Kenesh Jusupov, an outstanding publicist and social figure, passed away at the age of 89.
On March 14, 2026, the People's Writer of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kenesh Jusupov, passed away at the age of 89. This information was published on the official website of the president.
Jusupov was awarded the Order of "Manas" II degree, became a laureate of the Toktogul State Prize, and received the title of Hero of Labor of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The future writer was born on April 14, 1937, in the village of Echkibashi, located in the Tian Shan region of the Naryn region. He completed his education at the secondary school in the village of Ottyk in 1954, and then graduated from the Faculty of Kyrgyz Language and Literature at the Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn in 1961.
Jusupov began his career in 1961 at the Tian Shan regional newspaper in Naryn, where he worked until 1963. He later held positions in the Main Administration for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press under the Council of Ministers of the Kyrgyz SSR (Glavlit). Over the years, he served as an editor at the "Kyrgyzstan" publishing house, a script editor at the Kyrgyzfilm studio, and a literary consultant for the Union of Writers of Kyrgyzstan for the Naryn region.
Since 1986, Kenesh Jusupov served as the secretary of the board of the Union of Writers, and from 1987 to 2020, he was the chief editor of the literary magazine "Ala-Too".
His literary career began in 1958 with the publication of the story "Tüsh" in the newspaper "Leninchil Zhas". Jusupov's first book "Jashoo kumary" was published in 1965, and a year later he became a member of the Union of Writers of the USSR.
In the following years, the writer published several books, including "Karaldym toolor", "Jürögüm menin toolordo", "Yyr sabyndagy ömür", "Külgün kurak", and "Tooluktar bayanı". These works brought him wide popularity and recognition in Kyrgyz literature.
The book "Yyr sabyndagy ömür", dedicated to the life and love of the outstanding poet Alykul Osmonov, was awarded the Lenin Komsomol Prize of Kyrgyzstan in 1975. That same year, a collection of his stories and novellas titled "Lesoruby" ("Karaigychylar") was published in Russian in Moscow.
Together with Ashym Jakypbekov, he prepared a prose version of the national epic "Manas". Additionally, Jusupov was the initiator and co-author of the extensive forty-volume publication "Kyrgyzdar", which covers the history, culture, ethnography, and literature of the Kyrgyz people.
The writer's works have been translated into many languages, including Turkish, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Czech, Russian, Kazakh, Tatar, Arabic, and French.
For his significant contribution to the development of Kyrgyz culture, Kenesh Jusupov received numerous awards and titles, including the medal "For Labor Valor", a Certificate of Honor from the Supreme Council of the Kyrgyz SSR, the title "Honored Worker of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic", the Toktogul State Prize, the Order of "Manas" II degree, as well as the titles "People's Writer of the Kyrgyz Republic" and "Hero of Labor of the Kyrgyz Republic".
He was also awarded the gold medal of TURKSOY and became a laureate of many international awards.
Kenesh Jusupov was an honorary professor at the Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn, the Kyrgyz State University named after Isheanal Arabaev, and other educational institutions.
“The image of Kenesh Jusupov will forever remain in the hearts of the Kyrgyz people. Deep condolences are expressed to the writer's family and loved ones,” the official statement noted.
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