Section 17
In Memoriam

In this issue of the Yearbook we are introducing a new section - "In Memoriam". Time and tide wait for no man and, unfortunately, our veterans pass away... but they remain in our memories forever.

2020

One of senior water workers, Ferdinand F. Beglov passed away on January 10.



F. Beglov devoted more than 60 years to the water sector. He started as a laboratory assistant and worked his way up to the head of big division at the Central Asian Irrigation Research Institute (SANIIRI) named after V.D. Zhurin.

In 1996, he moved to SIC ICWC, heading the research planning division and working to the benefit of the sector and ICWC.

Source: SIC ICWC


Meirajdin Zulpuyev, a public figure and statesman, first member of ICWC from the Kyrgyz Republic passed away on March 10.



Having graduated from the Moscow Hydromeliorative Insitute in 1966, M. Zulpuyev started working at the Osh Provincial Irrigation System Authority and headed it in 1973. In 1979–1980, he was assigned the Deputy Minister of Land Reclamation and Water Resources. M. Zulpyev headed the Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic in 1992, then he was assigned the Secretary at the Government of Kyrgyzstan and the Deputy Prime Minister in 1992–1993 and again the Minister of Land Reclamation and Water Resources in 1993–1996.

M. Zulpuyev worked at OAO “Kyrgyzsuudolboor” since 2002 and was the Chairman of the Board since 2005. In 1979–1985, he was elected deputy of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyz SSR, contributing to the republican development.

Meirajdin Zulpuyev devoted himself to the development of water management and irrigation sectors in the Republic, and multiple irrigation canals were laid and extended to thousands hectares under his direction.

Source: kabar.kg


Biologist, biophysicist and merited scientist of Uzbekistan, Bekjan O. Tashmukhamedov passed away on June 24.



B. Tashmukhamedov was born on January 27, 1935 in Tashkent in the family of the famous Uzbek writer Oybek. After graduating from the Moscow State University in 1958, he began his scientific career at Tashkent State University, became associate professor at the department of biophysics and at the age of 36 defended his doctoral dissertation. In 1986, he became Director of the Institute of Physiology at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, and in 1987 he was elected a full member of the Academy.

Bekjan Tashmukhamedov carried out research in Great Britain, Germany, Peru, the USA, and Japan. He wrote over 300 scientific papers, trained over 20 doctors and over 40 candidates of science. In 1995 he was awarded the title of Merited Scientist of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Academician Tashmukhamedov fruitfully cooperated with SIC ICWC, taking an active part in research efforts on the Aral Sea Region and the Aral Sea.

Source: UzNews.uz


On July 18, chief researcher of the Karakalpak branch of the Research Institute on Irrigation and Water Problems (NIIIVP), doctor of technical sciences, professor Yerezhep Kurbanbayev passed away.



Ye. Kurbanbayev was born on August 22, 1941 in the Kungrad district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. He graduated from Tashkent State University in 1965. He started his career with the expedition along the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River, studying water regime in the Tuyamuyun-Aral Sea section. In 1967-1970, he worked as a chief of operational division at the Land Reclamation Authority of the Ministry of Agriculture of Karakalpakstan and contributed to design of several key collecting drains. He was the top expert of the State Program on development and construction of rice farms in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River. Since 1970, he moved to the SANIIRI and later one became the Director of the Karakalpak branch of SANIIRI.

Over his scientific work, Ye. Kurbanbayev has published numerous scientific papers and monographs, trained young professionals, and was a member of the Scientific Council at TIIAME.

Special thanks to F. Shoazizov,
associate professor of the water energy use and pumping station department
at TIIAME for the information.



2021

On July 26, Rector of the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, doctor of economic sciences, professor Uktam P. Umurzakov passed away.



U. Umurzakov was born on August 20, 1952. He graduated with honors from TIIAME. U. Umurzakov began his career as a junior researcher at the Institute in 1974 and until the end of life he has worked there, holding such responsible positions as the Head of Laboratory, Dean of Faculty, Vice Rector, Advisor to the Rector. Since May 26, 2017, he has been assigned the Rector of TIIAME. Since October 10, 2019, he has also served as the Chairman of the Republican Council of Higher Education.

For almost 50-year scientific and pedagogical activity, Uktam Umurzakov developed many textbooks and manuals, scientific monographs, patents and techniques in the field of agricultural economics. Under his scientific leadership, dozens of candidates and doctors of science were prepared.

Sources: Yuz.uz, Wikipedia.org, Kun.uz


On July 26, Shavkat Kh. Rakhimov, former Director of SANIIRI (currently - NIIVP), doctor of technical sciences, professor, passed away.



