Famous poet and public figure, laureate of the Gabdulla Tukai State Prize Rustam Zakuanov passed away

The public of the republic suffered an irreparable loss. On December 2, after a long illness, the well-known poet and public figure, the winner of the Gabdulla Tukai State Award Rustam Zakuanov (Rustam Gazizyanovich Zakuanov) passed away.

Rustam Zakuanov was born on May 25, 1957 in the village of Uchule, the Aznakayevsky district. First he graduated from an eight-year school in his native village, then he studied at a secondary school in the village of Tumutuk. During these years, his first articles, materials about people of labor were published in the newspaper “Yash Leninichi” (“Young Leninist”) and the regional newspaper “Mayak”.

After school, Rustam Zakuanov worked as a driver in his native village for a year. In 1975-1980, he received degree at the journalism department of Kazan State University. In the republican newspapers "Socialist Tatarstan" ("Socialist Tatarstan"), "Tatarstan Yashlere" ("Youth of Tatarstan") and the district newspaper dozens of essays and sketches were printed, he showed himself a talented journalist. At the university he  actively conducted  social activities, communicated with writers and poets, sang in the folk choir, played leading roles in performances prepared by the Tatar drama circle.

Despite the fact that he was called to work by the editorial boards of republican and district newspapers, in 1980 he returned to his native village Uchule as deputy head of the economy. Soon he began to lead the party organization of the village. And in 1985 he was appointed director of the state farm "Yantar".

For fruitful work in the field of agriculture in 1998 he was awarded the title "Honored Worker of Agriculture of the Republic of Tatarstan".

In the works by  Rustam Zakuanov much attention is paid to the experiences of the villager, the past and the present of the village - this is the result of the years lived in the village.

In 2004, after being elected deputy of the State Council of Tatarstan, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Committee for Economics and Business Development.

Rustam Zakuanov is the author of about ten collections of poems. Based on his vast life experience, he writes about the tragic life of the Tatar people, about the contradictory experiences of a villager. In his poems infinite love for his native land is felt.

Since 2007 is a member of the Writers' Union of Tatarstan.

Devotion, great responsibility, love for people are peculiar to the writer. With his many-sided creative work, Rustam Zakuanov became a national treasure of our people.

The blessed memory of him will forever remain in our hearts.

I.Kh. Ayupova, , M. Z. Shaidullin, R. I. Valeev, R. A. Ratnikova, D. Kh. Salikhov