Toktogul Satylganov

Toktogul was born in the village of Kushchusu in the Ketmen-Töbö valley, now submerged by the Toktogul Reservoir, and became famous as an akyn while still young.

His songs denounced the oppression of the rich and injustice, for which he was exiled to Siberia; he escaped and walked home. His verses lived on in popular memory and were later written down.

The town of Toktogul in Jalal-Abad Region, the Toktogul hydroelectric station and Kyrgyzstan's state prize bear his name, and his portrait is on the 100-som note.