Iusup Khappalaev

Born June 22, 1916, in the aul (village) of Khurukra, in what is now Lak Raion. Soviet Lak poet. People’s Poet of Dagestan (1966).

Khappalaev was first published in 1932. His poetry reflects the changes that have taken place in Dagestan and provides insight into the spiritual world of a contemporary man. Khappalaev has introduced new rhythms and rhymes. His collections of lyric verse include The Expanses of Love (1941), Stars of Happiness (Russian translation, 1950), and I Am a Grain of Sand From the Hill (Russian translation, 1969). He has translated works by such writers as M. Iu. Lermontov, K. Khetagurov, V. V. Mayakovsky, S. Stal’skii, and G. Tsadasa, and many of his poems have been translated into various languages of the USSR. He served as executive secretary of the Writers’ Union of Dagestan from 1948 to 1955 and again from 1957 to 1967. Khappalaev has been awarded three orders.