Dulat Isabekov(1942–2025) - Kazakh writer, playwright, Hero of Labor Kazakhstan (2022), winner of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan (1992).

Born in South Kazakhstan region. His father died in the war, and his mother raised him alone. He graduated from the Faculty of Philology of the Kazakh State University named after M. Kirov (1966). He worked as an editor at the Kazakh Radio, in magazines and publishing houses, occupied post of Chief Director of Kazakh Television (1990–1992). Since 1998 he headed the Kazakh Research Institute of Culture and Art Studies.

The first story “Zholda” (“On the Way”) published in 1963 Among the famous works  are collections of stories “Becket” (1966), “Kara Shanyrak” (1973), “Tirshilik” (1975), novel “Kargyn” (1980). His works have been translated into many languages, plays “Adke” (“Elder Sister”), “Muragerler” (“Heirs”), “Kishkentai aul" ("Little village") produced in theaters in Kazakhstan and abroad. The films "Emerald" (1975), "Wormwood" (1986), "Life" (1996) were made based on his scripts.

Laureate of the international PEN Club, winner of the Tarlan Prize (2007), Leo Tolstoy medal. His works were published in Russia, European countries and CIS. In 2014 the collection “The Pearl and Other Stories” was published in London. In 2017 the 75th anniversary of the writer, the collections Short Stories and Song of the Swans: Selection were published in English of Plays.

For Isabekov’s 70th birthday, an international festival of one playwright was held in Almaty, in which theaters from Kazakhstan, Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey and other countries participated. His plays were staged in London, St. Petersburg, Dushanbe and Omsk.

Dulat Isabekov died on February 21, 2025 in Almaty age 82 years.