Nuri Demirağ

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Nuri Demirağ (born 1886 in Divriği - died in 1957) was an early Turkish industrialist. He was one of the first millionaires of the Turkish Republic. His first innovation was the production of cigarette paper. Demirag then invested his capital in to the development of the Turkish railway network. Because of this investment, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, give him the surname Demirağ, which translates as Iron Network.

In 1936 he started his own aircraft factory at Beşiktaş, Istanbul (which was condemned by the government and now that area is called "Beşiktaş Deniz Muzesi"). Approximately 500 employees worked there to complete the very first Turkish aeroplane. Demirag tried to sell the ND-36 to Turkey as well as to countries such as Egypt, Iran, Iraq and Spain. These attempts were prevented by the Turkish Government. He found first opposition party, which was named Milli Kalkınma Partisi (Nationalist Development Party) in 1946, but his party suffered an eclipse Demokrat Parti (Democrat Party) and was dissolved in 1958. He was elected deputy of Sivas in list of Democrat Party as independent candidate in 1954.

As a result of government interference, Demirag donated his aircraft to his flying school 'Gok Okulu' in Yesilkoy for young Turkish men to interest in aircraft technology. The land upon which the school was built was later condemned by the Turkish government and now the location of "Atatürk International Airport". Demirağ died in 1957 because of diabetes.