Kazan University graduates, poets Lenar Shayekh and Ruzal Mukhametshin, have been awarded Musa Dzhalil Republican Prize for contribution to Tatar literature development.

Both of them are alumni of the Faculties of Tatar Philology. Lenar Shayekh studied in Kazan State University at the Faculty of Tatar Philology and History within the period from 2002 to 2007. He was the inspirer of the idea of students’ creative association “Elluki”, published Tereze newspaper, revived “Shigri Sabantuy” contest. At the present time he is the Deputy Director of Tatar Book Publisher. He has been given the prize for his books of poems “Durtenche kat… Bishenche kat…” and “Zhylytasy kile Donyany”.

Ruzal Mukhametshin studied in Tatar State University for Humanities and Education, at the Faculty of Tatar Language and Literature, within the period from 2006 to 2011. In 2008 he won the Grand Prix of “Idelem Akcharlagy” contest, actively participated in the work of “Ilkham” creative association. Now he is a head of a department in “Idel” magazine. The prize has been awarded to him for the book of poems “Karalama”. This year Ruzal Mukhametshin became famous as the author of libretto of the Tatar opera “Ak Bure”.

It is an interesting fact that both of the poets are pursuing science. In 2012 Lenar Shayekh defended a Candidate’s dissertation on the subject “Poetical tragedy in the Tatar dramaturgy”. Ruzal Mukhametshin is a post-graduate student of Kazan Federal University, he is writing a scientific paper on cultural linguistics.

We congratulate our graduates; we are proud of them and wish them further success in their creative activity!