Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan effective 23 September 2024.

Born on 12 August 1954 in the town of Kurdamir. A graduate of the Oriental Studies Faculty at Azerbaijan State University. PhD; Professor. Full Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan and of the Oxford Academic Union; also serves on the Boards of the Azerbaijan Writers’ Union, the Union of Theatre Professionals, and the Union of Cinematographers. Honoured with the title of ‘Honoured Art Worker’ and decorated with the “Sharaf” (“Honour”) Order. Authored 90 books, monographs and textbooks, as well as more than 600 academic papers and over 900 journalistic articles. As a screenwriter and director, he has created 14 full-length documentary-publicist films. The librettist of over 3,700 television and radio broadcasts and programmes, as well as of 2 operas, 1 ballet, 2 oratorios and 1 symphonic ballad. Fluent in English, Persian, Russian, Arabic and Tajik.

Member of the World Azerbaijanis’ Co-ordination Council.

Chief Laboratory Assistant of the Azerbaijan AS Institute of Philosophy and Jurisprudence since 1976, Senior Laboratory Assistant, Junior Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow of the Oriental Studies Institute since 1978, Head of Department at the Nizami Ganjavi National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature since 1988. Director of the NASA Nizami Ganjavi National Museum of Azerbaijani Literature since 2003.

Member of the Civil Solidarity Party.

Was Member of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan of the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th convocations.

Chaired the Milli Majlis Culture Committee during 2015–2020.

Head of the Delegation of Azerbaijan to the Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and of the Azerbaijan-Sweden Inter-Parliamentary Relations Working Group.

Married, with 1 child.