Ana Kalandadze

Who was Ana Kalandadze?

Ana Kalandadze was a Georgian poet and one of the most influential female figures in modern Georgian literature.

Kalandadze was born in the village Khidistavi near Chokhatauri in Georgia’s southwest province of Guria. She graduated from the Faculty of Philology at Tbilisi State University in 1946, and published her first poems the same year. Her intricate, subtle rhythms, and personal lyricism garnered much popularity. In the words of Professor Donald Rayfield:

Many of Kalandadze’s poems on patriotic and romantic themes have been made into popular songs. She was also a prolific translator of Russian and European poetry. She died as a result of cerebrovascular incident and was buried at the Mtatsminda Pantheon.