Maryam Tillyaeva is an entrepreneur, media personality and public figure. She is widely known as the granddaughter of Uzbekistan’s first president, Islam Karimov. In recent years, Tillyaeva has launched her own fashion brand, promoted environmental initiatives and participated in numerous television projects.

In This Article:

• Biography of the granddaughter of Uzbekistan’s first president
• Career and projects in public life, fashion, business and media
• Personal life
• Interesting facts about Maryam Tillyaeva

Biography

Photo: Focus.ua

Maryam Tillyaeva was born on January 20, 1999, in Tashkent. Her father is businessman Timur Tillyaev, while her mother is Lola Karimova, daughter of Islam Karimov and former Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to UNESCO.

The family has three children: Maryam, her brother Umar and her sister Safiya. In 2025, Maryam revealed that she had not communicated with her mother for five years.

From an early age, Maryam showed an interest in music and performing arts. She began studying piano at the age of five, later learned to play the guitar and experimented with writing her own songs. She regularly performed at school events and participated in creative projects.

Growing up, she became accustomed to public life. Together with her mother, Maryam attended charity events, orphanages, schools and medical institutions.

At the age of 14, her parents sent her to study in the United States. She graduated from a school in Los Angeles before enrolling at the prestigious Northeastern University in Boston.

Career and Projects

Environmental Initiatives

While living in California, Maryam developed a passion for surfing. Spending more time along the coastline exposed her to the issue of ocean pollution. According to her, this experience made her more aware of plastic waste, household rubbish and the condition of water resources.

In public appearances and on social media, Tillyaeva has repeatedly highlighted the importance of responsible water use and reducing waste.

She supports recycling initiatives and sustainable consumption practices, while also participating in charitable and volunteer activities.

Sustainable Business

Some biographies state that Maryam Tillyaeva and her friends developed a project to create watches that could be fully recycled after use. The idea was to ensure that the accessory would not become waste but could instead be dismantled and processed for recycling.

However, little concrete information about the project is publicly available. Neither the brand name nor details about manufacturing and sales have been disclosed. There is also no information regarding the project’s commercial success.

Based on available sources, the initiative appears to have been more of a small-scale start-up than a major business venture. Nevertheless, the concept aligns with Maryam’s environmental interests.

Fashion Brand

Maryam Tillyaeva launched her own clothing line under the Mariasha brand, reflecting her personal aesthetic and values.

The debut collection featured versatile women’s T-shirts in several basic colours. According to the entrepreneur, the garments were designed to complement different wardrobe styles and suit everyday wear.

Tillyaeva has said that the collection was intended as an expression of her support for body positivity and conscious consumption. In interviews, she emphasised that the products were made from cotton.

Her designs combine bohemian influences with the street-fashion aesthetic of the early 2000s, often incorporating bright colours.

Media and Television

In 2019, Maryam received a small role in the drama Now Is Everything. The film’s leading role was played by Anthony Hopkins, best known for the thriller The Silence of the Lambs.

In 2025, she became a contestant on the reality show Master of the Game. Filmed in Morocco, the project focused on psychological competition between participants. Tillyaeva was eliminated during the tenth episode.

Other television projects featuring Tillyaeva include:

• Setka (2025)
• Morning. TNT (2024)
• Volya Show (2023)
• Sveta Around the World — a popular YouTube show hosted by Svetlana Bondarchuk

In April 2026, TNT officially announced that Maryam Tillyaeva would join the second season of Master of the Game, which is expected to premiere later this year. Fellow participants include actors Denis Vlasenko and Leon Kemstach, blogger Zhenya Ershov, producer Alexander Tolmatsky, psychic Ilya Larionov and others.

Personal Life

In 2020, Maryam began a relationship with blogger Amiran Sardarov, creator of the vlog Khach’s Diary. The couple married in Las Vegas in April 2021. However, they announced their divorce in 2022. Tillyaeva later said that their marriage had lasted less than a year.

In 2024, she was in a relationship with a man named Sean, with whom she worked and travelled. The couple separated later that year but remained friends.

In the summer of 2025, a new chapter began in her personal life. Maryam’s partner became a businessman named Arno, who is three years younger than her and originally from Russia’s Rostov region. The couple met at the Courchevel ski resort in the French Alps.

In July 2025, Arno proposed to Maryam. She announced the engagement on social media, sharing photographs of the moment. Tillyaeva stated that she was preparing for a second marriage and planned to start a family.

Interesting Facts

• She speaks five languages.
• She is a fan of Justin Bieber.
• She owns a dog named Tuchi.
• She admits that she often skipped early morning university classes.
• She says she particularly likes European and Australian accents.