Uzbekistan marked the passing of numerous prominent figures during 2025, with losses felt across culture, science, education and public service. Gazeta’s year‑end remembrance recalls leading artists, scholars and officials whose work shaped the nation’s cultural and institutional life.
Notable Uzbeks who died in 2025
The list compiled by Gazeta includes musicians, actors, writers, scientists and several senior public servants. Among those remembered are composer Dilorom Omonullaeva, celebrated maqom vocalist Nafisa Toĥtaeva, mathematician Azimboy Saʼdullaev, and water‑management statesman Ismoil Jorabekov. The memorial also recalls younger talents such as singer Shirin Abdullaeva and journalist Alisher Roziokhunov, underscoring the breadth of loss.
Composer Dilorom Omonullaeva, who died on 31 May at 65, was praised by colleagues for a catalogue of songs and for teaching at the state conservatory. Veteran singer and Uzbekistan People’s Artist Nafisa Toĥtaeva, who died in February aged 83, left a legacy of classical repertoire preserved in the philharmonic’s archives.
The scientific community lost leading figures including academician Azimboy Saʼdullaev, a specialist in complex function theory, and Galina Matvievskaya, an eminent historian of medieval Eastern sciences. Their research and teaching roles at national institutions were highlighted as central to Uzbekistan’s academic life.
Politics and public administration also suffered notable departures. Ismoil Jorabekov, who served in senior irrigation and agricultural roles across Soviet and independent Uzbekistan and died aged 94, was recalled by current water minister Shavkat Hamraev as a source of technical expertise and institutional leadership. Hamraev said Jorabekov’s long career embodied dedication to the nation’s irrigation and water systems.
The arts and media community remembered actors, directors and journalists: theatre and film actor Ravshan Jӧraev, writers such as Shodmon Otabek and poets including Minhojidin Haydar and Hayotxon Ortiqboeva, as well as journalists Jasur Hamraev and Alisher Roziokhunov. Colleagues offered personal recollections: journalist Ilyos Safarov described Roziokhunov as a gifted mentor who helped bring many young reporters into the profession.
The memorial notes were not limited to elder statesmen. Singer Shirin Abdullaeva, a prizewinner and online star who died at 19, was remembered for reaching wide audiences via social platforms and for representing Uzbek culture abroad during her studies. Her passing drew tributes that emphasised both her talent and the tragedy of a life cut short.
Gazeta’s roundup highlights how these figures contributed to public life in different ways: through creative work that entered the nation’s cultural repertoire; through scholarship that strengthened universities and research institutes; and through public service that shaped policy and infrastructure. The collection of tributes, including comments from peers and successors, serves both as a record of achievement and as an acknowledgement of the institutions and communities they helped build.
As Uzbekistan mourns, the memorial piece underscores the continuing work of younger professionals and institutions to carry forward the artistic, scientific and civic legacies of those lost in 2025.
Key Takeaways:
- Gazeta compiled a remembrance of prominent Uzbeks who died in 2025, spanning culture, science and public service.
- Notable Uzbeks who died in 2025 include artists, academics and former officials such as Dilorom Omonullaeva and Ismoil Jorabekov.
- The piece features firsthand memories from colleagues and officials, highlighting their contributions to Uzbek public life.
