Kupuniia, Tamara

Born Sept. 8 (21), 1902, in the village of Zubi in present-day Khobi Raion, Georgian SSR. Innovator in kolkhoz production, twice Hero of Socialist Labor (1948, 1951). Became a member of the CPSU in 1943.

Kupuniia joined a kolkhoz in 1930. From 1937 to 1941 she was team leader of the V. I. Lenin Kolkhoz (Zugdidi Raion, Georgian SSR), of which she became brigadier in 1941. In 1947 her brigade harvested 72.8 centners of corn per hectare (ha). They harvested 8,924 kg of green tea leaves per ha in 1948, 9,000 kg in 1949, 9,300 kg in 1950, and 10,200 kg in 1951. Her brigade provided the state with 138.4 tons of tea leaf in 1965, 150 tons in 1967,152 tons in 1968, 158 tons in 1969, and 167 tons in 1970. She was a deputy to the second, third, fourth, sixth, and seventh convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR. From 1956 to 1961 she was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Georgia. She has been awarded three Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and medals, including medals of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (one large gold, five small gold, one silver).