Dimitri Kipiani was a 19th-century Georgian writer, translator, and prominent political figure. Born into a noble family in Mereti, he became a leading voice for the liberal nobility and a dedicated advocate for Georgian culture and language. Throughout his career in civil service and local government, he worked to preserve national identity against imperial pressures. His steadfast defense of Georgian interests eventually led to his exile by Russian authorities, resulting in his death in Stavropol in 1887. He was later recognized as a saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church.