Reformer
Akhmet Baitursynov entered history as one of the greatest reformers of the Kazakh people. His contribution to language, education, and culture left an indelible mark on the formation of Kazakhstan's national identity.
One of his greatest achievements was the creation of the Kazakh alphabet based on Arabic script. Before him, Kazakh writing had no clear standard, which hindered learning and the spread of knowledge. Baitursynov did not just adapt the Arabic script, but deeply reworked it to reflect the phonetic features of the Kazakh language. This was a crucial step in the unification and modernization of the written language.
He is also the author of the textbook "Til-Qural", which became the first systematic grammar of the Kazakh language. The textbook was widely used in schools and laid the academic foundation for linguistic studies. Thanks to this work, Baitursynov is rightfully considered the founder of Kazakh linguistics.
In addition, he actively fought for national education in the mother tongue, advocating for a school system where instruction would be in Kazakh. He believed that without language and literacy, it is impossible to preserve a nation's culture and independence.
Despite persecution and arrests, his ideas lived on and inspired new generations. In 1988, Akhmet Baitursynov was fully rehabilitated. Streets, universities, libraries, and, starting in 2022, the International Airport in Kostanay are named in his honor — as a symbol of memory for the great reformer, educator, and patriot.
 1.png)
