Poet Duong Ky Anh, known as the "father" of the Miss Vietnam beauty pageant, passed away at 8:30 AM on February 25 at the age of 77.

Poet Tran Huu Viet confirmed to VietNamNet that Duong Ky Anh had succumbed to liver cancer after a prolonged battle with the disease. Despite his illness, he remained dedicated to his craft, continuing to write until his final moments.

Born Duong Xuan Nam in 1948 in Ha Tinh, Duong Ky Anh was a distinguished writer, former Editor-in-Chief of Tien Phong newspaper, and a member of the Vietnam Writers' Association. His name is listed in the World Cultural Figures Dictionary for the Asia-Pacific region.

Duong Ky Anh was a trailblazer in bringing beauty pageants to Vietnam, earning him the title of "father" of Miss Vietnam. He played a key role as the Head of the Organizing Committee and Chairman of the Judges’ Panel for Miss Vietnam from 1988 to 2008.

Beyond his contributions to beauty pageants, Duong Ky Anh was an acclaimed poet and journalist, receiving numerous literary awards. His accolades include the Military Arts and Literature Magazine Award (1988), the Nhan Dan Newspaper Best Poem Award (1988), and the Special Prize at the Nguyen Du Literature and Arts Awards for his novel Xuyen Cam (2005).

Reflecting on Duong Ky Anh’s legacy, poet Nguyen Quang Thieu once wrote: "People admired him as a reputable journalist and a poet with deep compassion, not simply because he crowned beauty queens… If I remember correctly, he placed the Miss Vietnam crown on ten young women. The first nine did not define his reputation, but the tenth left him with lingering concerns."

Tinh Le