President extends condolences to family of writer Mukhtar Magauin

Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a telegram of condolences to the family and relatives of outstanding Kazakh writer, laureate of the State Prize Mukhtar Magauin upon his death, Kazinform News Agency reports citing the Akorda press service.

In his telegram, the President notes that Mukhtar Magauin was an outstanding word man, who significantly contributed to the expansion of horizons of the Kazakh literature and history.

“He worked tirelessly to enrich spiritual being and expand the understanding of the past of our people. His writings, historical works, essays and memoirs found a wide response in the hearts of readers. The bright image of Mukhtar Mukanuly, who lived a worthy life and left a rich legacy, will forever remain in the memory of our people,” reads the telegram. 

Mukhtar Magauin was born February 2, 1940 in Chubartau district of Semipalatinsk region (now Ayagoz district of the East Kazakhstan region). In 1962, he graduated from the Philology Faculty of the Kazakh State University named after Kirov. In 1967, he obtained a Cand.Sc. degree in the same university.

He began his career in 1965 as a chief of a literary criticism department at the Kazakh Adebieti newspaper. In 1967-1981, he was a deputy editor-in-chief in Zhazushy publishing house. Later he worked as a chief research fellow at the Auezov Institute of Literature and Art  at the KazSSR Academy of Sciences. He run a special course “Kazakh Folklore and History of Kazakh Hiterature” at Moscow-based Maxim Gorky Literature Institute.

Mukhtar Magauin worked also as a dean of the Kazakh Literature Department at the Abai Kazakh Pedagogical Institute. Later, in 1980s, he was editor-in-chief in Zhazushy Publishing House and Zhuldyz magazine. He also was a secretary of the Union of Kazakhstan Writers.

In 1960, the writer published his first scientific monograph “Kobyz Saryny”, after which several works were released: "Kok Munar" novel (1972), "Bir Atanyn Balalary" short novel, "Alassapyran" historical dilogy (1980-1982), "Shakan Sheri" novel, "Men" autobiographical novel, "Kumyrska Kyrgyn", "Death of the Hound" stories (1978), etc.

Magauin also translated a collection of William Somerset Maugham’s stories, "King Solomon's Mines" by Henry Rider Haggard, "Kremlyovskiye Kuranty" by Nikolay Pogodin and other world-famous pieces of literature.

In 1997, Mukhtar Magauin was recognized the Best Writer of the Turkic World. 

On May 7, 1998, then-President of Türkiye Suleiman Demirel awarded Mukhtar Magauin with the Prize "For Merits to the Turkic World." 

Mukhtar Magauin is a laureate of the Kazakh SSR State Prize named after Abai for "Vneshniye Vody" novel-dylogy (1984) and State Prize of Kazakhstan. In 2008, he was awarded the State Scholarship in the field of culture.

The writer died in the U.S, according to his son Edige Magauin, who confirmed it on his Facebook.

“My FATHER departed this world at his house in Maryland, the U.S., surrounded by his children, on January 9, at 07:55 pm local time (January 10, at 05:55 am Kazakhstan time),” the publication reads.