Ivan Lvovych Lypa was a Ukrainian public, political, and state figure, writer, literary critic, and physician.

Early Life and Education
He was born on February 24, 1865, in Kerch to a middle-class family. He completed primary school at the Greek church and was among the top students. From 1880 to 1888, he studied at the Kerch Boys’ Gymnasium. In 1888, he entered the medical faculty of Kharkiv University.

During his student years, Lypa actively engaged in social and political activities. Together with V. Borovyk, B. Hrinchenko, and M. Mikhnovsky, he co-founded the Ukrainian society Brotherhood of Tarasivtsi. For promoting the idea of Ukrainian independence, Lypa spent 13 months in prison and, after release, remained under police supervision for two years.

In 1897, he completed his studies at Kazan University and began medical practice in Poltava region and in the Ananiv district. He became especially known for his charitable contribution to the village of Dalnyk near Odesa, where he built a hospital for the poor.

Activity in Odesa
From 1902 to 1918, Lypa lived in Odesa. He became one of the most active members of cultural organizations such as Prosvita, Ukrainian Club, and Ukrainian Hut. He took part in publishing the almanac Bahattia.

Lypa was also the publisher of the journals Osnova and Step, and the newspaper Ukrainske Slovo. He wrote literary works under the pen names Petro Shelest and Ivan Stepnyak, including the novella Islands of Solitude and the collection of philosophical tales Thirteen Parables. He maintained close connections with Western Ukrainian publications Dilo, Narod, Pravda, Bukovyna, Zoria, and Literary Herald.

Political and State Career
In 1917, Ivan Lypa became the Ukrainian commissioner of Odesa and a member of the Central Committee of the Ukrainian Party of Socialist-Independists. In 1918, he headed the office of medical inspection of Odesa, and in 1919 served as Minister of Religion and Healthcare in the government of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. In August 1920, he joined the commission preparing the Constitution of the UPR.

Later Years
In the autumn of 1920, he emigrated to Poland with his son Yurii. From 1922, he lived in Vynnyky near Lviv, where he worked as a doctor. In November 1923, his health drastically worsened due to stomach cancer. Ivan Lypa died on November 13, 1923, and was buried in Vynnyky. Though Orthodox, he was buried by a Greek-Catholic priest, Father Hryhorii Hirniak, with permission from Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky.

Legacy and Commemoration
Ivan Lypa’s name is commemorated in street names and lanes in Odesa, Poltava, Kharkiv, Vynnyky in Lviv region, and Machukhy in Poltava region.