P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Appendix I

T

HE 

A

CADEMY OF 

S

CIENCES OF 

T

AJIKISTAN

"Like a mirror, our Academy of Sciences reflects our society's level of

intellectual and scientific progress. It is tied to our people's understanding of

civilization and, therefore, will be the touchstone with which the people of the

world will judge us. Let it be a clean mirror; a flawless mirror, reflecting both

our understanding and our contributions."

Imomali Rahmonov

February 29, 1996

The Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan (ASRT) plays a pivotal

role in the gathering, analysis, and dissemination of knowledge pertaining to

Tajikistan's foreign affairs, national interests, and the well-being of its nationals.

Nowhere is this statement better documented than in the following survey of the

activities of this crucial contributor to Tajikistan's prosperity, a record of the

activities of those who have carried out research and taught classes, as well as those

who have studied in the Academy's various departments, institutes, and affiliated

branches in Khujand and Badakhshan. The present study of the lives of teachers,

physicians, mathematicians, actors, directors, musicians, authors, poets, and many

other professionals in the republic would be incomplete without casting a critical

look at the working of the institution that underlies their inroads into uncharted

domains of the sciences and the arts. The Academy of Sciences, of course, is not the

sole contributor. There are many colleges and universities in Dushanbe, Khujand,

Kulab, and other cities that contribute to Tajikistan's fine cadre of scholars; in the

final analysis, however, the Academy of Sciences remains the most major

contributor.

The history of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan dates to 1951, when the

Tajik Research Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union--itself

based on the 1933 Tajik Research Station--was recognized as an independent

academic organization. Today, the Academy consists of three main divisions, each

of which is subdivided into a number of institutes. The three main divisions are: The

Division of Physics-Mathematics, Chemistry, and Geological Sciences; the Division

of Biological and Medical Sciences; and the Division of Social Sciences. In

addition, there are two affiliated centers in Khujand and Khorugh. As of 1998, the

Academy has 3000 members, including 880 scientific workers, 112 doctors, and

408 candidates of science. The Academy staff consists of 87 Academicians, 74

Corresponding Members, and 10 Honorary International Members.

The President of the Academy at the present is Ulmas Mirsaidov, Professor of

Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry. He was elected to the position in June 1995. His

predecessors are the founder of the Academy, Sadriddin Saidmurodovich Aini

---

Iraj Bashiri

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

358

(1951-1954), Sultan Umarovich Umarov (1954-1964), Muhammad Saifitdinovich

Osimov (1965-1987), and Sobit Habibulloevich Ne'matulloev (1987-1995).