The Life and Legacy of Dr. Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı

Uyghur Scholar & Sinologist • Researcher & Author • Cultural & Political Advocate • Diaspora Leader

By Tahir Imin

Note: Although I never met Dr. Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı in person, I had a brief online conversation with him. I remember him for his firm belief in the Uyghur people and his deep commitment to education and human rights. I prepared this piece to help educate more people about his life and work, which deserve to be learned, preserved, and documented.

Jan 30, 2026

Dr. Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı, پەرھات قۇربان تەڭرىتاغلى

Dr. Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı (1962 – December 8, 2023)
Uyghur Scholar & Sinologist • Researcher & Author • Cultural & Political Advocate • Diaspora Leader

Born in Kaşgar (Kashgar), East Turkistan (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) in 1962, Dr. Tanrıdağlı passed away on December 8, 2023, in Istanbul, Turkey, at the age of 61 due to illness. He was buried in Üsküdar Karacaahmet Cemetery following the funeral prayer on December 10, 2023.

Dr. Tanrıdağlı was a dedicated Uyghur scholar, sinologist, and prominent advocate for East Turkistan. His lifelong research critically examined China’s policies toward Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples. A prolific author of influential works on Chinese imperialism, forced labor camps, and geopolitical strategies, he held key leadership roles within the Uyghur diaspora in Turkey. He served as President of the Uygur Akademisi Vakfı, Director of the Çin Araştırmaları Enstitüsü, and founded multiple educational initiatives, leaving a lasting legacy in documenting and resisting Uyghur repression. He was deeply passionate about Uyghur music, especially the classical muqams, and was an accomplished player of the traditional Uyghur instrument, the dutar.

Timeline Highlights

• 1962 — Born in Kaşgar, East Turkistan
• 1984 — Graduated from Central Nationalities University, Beijing
• 1987 — Arrived in Turkey for advanced studies with wife Gülzade
• 2019 — Established Çin Araştırmaları Enstitüsü
• Late 1980s — Completed master’s and PhD at Marmara University
• 2018 — Founded sinoturknews.org
• 2018–2021 — General Secretary, Uygur Akademisi
• 2019–2023 — Director, China Research Institute
• 2021 — President, Uygur Akademisi Vakfı
• May 2023 — Founding President, Kaşgarlı Mahmut Üniversitesi Eğitim Vakfı
• December 8, 2023 — Passed away in Istanbul

Background and Early Life

Born in 1962 in Kaşgar, East Turkistan, Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı grew up under Chinese rule, completing his primary and secondary education amid growing restrictions on Uyghur culture and identity. Early exposure to Uyghur language, literature, and history fueled his commitment to scholarly resistance and advocacy for his people’s rights.

Education and Career Path

Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı graduated from the Central Nationalities University (now Minzu University of China) in Beijing in 1984, majoring in Uyghur Language and Literature. In 1987, he and his wife, Gülzade Tanrıdağlı, became among the first Uyghurs to pursue advanced studies in Turkey. He completed both his master’s and doctoral degrees at Marmara University’s Social Sciences Institute in Turkish Language and Literature. His daughter, Guldiyat Tanrıtağlı, has become one of the prominent musicians in Turkey, earning recognition for her artistic talent and contributions to contemporary Turkish music.

In exile, he founded sinoturknews.org in 2018, focusing on China–Turkey relations and media coverage of Turkic communities. In 2019, he established the Çin Araştırmaları Enstitüsü (China Research Institute) to institutionalize studies on Chinese policies. He served as General Secretary of Uygur Akademisi (2018–2021), Director of the China Research Institute (2019–2023), President of Uygur Akademisi Vakfı (June–July 2021), and, from May 2023 until his passing, as Founding President of Kaşgarlı Mahmut Üniversitesi Eğitim Vakfı, dedicated to advancing Uyghur education.

Public Engagement and Platforms

Tanrıdağlı shared his expertise through books, articles, conferences, panels, and lectures across Turkey and international forums. He spoke on East Turkistan realities at universities, including Rumeli University and Bandırma 19 Eylül University, moderated discussions on China’s occupation and expansionism, and led Uyghur delegations to events such as Avrasya Bir Vakfı in 2019. His work reached Uyghur and Turkish audiences via Uygur Akademisi channels, sinoturknews.org, and diaspora networks in multiple languages, including Uyghur, Turkish, and analyses of Chinese sources.

Key Contributions and Impact

Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı’s scholarship focused on exposing Chinese strategies in East Turkistan and beyond. Notable works included counter-responses to Beijing’s “White Papers,” such as the Gök Kitap (Blue/Green Book) initiative. His publications documented repression, including leaked internment camp documents. He also pioneered Uyghur candidacy for the Turkish Parliament and advanced institutional efforts like educational foundations. His research strengthened global understanding of Uyghur genocide, forced assimilation, and China’s Belt and Road initiatives affecting the Turkic world, inspiring advocacy and counter-narratives against propaganda.

Recognition and Achievements

Respected as a leading sinologist and “dava adamı” (cause man) in Uyghur circles, Tanrıdağlı held prominent roles in Uygur Akademisi Vakfı and related institutions. His publications gained recognition in diaspora and Turkish academic communities for rigorous analysis of Chinese policies. Uygur Akademisi Vakfı and other organizations honored his contributions after his passing.

Challenges and Resilience

As an exiled Uyghur intellectual, Tanrıdağlı faced the challenges of displacement, limited access to East Turkistan, and broader repression of Uyghur voices. Despite illness in his final years, he continued his leadership and writing until his death, exemplifying perseverance in the face of personal and collective hardship.

Personal Notes

Known for his dedication to family—including his wife, Gülzade, a fellow scholar—mentoring young Uyghurs, and unwavering commitment to East Turkistan’s cause, Tanrıdağlı blended academic rigor with activism. He also translated Islamic texts for Turkic republics and East Turkistan, reflecting his efforts in cultural preservation.

Notable Quote

“China’s Western Region Theory is not merely regional policy but a blueprint for control over Turkistan and influence over Turkey and the Turkic world.”
— Dr. Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı, Çin’in Batı Bölgesi Teorisi (approximate context, 2021)

Legacy and Continued Relevance

Dr. Ferhat Kurban Tanrıdağlı’s meticulous documentation of China’s repressive policies and his institutional leadership continue to equip the Uyghur movement with evidence-based advocacy against cultural genocide. His books remain essential references for understanding Beijing’s strategies, inspiring scholars, activists, and diaspora communities to sustain the fight for East Turkistan’s freedom and dignity. Through his courage and scholarship, he endures as a beacon for truth and resistance in the global Uyghur struggle.