Slavic Literary Forum “Golden Knight” has been held since 2010. It is supported by Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, the Union of Writers of Russia, the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute, the Foundation for the Study of the Legacy of P.A. Stolypin and the literary fund “Road of Life.”
The forum aims to preserve the traditions of Russian classical literature and bring together authors whose works reflect its motto: “For moral ideals, for the elevation of the human soul.”
Timur Zulfikarov, born on August 17, 1936, in Dushanbe, is a poet, playwright and novelist associated with both Tajik and Russian literature. His works have been translated into 12 languages, and he has received numerous international literary awards.
In 1993, Zulfikarov received the British literary award Collets for his novel The Earthly and Heavenly Travels of the Poet, which was recognized as the best novel in Europe, according to the biographical information provided.
In 2004, his novel Golden Talks of Khoja Nasreddin won the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award, founded by the Tolstoy family, in the category recognizing an outstanding work of Russian literature. In 2005, his novel Coral Snake was named Russia’s book of the year.
Zulfikarov also received the Ivan Bunin Prize for Zolotye pismena lyubvi (The Golden Letters of Love). In cinema, he contributed lyrics to the art-house melodrama Listen, Is It Raining?, directed by Georgy Natanson and released in 2001, featuring singer Lina Mkrtchyan and music by composer Isaac Schwartz. His screenwriting credits include Mirazhi lyubvi (1987) and Tasfiya (2017).