Renowned Kurdish author and translator Aziz Gardi dies

Gardi wrote a number of original books in Kurdish as well.
Renowned Kurdish author and translator Aziz Gardi, 75, died in Erbil. (Photo: Submitted to Kurdistan 24)
Renowned Kurdish author and translator Aziz Gardi, 75, died in Erbil. (Photo: Submitted to Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Aziz Gardi, the well-known Kurdish translator and author, has died aged 75 in hospital, his family announced on Monday.

The cause of his death has not been officially announced. Gardi had been hospitalized for a while before he passed away.

Gardi was a polyglot who translated more than 150 books and pieces of literature from various languages into Kurdish, including eight books by the feminist Italian writer Oriana Fallaci throughout his life.

Moreover, he translated Dante Alighieri’s 14th-century Divine Comedy, a world-famous literary masterpiece.

Gardi wrote a number of original books in Kurdish as well.

He had been a lecturer in the Kurdish language at the Salahadin University’s College of Arts. Later, he decided to dedicate his life to translating works of literature. He obtained his Ph.D. in literature in 1999.

While he was hospitalized, Gardi was visited by numerous government officials. Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani had directed authorities to provide Gardi with all the necessary treatment that he needed.