13 March marks the 97th anniversary of the birth of the great Kalmyk poet David Kugultinov (13 March, 1922 – 17 June, 2006). He was the People's poet of the Kalmyk ASSR (1969) and the Winner of the State Prize of the USSR. He was born on 13 March, 1922 in a Kalmyk village in the family of a school teacher.He wrote his first poem at the age of 12. Since then, each of his works replenished the poetic treasury. He himself said, “A human word is a wonderful gift.” At age 18, he joined the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union. A veteran of the Great Patriotic War, a prisoner of the Stalinist camps, the author of more than 80 books, Hero of Socialist Labour, laureate of the State Prizes of the USSR and Russia David Kugultinov long ago became the Zlatoust of the Kalmyk people. Representatives of different nationalities have read his poetry for more than a half a century.
David Kugultinov is an outstanding poet of our country and the world. Many of his lines have long become aphorisms. In his work, he focused on the inviolability of the unity of the steppe people’s history with the history of great Russia. David Kugultinov perfectly mastered the Kalmyk literary word. He knew and appreciated his native language. Therefore, his works are altogether a good advice, parting words, and a lesson in life.
Millions of fans of the national poet note that David Kugultinov’s poems are beyond time and space. He always defended the ideas of humanism.
In honour of the 90th anniversary of the great Kalmyk poet, the Day of Kalmyk poetry was established in 2012. It is celebrated on 13 March.
