Today marks the 101st anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev, the esteemed National Leader of the Azerbaijani people. Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev was born on May 10, 1923, in the city of Nakhchivan. His journey began at the Nakhchivan Pedagogical Technical College in 1939, followed by studies at the architecture faculty of Azerbaijan Industrial Institute (now Azerbaijan State Oil Academy). However, the onset of war interrupted his education.
Since 1941, Heydar Aliyev served in various roles within the Nakhchivan MSSR People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs and the Nakhchivan MSSR Council of People's Commissars. In 1944, he transitioned to work in state security agencies. His dedication and competence led to his appointment as deputy chairman of the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1964, eventually rising to the rank of major general by 1967. During this time, he pursued further education in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) and graduated from the Faculty of History of Azerbaijan State University in 1957.
In July 1969, Heydar Aliyev was elected the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan, assuming leadership of the republic. His political acumen propelled him to become a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in December 1982. He was appointed as the first deputy chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers, emerging as one of the prominent figures in the USSR.
However, in October 1987, Heydar Aliyev resigned from his positions as a form of protest against the political direction set by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union under General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.
On January 20, 1990, Heydar Aliyev denounced the violent actions of Soviet troops in Baku and demanded justice for the Azerbaijani people. He left the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in July 1991, protesting against the USSR leadership's handling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Returning to Azerbaijan in July 1990, Heydar Aliyev took an active role in politics, ultimately becoming the President of Azerbaijan in 1993, following a popular uprising. He was re-elected in 1998 with significant public support. Despite being nominated for the 2003 presidential elections, he withdrew due to health concerns.
President Heydar Aliyev passed away on December 12, 2003, at the Cleveland Clinic in the USA, where he was undergoing treatment. He was laid to rest on December 15 in the Alley of Honor in Baku, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and dedication to the Azerbaijani people.
