List of Tbilisians
This is a list of famous people who have lived in Tbilisi, including both natives and residents. Some of the figures in the list may be included in several of the categories simultaneously but are only included in the sections which pertain to their achievements/occupations the most.
Politicians, Governmental Figures and Activists
- Irakli Bagration-Mukhraneli , Georgian prince, exiled to Spain.
- Kakha Bendukidze, former Russian businessman, currently working in the administration of President Mikheil Saakashvili.
- Lavrenti Beria, head of the NKVD (the predecessor to the KGB), supervisor and one of the initiators of the Soviet Union's Nuclear Project
- Giga Bokeria, Georgian political leader
- Ilia Chavchavadze, writer, politician, public benefactor
- Gela Charkviani, politician, current Ambassador of Georgia in the UK
- Kakutsa Cholokashvili, national hero of Georgia
- Zviad Gamsakhurdia, former president of Georgia
- Alexander Griboedov, diplomat, playwright, composer
- Lev Kamenev, Bolshevik revolutionary
- Merab Kostava, National hero and anti-Soviet activist
- Aram Manukian, Armenian revolutionary, politician and general.
- Vsevolod Nikolayevich Merkulov, former head of NKGB
- Nariman Narimanov, Azerbaijani revolutionary, writer, politician
- Yevgeny Primakov, politician
- Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich (Romanov) of Russia.
- Grand Duke George Mikhailovich (Romanov) of Russia, first cousin of Emperor Alexander II of Russia.
- Grand Duke Michael Nicolaevich (Romanov) of Russia, son of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and Charlotte of Prussia
- Mikheil Saakashvili, current president of Georgia
- Stepan Shahumyan, politician
- Eduard Shevardnadze, former president of Georgia and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Union
- Joseph Stalin, leader of Soviet Union
- Ekvtime Takaishvili, politician and public benefactor
- Giorgi Targamadze, Georgia politician
- Alimardan Topchubashev, Azerbaijani politician
- Sergei Witte, important politician and policy-maker within the Russian Empire
- Noe Zhordania, Prime-Minister of independent Georgia in 1918-1921
- Zurab Zhvania, former prime minister of Georgia
Writers
- Boris Akunin, writer
- Hovaness Toumanian, poet and writer
- Nikoloz Baratashvili, writer
- Konstantine Gamsakhurdia, one of the most influential Georgian writers of the 20th century
- Maxim Gorky, Soviet writer, founder of the socialist realism literary method
- Mirza Fatali Akhundov, writer
- Hakob Melik-Hakobyan (Raffi), writer
- Ryurik Ivnev, poet
- Dagny Juel, writer
- Akaki Tsereteli, writer
- Lesya Ukrainka, Ukrainian poet
- Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt, writer
- Chabua Amirejibi, writer
Scientists, Engineers, Designers and Inventors
- Malkhaz Abdushelishvili, scientist (anthropologist)
- Andria Apakidze, scientist (archaeologist)
- Viktor Amazaspovich Ambartsumian, astronomer
- Georgy Mikhailovich Beriev, aircraft designer, founder of the Beriev Design Bureau
- Felix d'Herelle, French-Canadian microbiologist, one of the discoverers of bacteriophages
- Revaz Dogonadze, physicist
- Tamaz Gamkrelidze, Linguist
- Joseph Jordania, ethnomusicologist, evolutionary musicologist
- Alexander Kartveli (Kartvelishvili), aircraft engineer
- Gustav Radde, scientist
- Alexander de Seversky, aircraft engineer
- Otto Wilhelm Hermann von Abich, mineralogist and geologist
Musicians, singers and composers
- Feodor Chaliapin, opera singer
- Hamlet Gonashvili, tenor
- Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov, composer
- Giya Kancheli, composer
- Rudolf Kehrer, pianist
- Aram Khachaturian, composer,
- Zakharia Paliashvili, composer, founder of Georgian classical music
- Alexander Toradze, pianist
- Rashid Behbudov, singer
- Niyazi, conductor, composer
- Robert Bardzimashvili, singer, founder of Orera, Via-75
- Givi Gachechiladze, composer, conductor: Tbilisi State Orchestra "Rero", The Mardzhanishvili Theater Orchestra, Tbilisi Municipal Concert Orchestra
- Alexander Melik-Pashayev, Soviet conductor
- Irakli Charkviani, Georgian poet and rock/pop singer
Theatre, Cinema, Arts and Entertainment
- Tengiz Abuladze, film director
- Elene Akhvlediani, painter
- Nino Ananiashvili, ballerina
- Gela Babluani, film director who directed the acclaimed film 13 Tzameti.
- Temur Babluani, film director
- Ramaz Chkhikvadze, theatre, cinema artist
- Georgi Daneliya, film director
- Lado Gudiashvili, painter
- Otar Ioseliani, film director
- Vakhtang Kikabidze, actor
- Sergei Parajanov, producer
- Robert Sturua, director
- Eteri Tchkonia, opera singer
- Lamara Tchkonia, opera singer
- Natela Tchkonia, opera singer
- Georgy Tovstonogov, Russian theatre director
- Avksenty Tsagareli, playwright
- Zurab Tsereteli, artist, architect
- Marie Vorobieff, painter
- Ia Parulava
Sports Figures
- Shota Arveladze, soccer player
- Maia Chiburdanidze, former women's world chess champion
- Vitali Daraselia, former football (soccer) player for Dinamo Tbilisi and the Soviet Union National Team
- Roman Dzindzichashvili, chess grandmaster
- Teymuraz Gabashvili, tennis player
- Nona Gaprindashvili, former women's world chess champion
- Elene Gedevanishvili, figure skater
- Kakha Kaladze, football (soccer) player for the Georgia national football team and AC Milan.
- David Kipiani, former football (soccer) player for Dinamo Tbilisi and the Soviet Union National Team
- Zaza Pachulia, NBA player
- Tigran Petrosian, former world chess champion
- Murtaz Shelia, former football player for Dinamo Tbilisi and Manchester City
Military Figures
Other
- Mikael Aramiants, benefactor, one of the hospitals in Tbilisi was built and named after him – Aramiants’ Hospital.
- Zurab Avalishvili, historian
- Arnold Chikobava, linguist
- Jeanne de Salzmann, mystic
- Pavel Florensky, philosopher, theologian
- Irene Galitzine, fashion designer
- Ivane Javakhishvili, historian, public benefactor
- Alexander Mantashev, prominent Armenian oil magnate, industrialist, financier, and a philanthropist.