100 Notable alumni of Baku State University

Araz Boyukagha oghlu Azimov, is the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Azerbaijan, a position he has held since 1994.

Farid Alakbarli was an Azerbaijani scholar, PhD and professor in history, specialist in the field of history of science, culturology, and medieval medical manuscripts, the head of Department of Information and Translation of the Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, president of the Azerbaijan Association of Medical Historians (AAMH), National Delegate from Azerbaijan to International Society...

Ismayil Daghistanli was an Azerbaijani, Rutul, and Soviet stage and film actor and pedagogue. He was awarded People's Artist of the Azerbaijani SSR (1949), and People's Artist of the USSR (1974).

Emin Milli is an Azerbaijani human rights activist who lives in Germany. He used to be the managing director at Meydan TV until April 2019.

Afag Masud is an Azerbaijani writer, and playwright. She has been honored with the title of People’s Writer, Honored Art Worker, a full member of Peter’s Academy of Art and Science, a full member of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Literature, and a member of the Georgian Writers Association. Board Chair of the Azerbaijan Translation Centre and editor-in-chief...

Nagif Alashraf oglu Hamzayev has been a Deputy in the National Assembly of Azerbaijan since 2015 and since 2020. He is an Azerbaijani politician and Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) Ganja city organization.

Alec Rasizade is a prominent Soviet and American professor of history and political science, who specialized in Sovietology, primarily known for the typological model (or "algorithm" in his own words), which describes the impact of a decline in oil revenues on the process of decline in rentier states by stages and cycles of their general socio-economic degradation upon the end...

Yashar Teymur oghlu Aliyev is an Azerbaijani diplomat who has been the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations since 2014. Previously he was Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2002 to 2006 and Ambassador to the United States from 2006 to 2011. He was also Azerbaijan's first ambassador to Cuba (2006).

Aflatun Amashov is the public and political figure of the Republic of Azerbaijan, well-known journalist and publicist, chair of the Press Council of Azerbaijan, Former Chairman of the "RUH" Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Journalists of Azerbaijan, Honorary Cultural Worker.

Zardusht Mammad Mubariz oglu Alizadeh is an independent Azerbaijani political analyst and former politician. He is known for his interviews, political comments and articles criticizing the heavy-handed rule of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.

Elin Emin oglu Suleymanov is the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Kingdom and former Ambassador of Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States.

Hidayat Khudush oglu Orujov is an Azerbaijani writer and politician. He became the Chairman of State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of Azerbaijan Republic in 2006 and is currently serving as the Azerbaijani ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

Dr. Heydar Najaf oglu Huseynov was an Azerbaijani philosopher and academician.

Musa Jafar oghlu Gasimli is an Azerbaijani historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences (1992), Professor (1998), founder and director of the Institute of Caucasian Studies at the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (2015–2024), corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (2017), member of the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th convocations of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) of...

Araz Alizadeh was an Azerbaijani politician. A member of the Azerbaijani Social Democratic Party, he served on the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan from 1991 to 1995.

Erkin Toghrul oglu Gadirli, is an Azerbaijani lawyer, politician, deputy of the Azerbaijani National Assembly. He's one of the leading figures of the opposition Republican Alternative Party.

Yagub Mikayil oghlu Mahmudov, also known as Yagub Mahmudlu, is an Azerbaijani historian, professor, full member (academician) and advisor of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, honored scientist of Azerbaijan and Dagestan, Laureate of State Prize of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and head of the Department of History of the Ancient World and Middle Ages at the Faculty of History...

Aynur Mammadiyya qizi Sofiyeva is an Azerbaijani politician and former chess player. She has been Deputy Chair of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs since 2007.

Nigar Javid gizi Arpadarai is a member of the VI convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Chairman of the Working Group on Azerbaijan–Portugal inter-parliamentary relations. Previously she was the Head of the Marketing and Communications Department, as well...

Arif Hajili, is an Azerbaijani politician and leader of Equality Party (Müsavat), the largest opposition party in Azerbaijan.

