Irakli Abashidze

From 1953 to 1967, he chaired the Union of Georgian Writers. In 1970 he also became a vice-president of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. In 1960 he organized an expedition to the Georgian-built Monastery of the Cross at Jerusalem where his team rediscovered a fresco of Shota Rustaveli, a medieval Georgian poet. He chaired the special academic commission for the Rustaveli studies since 1963 and became the founder and an editor-in-chief of The Georgian Soviet Encyclopedia in 1967. His poems are viewed as classical works of Georgian literature. His poetry was mostly patriotic based on Georgian cultural and religious values, but normally loyal to Soviet ideology. He became a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR from 1971 to 1990, he welcomed Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika and supported the Soviet-era dissident Zviad Gamsakhurdia when he came to power and led Georgia to the declaration of independence in 1991. Abashidze died in Tbilisi in 1992 and was afforded a state funeral. He was 82.

Irakli Abashidze studied at Tbilisi State University. The recorded working language is Georgian. The field of work recorded is poetry. Positions recorded include deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union and Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia. Distinctions recorded are Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of the Badge of Honour, Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class and Order of Friendship of Peoples.

• Name — Irakli Abashidze • Born — 10 September 1909 • Birthplace — Khoni, Kutais Governorate, Russian Empire • Died — 14 January 1992 (aged 82) • Place of death — Tbilisi • Occupation — Poet, Literary scholar, Politician • Education — Tbilisi State University • Office — 9th Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR • Term Start — 12 July 1971 • Term End — 14 November 1990 • Awards — Shota Rustaveli Prize (1965)