Araz News: Spiritual father of South Azerbaijani Turks, Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat passed away on 13^th August in a hospital in Baku, capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Prominent South Azerbaijani researcher, writer, turcologist and surgeon, Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat was in critical health condition for a while. 89-year-old well-known figure was hospitalized in a hospital in Baku, capital of Republic of Azerbaijan.

South Azerbaijani public has been following his health situation closely because he was a popular and beloved person in South Azerbaijan.

Prof. Dr. Heyat’s Health Condition’s Pursue Committee’s Head and a close relative of him, Dr. Mohammad Reza Heyat says Prof. Dr. Heyat had stated in his last testament that after pass away he would like to be buried  in Maqbart-Ul-Shuara cemetery in Tabriz beside his old friend prominent poet Shahriyar.

Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat is a widely known heart surgeon and is known as father of the open heart surgery in Iran. He also is a well-known turcologist with dozens of books and articles.

Prof. Dr. Javad Heyat is founder and editorial director of “Varliq” (Existence) journal which is being published since 1979. Varliq, the only Azerbaijani Turkish publication that could survive from severe censorship in Iran have played a key role in protecting Azerbaijani Turkish language, culture and identity in South Azerbaijan.

Many South Azerbaijanis call him spiritual father of South Azerbaijani Turks.

Many South Azerbaijani activists sound demands to make his last farewells in Tabriz.