Shovkat Salimova
Shovkat Salimova | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Səlimova Şövkət Şahbaz qızı |
| Born | 25 December 1920 |
| Died | 2 July 1999 (aged 78) Baku, Azerbaijan |
| Allegiance | Soviet Union |
| Known for | Being Azerbaijan’s first female ship captain and the first Muslim woman to captain a ship in the Middle East |
| Awards | Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus", Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class Order of the Red Star |
| Alma mater | Baku Maritime School |
Shovkat Salimova (Azerbaijani: Səlimova Şövkət Şahbaz qızı, Russian: Шовкет Шахбаз кызы Салимова, 25 December 1920 – 2 July 1999) was an Azerbaijani ship captain who was Azerbaijan’s first female ship captain and the first Muslim woman to captain a ship in the Middle East.
Biography
Salimova was born on 25 December 1920 in Lahıc, Ismayilli, Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.[1] She grew up in Baku and was the eldest of ten children in her family. Her father was an oil worker.[2]
Inspired by a portrait of Anna Shetinina,[3] Salimova studied at the Baku Maritime School, graduating in 1940. After graduation she was assigned to the Black Sea Shipping Company.[1]
During World War II, Salimova worked as deputy ship captain then ship captain,[1][4] delivering weaponry, ammunition and oil to the Soviet front near Stalingrad, USSR, and transporting the wounded soldiers to Baku and Krasnovodsk.[2][3] She was Azerbaijan’s first female ship captain[5][6] and the first Muslim woman to captain a ship in the Middle East.[3]
After the war, Salimova worked at the Azerbaijan State Oil and Chemistry University.[3][7] She died on 2 July 1999 in Baku, Azerbaijan.[1][2]
In 2025, the production of a feature film about Salimova, called Shovkat, was completed. The film features Nazrin Abdullayeva in the role of Salimova and was directed by Asif Rustamov. The film also stars Gurban Ismayilov [az], Hikmat Ragimov [az], Elsever Ragimov and Nigar Mursalova.[2][8]
Honours
- Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus"
- Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
- Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class
- Order of the Red Star
References
- ^ a b c d "Şövkət Səlimova » Qadin.Net ~ İlk milli qadın portalı... Azərbaycan xanımlarına..." Qadin (in Russian). 23 March 2009. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d "ASCO Wraps Filming Of Movie About Azerbaijan's First Female Ship Captain". menafn.com. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d "First woman ship captain of Azerbaijan". Azerbaycan 24. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ "Azerbaijan marks 77th anniversary of World War II victory". Azernews. 9 May 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ Azärbaycan Respublikasının qanunvericilik toplusu (in Azerbaijani). Azärbaycan Respublikası Prezidentinin näşri. 2000. p. 967.
- ^ "Thirty Firsts". Visions of Azerbaijan Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 April 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ "Azerbaijan Gender Information Center". www.gender-az.org (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
- ^ "Представлен фильм «Шовкет», посвященный первой женщине-капитану в Азербайджане". Media.az (in Russian). 23 October 2025. Retrieved 2 January 2026.