After graduating from Moscow Power Engineering Institute in 1969, he started working at the SANIIRI. He started as a junior researcher and worked his way up to become the Director of the SANIIRI Institute.

Sh. Rakhimov was the first Director of the Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems (NIIVP) established in 2012 by merging the SANIIRI with the Institute of Water Problems of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. Dozens of doctors and candidates of sciences, several monographs, articles, and other publications were prepared and patents were issued under Sh. Rakhimov's supervision.

Special thanks to F. Shoazizov,
associate professor of the water energy use and pumping station department
at TIIAME for the information.



Nurlibek Yu. Mirzamuratov, Director of the International Innovation Center of the Aral Sea Region under the President of Uzbekistan, left this world on August 12.



N. Mirzamuratov was born on September 4, 1963 in the Chimbay region of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

In 1990, he graduated from the Tashkent Automobile and Road Construction Institute. Since 1996, he worked as Deputy Director and later Director of the Karakalpak regional organization of the International Charitable Public Foundation for Ecology and Health "ECOSAN". Since October 2018 until the last days of his life he was the Director of the International Innovation Center of the Aral Sea Region.

Source: https://t.me/mininnovation


Viktor A. Dukhovniy, Director of SIC ICWC, doctor of technical science, professor passed away on August 14.



Having graduated with honors from Kiev Hydromeliorative Institute as an engineer-hydrotechnician in 1956, he started working at the "Golodnostepstroy" trust. As a chief engineer of Golodnostepstroy and later Glavsredazirsovkhozstroy in the 1960s-1970s, he worked on development and implementation of the integrated method of irrigation and development of vast areas of Golodnaya (Hunger) steppe and later the zone of Karakum canal, Dzhizak and Karshi steppes, Asht and Kyzylinsk land in Tajikistan, Lyailak in Kyrgyzstan, and rice-growing areas in Karakalpakstan.

In 1973, he became the director of the SANIIRI Institute, later transformed into a large multi-profile scientific-production association, which organized the following work cycle: research - design, production, and implementation.

Since 1969, V. Dukhovniy actively participated in the work of international organizations. Since independence of the five countries of the Central Asian region, Prof. Dukhovniy has been actively involved in the development of interstate water cooperation in the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya river basins, which contributed to the establishment of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination in Central Asia and SIC ICWC in 1992. In 1996, by the ICWC decision, V. Dukhovniy was appointed Director of SIC, an analytical and information body of ICWC for elaboration of principles and ways of prospective water development and interstate cooperation in CAR.

Prof. Dukhovniy is the author of more than 400 pieces of research, 17 monographs, 37 invention certificates, and over 150 reports for international conferences and symposiums. He defended his Candidate’s thesis in 1972 and doctor’s thesis in 1991. He trained 11 candidates of science.

Tribute to Prof. V. Dukhovniy

Source: SIC ICWC


On September 2, Arslan N. Berdyev, an expert of the Turkmen Analytical Agency “Ynanch-Vepa” passed away.



À. Berdiyev graduated from the Turkmen Agricultural Institute in 1986. The same year, he began his career at the South Karakum Hydrogeological Field Service. Later, he worked at the Turkmengiprovodkhoz Institute, the Turkmen Ministry of Agriculture, and the Executive Committee of IFAS. As an expert he collaborated with UNICEF, UNECE, GWP CACENA, and GIZ. Since 2016, he worked at the Analytical Agency "Ynanch-Vepa". A. Berdyev is the author of numerous articles and analytical materials.

Special thanks are due to G. Nurmukhammedova,
Chairman of GWP CACENA for the information



Hasanzoda Homid Usmon, Deputy Director of the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation at the Government of Tajikistan, passed away on October 27.



Hasanzoda Homid has worked for many years in the water management system of Tajikistan as Deputy Minister and made a worthy contribution to the development of land reclamation and irrigation in the country.

Source: EC IFAS


Boris M. Kizyaev, doctor of technical sciences, professor, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, honored irrigator of the Russian Federation, tragically died on December 9.



B. Kizyaev has worked for almost 60 years at the All-Russian Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation Research Institute (VNIIGiM): since 1997 as the Director, and since 2016 as the chief research officer.

B. Kizyaev was a prominent scientist in the area of water management, land reclamation and protection; he made a major contribution to agricultural science, practices and capacity building of the country agroindustry. He developed the priority area of agricultural science in part of modernization of technologies and technique for reconstruction and rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage systems and structures. In his works, for the first time, B. Kizyaev substantiated the methods for optimization of processes and organization of construction of irrigation and drainage systems.

He published more than 200 scientific papers. Among them are 34 books and monographs, 33 patents and certificates of authorship for inventions. For many years B. Kizyaev has served as the Chairman of the Institute’s Dissertation Council.

Source: VNIIGiM