Ali Huseynli is an Azerbaijani politician. He is a is member of the New Azerbaijan Party, First Vice-Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan (1996–2000), Deputy of the Milli Majlis (since 2000), and first Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan (since 10 March 2020).

Anvar Chingizoglu Farajov was an Azerbaijani historian, ethnologist and genealogist who mostly specialized in the history and genealogies of medieval Azerbaijan, Iran and the Ottoman Empire.

Makhmud Akhmedovich Mamed-Guliev is an Azerbaijani diplomat and politician who has been serving as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs since 1993.

Hijran Kamran qizi Huseynova is a professor and an Azerbaijani politician, serving as the Chairwoman of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic.

Fakhri Ismayilov, known professionally as Fahree (stylized in all caps), is an Azerbaijani singer and songwriter. He represented Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Özünlə apar", featuring Ilkin Dovlatov.

Mubariz Gahraman oghlu Gurbanli was Chair of the State Committee on Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 2014 to 2024.

Vasim Mammadali oghlu Mammadaliyev was an Azerbaijani scientist of oriental studies, dean of theology faculty at Baku State University, chairman of a cathedra of Arabic philology and full member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

Yusif Samadoghlu was an Azerbaijani writer. He was designated People's Writer of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Sara Ashurbeyli, sometimes known as Sara Balabey gyzy Ashurbeyli was an eminent Azerbaijani historian, orientalist, and scholar. She was an expert in Baku's early and medieval history of Baku and published many papers and books.

Huseyngulu Seyid oglu Baghirov is an Azerbaijani politician who used to serve as the first Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Republic.

Mirza Karim oghlu Mikayilov, known as Mirza Khazar (Azerbaijani: Mirzə Xəzər, 29 October 1947 – 31 January 2020), was an eminent Azerbaijani author, political analyst, anchorman, radio journalist, publisher, and translator. Mirza Khazar was a Mountain Jew. He also was known as Mirza Michaeli. Mirza Khazar died on January 31, 2020, in Germany.

Paul Rafaelovich Amnuél is a Soviet and Israeli physicist and science fiction writer. He was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. He attended Azerbaijan State University and worked at Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory for 23 years.

Colonel General Aydin Aliyev Ali oglu is the current Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Republic, a post which makes him part of the Cabinet of Azerbaijan.

Ilyas Abbas oglu Ismayilov was an Azerbaijani politician. A member of the Justice Party, he served as Minister of Justice from 1992 to 1995 and was a member of the National Assembly from 2006 to 2015.

Leyla Yashar gizi Abdullayeva is an Azerbaijani diplomat, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the French Republic and former Head of the Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Ziyafat Abbas oglu Asgarov is a professor and an Azerbaijani politician serving as the First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan.

Baba Vaziroglu is a prosaist, poet, translator, member of Union of Azerbaijani Writers since 1981, laureate of Republic Komsomol award, and an Honoured Art Figure of Azerbaijan Republic since 1 August 2005.

Karamat Boyukchol Azerbaijani opinion writer and writer.

Gudrat Gasanguliev is an Azerbaijani politician, and the chairman of the Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (BAXCP) since 2004. He is also the Member of the National Assembly since 2003. He unsuccessfully contested for presidential elections since 2003, in which he lost to the incumbent President Ilkham Aliyev.

Ali Mahammadali oglu Hasanov is an Azerbaijani politician and historian, professor, who served as an assistant to the President for Public and Political Issues and Head of Department of Public and Political Issues, Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Republic.

Sevinj Osmanqizi is a journalist, media personality, author and evening TV show host best known for her serious interviews with various political figures. She is one of the most critical and courageous voices of dissent in broadcasting about Azerbaijan. She is known for her forthright interviewing style, particularly when interrogating politicians. She currently produces and hosts a daily news program...

Vafa Guluzade was an Azerbaijani diplomat, political scientist and specialist in conflict resolution. He worked as Foreign Policy State Advisor for the President of Azerbaijan between 1990-1999.

