The bust of Ioseb Kipshidze, co-founder of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), was unveiled at the TSU Pantheon on December 23. TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava, students and academic staff attended the event.
Placing the bust on Ioseb Kipshidze’s grave was decided after reburial of his body from the Didube Pantheon to the TSU Pantheon on December 23, 2013. The bust was created by Levan Mchedlidze.
TSU Rector, Vladimer Papava said: “The university courtyard is simultaneously the Pantheon of the university founders. Several founders of the university, including Ioseb Kipshidze, were not buried at the Pantheon. We reburied his body to the TSU Pantheon last year and placed the bust on his grave a year later. Due to his contribution to the university, he found his permanent home at the TSU Pantheon.”
“It is an important fact that Ioseb Kipshidze was buried at the Pantheon and his bust was unveiled. This is a sign of gratitude towards the person, who made a huge contribution to the university. His place is truly here – alongside with his associates,” Eter Kavtaradze, Ioseb Kipshidze’s relative, said.
Ioseb Kipshidze (1882-1919) is a great Georgian philologist and linguist. In 1911 he graduated from the Faculty of Oriental Languages at the University of Petersburg. He launched his scientific-pedagogical activities at the Eastern Practical Academy. In 1915 he became a Privatdozent and started to deliver the Georgian language lessons. Kipshidze returned to Georgia in 1917. He took part in the foundation of Tbilisi State University. He was a scientific secretary of the board and the first professor of Georgian language. He studied the Kartvelian languages, the issues of their structure and history. His most important publications are: “Additional Information on Laz Language” (1911) and “A Grammar and Short Dictionary of Mingrelian Language” (1915), etc.
