Rollan Seisenbaev

Rollan Shakenuly Seisenbaev was born on October 11, 1946, in Semey. He graduated from the Semey Engineering and Technology Institute in 1970. As a young businessman, he held positions in the regional Komsomol committee and the city executive committee. After completing the advanced course at the M. Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow, he became the responsible secretary of the Council on Kazakh Literature of the USSR Writers' Union.

The Kazakh writer is recognized not only by his own people but also by others.

His first novella was published in 1975. His books "The Road Crossed at the Mountain Top," "Night Dialogue," and "It Was a Summer Longed For" reached Kazakh readers in the Kazakh language. For over twenty years, the writer served as a representative of Kazakh literature in Moscow at the Writers' Union. In 1978, his novella "I Am Looking for Myself" was published, followed by the novel "If You Want to Live" in the same year, the short story collection "The Last Snow" in 1978, the collection of stories and novellas "Just One Night" in 1980, the novella and stories "It Was a Summer Longed For" in 1981, the novel and novellas "If You Want to Live" in 1983, the novellas and stories "The Return of Kazybek" in 1984, the novel and novella "The Road Crossed at the Mountain Top" in 1986, and the novel "The Throne of Satan" in 1986. The books "Just One Night," "If You Want to Live," "Days of October," "The Throne of Satan," and others were published in Russian and English.

He set a goal to introduce Abai to the world. Through Abai, he introduced the Kazakh people to the entire world. He had Abai translated into fifteen languages abroad. In 1995, the "Abai House" was opened in London.

Rollan Seisenbaev wrote not only prose but also dramatic works. His play "I Am Looking for Myself" won an award at the All-Union competition for playwrights in 1975.

In 1999, the International Abai Club was established in Semey with the participation of R. Seisenbaev. He began publishing the literary almanac "Amanat." In 2005, he founded the "R.S." Publishing House.

Rollan Shakenuly has been awarded the medal "For the Development of Virgin and Abandoned Lands" (1968), the Honorary Certificate of the Central Committee of the Kazakhstan Leninist Young Communist League (1969), the Honorary Certificate of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR (1972), the Honorary Certificate of the Central Committee of the Leninist Young Communist League (1973), and the Order of the "Badge of Honor" (1986). He was named a laureate of the All-Union Young Playwrights Competition for his outstanding play about a contemporary. He is a laureate of the USSR Writers' Union and the Central Committee of the Leninist Young Communist League (1975), a laureate of the Kazakhstan Leninist Young Communist League Prize (1978), a laureate of the BKOOK Prize and the Writers' Union for the novel "If You Want to Live" (1982), and a laureate of the "Tarlan" Independent Prize for Kazakh businessmen (2008). For his contributions to world culture, he has been awarded the "Golden Officer's Cross" of the Republic of Poland (2006), the "Great Golden Knight's Cross" of the Republic of Hungary (2006), and the "Order of Friendship" of the Republic of Cuba (2006).

He is a laureate of the international award named after Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a decision unanimously adopted by the "Gloria-Lyon" association of literary, artistic, and cultural figures from Germany and France. He is also a laureate of the Jack London International Literary Award (2018).

R. Seisenbaev is an honorary citizen of the city of Semey and the city of Santa Marina.