Born November 29, 1928 in Baku, Azerbaijan;

1950 � Graduated from A. Azimzade State Art College in Baku;

1957 � Graduated from the Faculty of Painting of V.I. Surikov�s Moscow State Academic Art Institute;

1963-1973 � Teaching at M.A. Aliyev�s Azerbaijan State Institute of Art and Culture;

1967 � Awarded the honorary title of the People�s Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR;

1973 � Elected as First Secretary of the Artists Union of USSR From 1975 onwards � Professor at V.I. Surikov�s Moscow State Academic Art Institute;

1984-1992 � Head of a Chair for Painting and Composition at V.I. Surikov�s Moscow State Academic Art Institute From 1979 onwards � Secretary Academician of the Painting Unit of Russian Academy of Arts;

1992 � Vice President of UNESCO�s International Artists Federation;

1996 � Awarded with the honorary title of People�s Artist of Russian Federation;

1997 � Elected Vice President of the Russian Academy of Arts;

1998/2003 � Awarded with Russian orders of second and third degrees �For services to the Motherland�;

2008 � Awarded with Heydar Aliyev�s order;

2009 � Awarded with France�s honorary order �Arts and Literature� for a significant contribution into development of cultural relations between Azerbaijan and France;

2010 � Awarded with Honor and Fame orders of the third degree;

Received highest honors and orders of the Soviet Union, including Hero of Socialist Labor;

Awarded with Azerbaijan�s highest honor of �Freedom�.