Karim bey Mehmandarov

Abdul Karim bey Mirza Mustafa bey oghlu Mehmandarov (Əbdül Kərim bəy Mirzə Mustafa bəy oğlu Mehmandarov, 2 December 1854, Shusha–20 December 1929, Shusha) was a Russian Empire and Soviet medical doctor of Azerbaijani ethnicity. He was one of the first ethnic Azerbaijanis to graduate from the Medico-Surgical Academy in St. Petersburg, one of the leaders of the Shusha educational society "Neshr Maarif", founder of the first Russian-Azerbaijani Shusha school for girls.

Early life
He was born in 1854 in Shusha, as a member of the Azerbaijani noble family Mehmandarovs. His father Mirza Mustafa was an Imperial Russian officer, while his grandfather Mirza Ali was a mehmandar (an official courier appointed to escort an important traveller) of Ibrahim Khalil Khan, the origin of the surname. He graduated from Baku Gymnasium (1872) and St. Petersburg Medical-Surgical Academy (1877), then worked in a military hospital during Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) and combated diphtheria outbreak in Poltava Guberniya. He later served in 162nd Akhaltsikhe regiment as a doctor. Having returned to Azerbaijan in 1883, he continued his practice.

Political activities
He was elected to head Shusha local committee of "Difai" - a secret Azerbaijani organization. Several Russian officers were assassinated under his commands - Shusha prosecutor Lunyakin, Elizabethpol police chief Bannikov and Tartar police chief Felikinski were all killed under his orders. He died in 1929 in Shusha.

Family
He married had an affair with a Petersburger woman named Alexandra Dolganova who by then studied at the Women's Medical Courses with whom he had a son who would grow to be the famous doctor - Mikhail Tushinsky. He officially was married to Zarri Qajar (1864-1943), a daughter of Bahman Mirza in 1884 with whom he had 3 sons and 4 daughters:


 * 1) Adil beg Mehmandarov (1885-1937) - engineer and teacher
 * 2) Rashid beg Mehmandarov (1885-1937) - officer at Azerbaijani army
 * 3) Surkhay beg Mehmandarov (1890-?)
 * 4) Turan Mehmandarova - married to Fatulla beg Rustambegov
 * 5) Kubra Mehmandarova - married to Bala beg Taghi-zadeh
 * 6) Nushaba Mehmandarova - married to Shahbaz beg Rustambegov
 * 7) Zahra Mehmandarova (1985-1957) - married to firstly to Azad beg Vazirov, then Jumshud beg Vazirov
 * 8) Mahbuba Mehmandarova (1902-1976) - married to Shamil Mahmudbekov

Through his daughter Mahbuba he is great-grandfather of Eldar Azizov - current Mayor of Baku, Aliya Rustambayova (1907-1942) - Azerbaijani anti-Nazi partisan and Mustafa Mehmandarov (b.1992) - Azerbaijani musician.

Legacy
The Central Hospital and a street in Shusha, Azerbaijan are named after him.