Vilayat Mukhtar oglu Guliyev is an Azerbaijani politician who was Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan from 1999 to 2004. He was elected to the Azeri parliament in 1996 as a supporter of President Heydar Aliyev. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Aliyev, and for short term under his son, Ilham, from October 1999 until April 2004, when...

Mirshahin Dilaver oghlu Aghayev also known as simply Mir Shahin (Azerbaijani: Mir Şahin) is a journalist and reporter during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He's now the general director of Real Tv. Before he had Production of ANS Group of Companies and was an Executive Producer of ANS Independent Broadcasting Media Company. He also used to be the General Director of ANS...

Panah Chodar oghlu Huseyn, also known as Panah Huseynli, was the 1st Secretary of State and 5th Prime Minister of Azerbaijan.

Elmira Teymur qızı Süleymanova was an Azerbaijani chemist and civil servant. In 2002, she became the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic.

Fazail Rahim ogly Agamali was an Azerbaijani politician, historian and professor with a D.Sc. academic degree. He was the founding leader of the Motherland Party between 1990 and 2026. Agamali was a Member of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan from 1995 to 2024. He served as Deputy and Acting Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population between 1992...

Adil Aliyev is the president of the Azerbaijan Kickboxing Federation, a Member of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan since 10 March 2020.

Riyad Naasan Agha was a Syrian politician. He served as minister of culture of Syria from 21 February 2006 to 3 October 2010, and also as the country's Ambassador to Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Agha held a PhD. degree in philosophy from the University of Damascus.

Hamlet Abdulla Oglu Isayev is an Azerbaijani polymath, mathematician, professor, poet, translator, entrepreneur, author, and specialist in science, culture, and the history of education.

Elchin Ilyas oglu Afandiyev, also known mononymously as Elçin was an Azerbaijani writer, academic and politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan from 1993 to 2018.

Arif Seyfulla oghlu Yunusov,, also known as Arif Yunus, is an Azerbaijani author, historian, and human rights activist. He is the head of the Department of Conflict and Migration of the Institute of Peace and Democracy. Arif Yunusov along with his wife Leyla are supporters of a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On 28 April...

Leyla Islam qizi Yunusova, better known as Leyla Yunus, is an Azerbaijani human rights activist who serves as the director of Institute of Peace and Democracy, a human rights organisation. She is particularly known for her work helping citizens affected by forced evictions in Baku, on whose behalf she organized several small protests.

Murtuz Najaf oglu Alasgarov, also spelled as Murtuz Aleskerov, was an Azerbaijani politician who served as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan from 1996 to 2005.

Almas Ildyrym, born Ildyrym Almaszade (25 March 1907, Baku – 14 January 1952, Elazığ, Turkey), was an Azerbaijani poet. After the Bolsheviks established their power in Azerbaijan in 1920, the fact that Ildyrym had been born into a wealthy merchant family plagued him for the rest of his life. Though he was accepted to the faculty of Oriental Literature at...

Sabir Rustamkhanli is an Azerbaijani poet, philologist and politician. He is the author of over 30 books in the Russian and Persian languages.

Jamil Poladkhan oghlu Hasanli is an Azerbaijani historian, author and politician. He served as a professor at Baku State University in 1993–2011 and as a professor at Khazar University in 2011–2013. He was an advisor to the President of Azerbaijan in 1993 and served two terms in the Parliament of Azerbaijan between 2000 and 2010. He was the main opposition...

Misir Jumayil oglu Mardanov. Member of ANAS (2017), director of the AMEA Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics, former Minister of Education of Azerbaijan, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences and university professor.

Hajibala Ibrahim oglu Abutalybov is an Azerbaijani politician. He was Mayor of Baku between 2001 and 2018 and deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan from 2018 to October 2019.

Zelimkhan Yaqub was an Azerbaijani Turkish poet and also politician. He served as deputy of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan from 1995 to 2005. He was also named the national poet of Azerbaijan in 2005.

