For two decades, Mintimer Sharipovich Shaimiev was at the head of Tatarstan. During this period, the region has made great strides in economic and cultural development.
Childhood and adolescence
Mintimer Shaimiev was born in 1939 in the village of Anyakovo, 49 kilometers to the nearest regional center Aktanysh. The surname of the politician comes from the name of the Tatar village Shaimi, in which his ancestors once lived. The boy received the name Mintimer, which in translation from his native language meant "I am iron". He was the penultimate child of the Shaimievs with many children; in total, 10 children were born in the family.
Mintimer's childhood is inextricably linked with the years of the war and the post-war reconstruction of the country. The father headed the collective farm, so the sons began to work early. Once, in the late 40s, the head of the family, rescuing hungry fellow villagers, gave 2 bags of millet from the collective farm stocks. For this act, he almost went to jail. After this incident, Mintimer wanted to become a prosecutor, and changed his mind just before school graduation. The father dreamed that his son received a technical education, worked in the MTS and insisted that he enter the Kazan Agricultural Institute.
In 1959, Shaimiev graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. The first place of work was the Muslyumovskaya repair station. The young specialist was soon appointed chief engineer of RTS. After 3 years he was offered to head the inter-district association "Selkhoztekhniki" in Menzelinsk. Mintimer was then 25 years old.
Career
Shaimiev was ambitious, membership in the KSPP allowed him to start a political career. In 1967, a mechanical engineer was appointed instructor, and then head of the agrarian department of the Tatar regional party committee. Two years later, an unexpected proposal was received - to head the Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources of the republic. For a guy from the hinterland, this was a real take-off. The 32-year-old minister had a hard time breaking the rules of hardware games. At the age of 14, his career advancement stopped, despite the talent of an administrator, he was unable to overcome the hierarchy of elderly officials that had been established for years.
In 1983, Shaimiev took up the post of deputy head of the government of the republic, and 2 years later he headed the Council of Ministers of the Tatar ASSR. A wave of perestroika swept across the country, it made it possible for people from the regions to rise to the political Olympus. Mintimer Shaimiev was able to bypass competitors and take the chair of the 1st secretary of the regional committee of the Tatarstan party. Having become the head of the Supreme Council of Autonomy, he concentrated all power in one hand.
At the head of the republic
When in 1991 most of the union republics gained independence, Shaimiev became the first president of Tatarstan. The head of the republic tried to expand the rights and independence of his region, but did not want complete separation from the federal center. The struggle ended with a declaration of sovereignty. At the initiative of the president, a national referendum was held on the state status of Tatarstan. The majority of the republic's population spoke in favor of building relations with Russia on the basis of equality. Such a solution to the issue was supported by other republics, which helped to avoid ethnic strife in the country.
Despite the fact that many neighbors experienced a severe crisis in the 90s, the republic's economy confidently maintained its high indicators. Shaimiev made a significant contribution to the development of Tatarstan in subsequent years. By 2008, the republic was leading among the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in terms of construction rates and became the 2nd in the agricultural sector. The president considered his main achievement to be the preservation of the unity of the Russian Federation and a new attitude towards his people.
Criticism of the opposition against the president's family, which took control over many industries, did not prevent Mintimer Sharipovich from being reelected twice for a new term. In 1996, he collected more than 90% of the votes, and in 2001 - 79% of the population of the republic expressed confidence in him.
"United Russia"
In the late 90s, Shaimiev and Yuri Luzhkov founded the political movement Fatherland - All Russia, which two years later entered the United Russia party. The President of Tatarstan became the co-chairman of the Supreme Council, he held this position for a long time.
When the presidential term ended in 2010 and new elections were coming, 73-year-old Shaimiev announced his rejection. The head of Tatarstan thanked the United Russia colleagues for their long-term trust and expressed confidence that the time has come for young politicians. Shaimiev continues to share his experience and knowledge in the post of State Counselor, as well as remaining a life member of Parliament with the right to submit legislative initiatives.
Personal life
Shaimiev met his wife Sakina at a dance. Mintimer was doing an internship before defending a diploma, and the girl had just graduated from a technical school. The young man was fascinated by the long-haired beauty and soon proposed to her. Parents approved the choice of their son, Mintimer married once and for life. For the President of Tatarstan, the family has always been of the greatest value. His wife gave him 2 sons - Ayrat and Radik. They have made a successful career in business, each financially estimated at over $ 1 billion. The brothers own a group of companies that control the oil, gas and chemical industry of the republic. One granddaughter of Shaimiev graduated from MGIMO with honors, the other, along with a certificate, received a gold medal, her grandson works in the oil sector.
Today the ex-President of the Republic of Tatarstan devotes his time to scientific and social activities. The website "Official Tatarstan" tells about the work of the State Counselor. Hero of Labor of Russia, holder of numerous orders of the USSR and the Russian Federation, Mintimer Shaimiev won the honor of his people and inscribed his own name in the biography of the country.
