Turkmen Head of State
Dictator of Turkmenistan.
He has written a book, called the Ruhnama (Book of the Soul) that is revered by Turkmen people and Niyazov claims if the book is read by a Turkmen three times, (s)he will go to heaven.
His name is pronounced Thap-ar-muh-rat Nee-ya-dhov. Turkmen Head of State since 1985. Since independence he was fostered a very large personality cult and also enacted what many would seem are strange laws for example, the banning of car radios.
Turkmenbashi was the title awarded to him in 1993, meaning Leader of the Turkmen.
Was appointed by "Mikhail Gorbachev" to replace then-Secretary General of Turkmenistan Communist Party, Muhammed Gapusov, over a cotton-related corruption scandal.
Was orphaned at a young age and grew up in a state orphanage. His father died in World War II and his mother was killed in a 1948 earthquake.
Had a heart surgery in 1997 so he gave up smoking, ordered all his ministers to do the same and banned smoking in public. He revealed in November 2006 that he had a heart disease and died the following month in a sudden cardiac arrest.