Hafiz Mir Jalal oghlu Pashayev was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 2006 to 2019. He also has been the founding rector of the ADA University since 2006. He holds the Doctor of Sciences degree in Physics and was the ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States until 2006.

Khadija Rovshan gizi Ismayilova, alternatively spelled Ismailova, is an Azerbaijani investigative journalist and radio host who is currently working for the Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, until recently as the host of the daily debate show İşdən Sonra. She is a member of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

Siyavush Dunyamali oghlu Novruzov is a Member of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan is the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth convocation Member of the Milli Mejlis (National Assembly) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, chairman of the Committee on Regional Affairs of the Milli Mejlis, Deputy Executive Secretary of the New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), DPhil in Law.

Aida Nasir gizi Imanguliyeva was an Azerbaijani scholar. She was born in Baku to a highly educated family. Her father, a well-known journalist, pedagogue, Honoured Worker of Science – Nasir Imanguliyev was one of the founders of Azerbaijani press, editor of "Bakı" and "Baku" newspapers for a long time. She was the mother of Azerbaijan's current First Lady and the...

Eldar Aziz oghlu Azizov is the head of the Baku City Executive Power since November 15, 2018.

Ilhama Mazahir gyzy Guliyeva was an Azerbaijani celebrity, actress, and singer of Azerbaijani folk and classical music. Throughout her active musical-stage career, Ilhama Guliyeva gained popular success in her respective genre of music and received such major state-level honors as Honored Artist of Azerbaijani SSR in 1982, People's Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1998, and People's Artist of...

Sahil Babayev has been serving as the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Azerbaijan since February 6, 2025. Prior to this role, he served as the Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan from 2018 to 2025.

Khalil Rza Uluturk, (21 October 1932, Salyan – 22 June 1994, Baku) was an Azerbaijani poet, critic, literary scholar, translator, member of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union since 1954, Doctor of Philological Sciences (1969), Honored Art Worker of Azerbaijan (1986), laureate of the M.F. Akhundov Literary Award (1991), and People's Poet of the Republic of Azerbaijan (1992). Posthumously, he was awarded...

Leonid Genrikhovich Zorin was a Russian playwright. He was born in Baku, Soviet Union, and studied at Azerbaijan University and at the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow. He is the author of plays and screenplays. His most performed work is A Warsaw Melody (1967).

Anar Rasul oghlu Rzayev, known mononymously as Anar, is an Azerbaijani writer, dramatist, film director, and the Chairman of the Writers' Union of Azerbaijan. Anar is primarily a novelist and short-story writer, although in the past, he has also authored screenplays and directed films as well as acted in a film.

Chingiz Akif oğlu Abdullayev is an Azerbaijani writer, Secretary of the Union of Azerbaijani Writers.

Suleyman Rustam was a Soviet and Azerbaijani poet, playwright and translator.

Jafar Gafar oghlu Jabbarly was the eminent Azerbaijani and Soviet writer, the founder of the Azerbaijan Soviet dramaturgy. He was a director, playwright and screenwriter.

Haydar Baş was a Turkish politician and businessman.

Isa Yunis oghlu Gambar, also known as Isa Gambar (born February 24, 1957), is an Azerbaijani politician and leader of the Equality Party (Müsavat), one of the opposition blocs in Azerbaijan. He was elected a member of parliament in 1990 and was elected parliamentary speaker in 1992.

Hikmet Farhad oglu Hajiyev is an Azerbaijani politician who serves as the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan since 2019 and as the Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration since 2018.

Abulfaz Gadirgulu oghlu Aliyev, commonly known as Abulfaz Elchibey, was a Pan-Turkist Azerbaijani nationalist, politician and Soviet dissident who was the first and only democratically elected President in post-Soviet Azerbaijan. He was the leader of the Azerbaijani Popular Front and played an important role in achieving Azerbaijan's independence from the Soviet Union.

Mikayil Mushfig was an Azerbaijani poet of the 1930s. Mikayil Mushfig is considered one of the founders of the new Azerbaijani poetic style.

Rovshan Enver ogly Askerov is an Azerbaijani journalist, a participant in the television game What? Where? When? as well as a former sports columnist for the Sport-Express newspaper.

Bakhtiyar Ilyas oglu Hajiyev is an Azerbaijani activist and blogger who served a prison sentence from 2011 to 2012 on charges of evading military service. His imprisonment was protested by numerous human rights organizations.

Malahat Ibrahimgizi is an Azerbaijani politician. She has been a member of the National Assembly. She has served as a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly since 2006 and is a member of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

Ganira Alasgar gyzy Pashayeva was an Azerbaijani politician who was a Member of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan from 2005 until her death in 2023.

Heydar Alirza oghlu Aliyev was an Azerbaijani politician who was a Soviet party boss in the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 1969 to 1982, and the third president of Azerbaijan from 1993 to 2003.

Bahar Avaz Muradova is an Azerbaijani politician affiliated to the New Azerbaijan Party and former deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan (2005–2019).

Kamaladdin Heydarov Fattah oglu is an Azerbaijani politician and businessperson, serving as the Minister of Emergency Situations.

Vasif Talibov is an Azerbaijani politician. Described as authoritarian, he was the de facto ruler of Nakhchivan for 27 years, from 1995 until his resignation in December 2022. Azerbaijani dictator Heydar Aliyev appointed Talibov to govern Nakchivan. Under Talibov's rule, the isolated territory of Nakchivan was notorious for its secrecy and brutal state violence.

Ramiz Anvar oghlu Mehdiyev is an Azerbaijani politician and academician who served as the Head of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan from 1994 to 2019 and the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan between 2019 and 2022.

Rzayev Rövşən Şükür oğlu — Chairman of the State Committee for Refugees and Displaced Persons of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Deputy of the 4th Meeting of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Aziz Jafar oglu Seyidov is the Justice of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan. He took office on 25 April 2017.

Sabina Yashar gizi Aliyeva, is an Azerbaijani civil servant, the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Azerbaijan Republic (since 2019).

Ali Karimli born Ali Amirhuseyn oglu Karimov (Azerbaijani: Əli Əmirhüseyn oğlu Kərimov) (born 28 April 1965) is an Azerbaijani pro-democracy opposition leader, political prisoner, and the head of the reformist wing of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP).

Fazil Mustafa, formerly known as Fazil Gazanfaroglu, is a deputy of the III, IV, V, and VI convocations of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan.

Mikayil Chingiz oghlu Jabbarov is an Azerbaijani politician who is the current Minister of Economу of Azerbaijan (since 23 October 2019)

Eldar Mahmudov Ahmad oglu is an Azerbaijani politician formerly serving as the Minister of National Security of Azerbaijan Republic.

Fəttah Səməd oğlu Heydərov was Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan, chairman of the Accounting Committee of the National Assembly, deputy chairman of the Regional Affairs Committee, and chairman of the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan.

Vagif Alibala oghlu Akhundov is an Azerbaijani military figure, colonel-general, was the chief of the Special State Protection Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Kamal Abdulla is an Azerbaijani scientist, national writer, public figure, and professor. He is a state counselor of the 1st class.

Lev Davidovich Landau was a Soviet physicist who made fundamental contributions to many areas of theoretical physics. He was considered as one of the last scientists who were universally well-versed and made seminal contributions to all branches of physics. He is credited with laying the foundations of twentieth century condensed matter physics, and is also considered arguably the greatest Soviet...

Afrasiyab Badal bey oghlu Badalbeyli was a Soviet Azerbaijani composer, with noble Iranian origins (he was the descendant of Bahman Mirza and Abbas Mirza), conductor and music critic, author of the music and libretto of Giz Galasi (The Maiden Tower), the first Azerbaijani ballet and the first ballet in the Middle East.