On November 23, a day of memory was held in Moscow for the legendary Russian ethnographer, archeologist, orientalist-turkologist, Professor Sevyan Vainshtein (1926-2008). His friends, colleagues and students, including those from Buryatia and Japan, gathered in his apartment. Among them was Dr. Elena Petrovna Batyanova, who remembered Sevyan Izrailevich with deep gratitude – as a great researcher of history, ethnography and archeology of Tuva, as a specialist in the area of history and culture of the nomads of Eurasia.
Elena Batyanova related what a tremendous role he played in the preparation of materials for the 300th anniversary of the birth of academician G.F.Miller. How much love Sevyan Izrailevich put into his research of Tuva.
His books about Tuva were published in many countries. One of the last ones -“”Mysterious Tuva. Expeditions into the Heart of Asia”, saw the light in Germany.
For his productive contributions to the science of his country, he received titles of recognition, “Merited Scientist of Russian Federation”, and “Merited Scientist of Republic Tuva”.
His students spoke about the loss of their Teacher. He was not just a strict leader, but also simply a very caring person, who was always ready to help both with advice and practical action. Those who lived away from their homes and parents looked up to Sevyan Izrailevich as to their father.
Ivan Zotikov – a famous explorer of Antarctis – spoke of the many-faceted interests and encyclopedic knowledge of Sevyan Izrailevich. As Sevyan Izrailevich himself remembered, their friendship went back in time to “The House of Pioneers”, where they together discovered natural sciences.
Friends and colleagues remembered S. I. Vainshtein as the patriarch of “Tuvology”. How he, a graduate of MGU, a native of Moscow, left the comfortable capital and went to Tuva, which he, for over almost half a century, explored in expeditions on foot, and riding reindeer, horses or camels.
“Tuva, - said they, - gave him not only inspiration for his scientific research, but also love. He met his future wife in Tuva, and his marriage with Aleftina Nikiforovna lasted more that 50 years. Their daughter Anna was born in Tuva.”
Among those honoring his memory was also family friend Kombu Bizhek, and a native of Chadan, graduate of MGU, now engineer-programmer Taro Kuular.
Taro related how he first met the legendary scientist – Tuvologist, at the request of his American friend, who was acting at the last wish of Richard Feynman.