Soviet science has suffered a great loss. On July 12, 1977, after a long illness, a prominent orientalist, prominent public figure, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Academician Bobozhan Gafursvich Gafurov, passed away.

B. G. Gafurov was born on December 31, 1908 in the village of Ispisar, near the town of Khojent (now Leninabad) in Tajikistan. He began his career at a local railway station, and then worked in the Komsomol district committee. After graduating from the Higher Law Courses in Samarkand in 1929, B. G. Gafurov works in the justice authorities of Tajikistan. At the same time, he is engaged in journalism and becomes deputy editor of the republican newspaper "Kyzyl Tajikistan". In 1935, after graduating from the All-Union Communist Institute of Journalism in Moscow, Bobozhan Gafurovich was appointed instructors of the Central Committee of the KSHB) Tajikistan.

Since 1937, B. G. Gafurov - in responsible party posts-Secretary of the Central Committee of the KSHB) In 1941-1944), Second secretary (1944-1946), and then First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan (1946-1956). At the XIX and XX Congresses of the CPSU, he was elected a member of the Central Committee of the party, was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the second - fifth and seventh convocations. As the head of the party organization of the republic, Bobojan Gafurovich contributed to the development of the economy, culture and science in Tajikistan. He played an important role in the creation in 1951. Academy of Sciences of the Tajik SSR.

In 1940, B. G. Gafurov defended his PhD thesis on the history of the Ismaili sect, published a number of books and articles on topical issues of the ideology of the peoples of Central Asia, their struggle against enslavers and oppressors, for the victory and establishment of Soviet power. His work "The History of the Tajik people in brief" - in fact, the first Marxist monographic study of the pre-revolutionary past of one of the Central Asian peoples-in a short time went through three editions and earned the author the degree of Doctor of Historical Sciences (1952). In 1951, B. G. Gafurov was elected a full member of the Academy of Sciences of the Tajik SSR. In 1956, B. G. Gafurov became Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Under his leadership, this research team began a deep and comprehensive study of the most important problems of economic, political and cultural development of the countries and peoples of the foreign East, established contacts with leading progressive orientalists of the world. The fact that Soviet Oriental studies have taken a leading position in world science in recent years is due to a considerable part of the work of B. G. Gafurov. He paid a lot of attention to the development of a cadre of scientists, having trained several dozen doctors and candidates of sciences. Under his editorship, a large number of monographs, collections of articles, and pamphlets covering various topical issues of development in Asia and Africa, as well as their past, have been published. For many years B. G. Gafurov was the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Asia and Africa Today".

Bobojan Gafurovich's research interests were diverse. His books and articles (their number exceeds 300 titles) are devoted to the role and significance of V. I. Lenin and Leninism for the peoples of the East, the national policy of the CPSU, the place of the October Revolution in the liberation of colonial and dependent countries from imperialist oppression, as well as little-known subjects in the history of the East, in particular the Kushan period, etc. G. Gafurov translated into the languages of the peoples of the USSR, the foreign East and Western Europe. B. G. Gafurov's latest major study " Tajiks. The most ancient, ancient and medieval history" (Moscow, 1972). Unfortunately, the scientist did not have time to implement his intention - to bring the development of this topic to our days.

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B. G. Gafurov's scientific achievements were recognized in his election first as a corresponding member (1958), and then as a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1968). Nehru, Honorary Doctor of the Universities of Tehran (Iran) and Aligarh (India), member of the French Asiatic Society, Honorary Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Yugoslavia), Honorary member of the Polish Orientalist Society, Calcutta and Hungarian Oriental Societies.

B. G. Gafurov led delegations of Soviet scientists to almost all International Congresses of Orientalists, beginning with the XXV (Moscow, 1960), and defended the advanced frontiers of Russian Oriental studies against the attacks of both reactionaries and "left" screamers. He played an active role in many scientific organizations: he headed the International Association for the Study of Central Asian Cultures, was Vice-President of the International Union for Oriental and Asian Studies, Chairman of the Scientific Council for the Coordination of Research in the Field of Oriental Studies of the Department of History of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Soviet National Committee of the Pacific Scientific Association, etc. B. G. Gafurov made a significant contribution to the implementation of the UNESCO East - West project, and especially to the project on the study of Central Asian cultures adopted on his initiative. Within the framework of this project, scientific conferences and symposiums were held in Dushanbe, Samarkand, and Ashgabat (as well as in some cities of the foreign East). Bobozhan Gafurovich considered this an extremely important scientific and political matter, because holding such scientific meetings in the Soviet republics of Central Asia made it possible to clearly demonstrate the grandiose achievements of the peoples of the Soviet East in the field of science and culture after the Great October Revolution, and he considered the promotion of such successes to be the most urgent task.

B. G. Gafurov combined research and scientific and organizational activities with active public activities: he was a deputy chairman of the Soviet Committee for Solidarity of Asian and African Countries, a member of the Soviet Committee for the Protection of Peace, a member of the USSR Commission for UNESCO and many other public organizations, giving his abilities to the cause of strengthening peace, friendship and solidarity between peoples, development of cultural cooperation between different states.

Bobojan Galurovic's fruitful party, social and scientific activities were awarded six Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and medals, as well as the Mongolian Order of the Polar Star and the jubilee medal of the World Peace Council.

B. G. Gafurov was a man of high party principles, a consistent internationalist who combined class intransigence with rare charm, heartfelt attention and deep sensitivity to people.

The bright memory of Bobojan Gafurovich Gafurov, a scientist, prominent public figure, a wonderful person, will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew him.

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