On July 5, 2003, Igor Vsevolodovich Mozheyko, a prominent orientalist, science fiction writer, a man of many talents, whose bright personality stood out even in the far from monotonous galaxy of his colleagues both in scientific work and in the writing department, passed away.

I. V. Mozheyko was born in Moscow in 1934 in the family of an employee. It so happened that the first country where he went as a translator after graduating from the First Moscow State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages in 1957 was Burma, and this largely determined his future fate: Igor Vsevolodovich decided to devote himself to Oriental studies, and in this vast profession the main subject of his research will be the history and culture of Burma. Then there would be work in Iraq and Ghana, but in 1962-1964 the journalist I. V. Mozheyko would return to Rangoon as a correspondent for the Novosti press Agency and deputy press secretary of the Soviet Embassy.

Clearly imagining that the understanding of modernity can be quite deep in the knowledge of the ancient history of the country, he defended his PhD thesis in 1965 on the topic: "The Pagan State (XI-XIII centuries)", and from the same year his scientific biography is already inextricably linked with the Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now RAS), where in 1980 he was awarded a doctorate for his dissertation "The Buddhist Sangha and the state in Burma".

page 219

From the pen of Igor Vsevolodovich came such major works as " The History of Burma. A short essay "(1973, together with A. N. Uzyanov), biography of the national hero of Burma Aung San (1965), " West Wind-clear weather (South-East Asia in World War II)", a book that went through two editions-in 1984 and 2002, " Burma: religion and politics "(1978). The voluminous work "The Year 1185: East-West", published in 1989, was unique in its own way, where an interesting, fruitful and promising attempt was made to give a simultaneous cross-section of the existence of peoples belonging to different religions and cultures at different stages of development. In the same row stands the book "With a Cross and a Musket" written in 1966 together with L. V. Sedov and V. A. Tyurin about the first stage of colonization of Southeast Asia by Europeans. Many of I. V. Mozheyko's scientific works have been translated into foreign languages and published abroad.

It would be a mistake to try to draw some kind of fundamental distinction between the famous scientist-orientalist I. V. Mozheyko and the writer Cyrus Bulychev, who was known and loved by millions of readers. And the point is not only that in many books published under the name of K. Bulychev, we find very clearly palpable Oriental motifs, inspired by both the author's direct impressions and his scientific research. The opposite also seems to be true. It is no coincidence that the works of Doctor of Historical Sciences I. V. Mozheyko in Oriental studies so clearly show his increased attention to the human dimension of the historical process, to the price that ordinary people have to pay for what we are accustomed, sometimes without hesitation, to call progress.

The largest falerist of our country, I. V. Mozheyko devoted several works to state awards in the countries of the East, including in Burma and in colonial Indonesia.

Igor Vsevolodovich's scientific and literary achievements were awarded the USSR State Prize (1982) and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 4th class.

Igor Vsevolodovich was distinguished by a rare and completely genuine benevolence, sincere attention to others. And this was not the feigned" starry " democracy of the famous writer, but a warm, active interest in colleagues, friends, their opinions, their affairs, problems and successes. Anyone who has been lucky enough to meet this bright and kind person knows that the words refer to him, as rarely to anyone else.: "Don't talk about them - they don't exist, but with gratitude-they were!"

FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES

Permanent link to this publication: