To say that Rustam Minnikhanov is a respected person in Tatarstan is not to say anything. At the last presidential election in September 2015, more than 90 percent of voters cast their votes for him. You must be able to win such a serious level of public trust ...
The President of the Republic of Tatarstan is an outstanding and extraordinary person. In early October 2015, a survey was conducted on Instagram, as a result of which Minnikhanov was named the third Russian politician in popularity among the population. Only Vladimir Putin and the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov were ahead of him. Our article is dedicated to the biography of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
President’s early childhood
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov was born on the first day of spring 1957. The village of Novy Arysh in the Rybno-Slobodsky district of the Republic of Tatarstan (at that time the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) became its small homeland.
The future president’s father Nurgali Midkhadovich Minnikhanov and Vasig Mubarakovna’s mother created a strong union, giving life to three boys: Rustam, his elder brother Rifkat and the youngest - Rais.
In the early sixties, the Minnikhanov family moved to the Sabinsky district (near Kazan), where its head, since 1962, worked for almost 30 years as the director of the local timber industry. And the keeper of the hearth worked as a teacher in a kindergarten.
Despite the fact that the father held a fairly high post, the children were brought up in severity and modesty. Rustam Minnikhanov and his brothers did not receive any special privileges, and familiar families were amazed at how parents manage to raise such obedient, sympathetic and hardworking sons.
The then Minister of Water Resources and Land Reclamation Mintimer Shaimiev often went to hunt the timber industry farm, which was led by Minnikhanov Sr. He was friends with Nurgali Midgadovich and played a big role in the life of his middle son.
School years
Minnikhanov Rustam Nurgalievich heard his first school bell on the threshold of the eight-year-old leshoz. The boy studied well, although he was never an upstart. Teachers still remember his calm, thoughtful character. They say that he never especially pulled his hand, but if you ask, he always answered correctly. He was a year younger than his classmates, but this did not interfere with his studies. Distinguished by laconicism and seriousness.
After graduating from the eight-year-old, he transferred to Sabinsky secondary school, which was 15 kilometers from home. And although Rustam Minnikhanov was the son of a rather influential person in the region, he should never use his father's official position. He could have been taken to school in a private car, but on Mondays and Fridays he drove back and forth in a covered truck with his comrades. And on weekdays he lived in a boarding school.
And it was a very friendly and fun life. With songs, dances, going to the movies and other simple entertainments of the Soviet era. The favorite subject of the future President of Tatarstan was labor training. Especially the section on agricultural machinery. This guy understood the technique like no one else in the class.
Hobbies of Rustam Minnikhanov
Rustam Minnikhanov, whose biography began in a rather remote area far from the "advanced capital", could not count on any special delights in his childhood. And the time was such - difficult and simple.
But the children found what to do with themselves. From an early age, Minnikhanov was fond of skiing and “put” all his friends on them. They went skiing to school, constantly arranged competitions ...
Speed forever remained in the life of Rustam Nurgalievich, only the skis were somewhat “transformed”. Today, the President of Tatarstan is seriously interested in racing and even has the international rank of master of sports. Already holding high positions, he participated in championships more than once and won victories.
Another hobby of Minnikhanov is photography. And it also comes from childhood. The boy received his first camera in his life as a gift from his parents when he was 10 years old. With this "Seagull" Rustam did not leave either day or night.
Higher education
Having received a certificate, Rustam Minnikhanov went to conquer Kazan. His goal was the Kazan Agricultural Institute, where a capable young man entered with ease. He lived like everyone else in a hostel, enjoyed college students ...
In 1978, the future president of Tatarstan received a diploma in agricultural mechanization and returned to his native village to put into practice his knowledge. But his studies did not end there. Soon, the young man becomes a student at the Moscow Correspondence Institute of Soviet Trade, which he graduated in 1986 with a diploma in goods in his pocket.
Start of work
The future head of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, began his career in 1978 in the association Selkhoztehnika in the Sabinsky district as a diagnostic engineer.
Two years later, he goes to his father in the Sabinsky forestry, where he works as a senior power engineer. And in 1983 he replaced the chairman of the board of the Sabinsky district consumer society. A little later - exactly the same Raipo, only in the city of Arsk, falls into its complete submission.
At the dawn of a political career
It is unlikely that the parents and teachers of the young skier guessed that they were raising the president ... But the serious nature of the boy, his persistence in studies and authority among his comrades hinted at the possibility of a political career. And how successful she is is today.
So it happened
In 1990, Minnikhanov Rustam Nurgalievich was appointed chairman of the Arsky district executive committee and held this position until 1992. The whole next year he replaced the head of the administration of the Arsky district, and from 1993 to 1996, Minnikhanov led the Vysokogorsky district.
In this post, he managed to do a lot. For example, to build a race track and hold many competitions in high-level car racing - including the Cup of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.
At the helm of the republic
Rustam Nurgalievich did not stay for long with the head of the district administration - only three years. And after that began his rapid career growth. Minnikhanov moved to the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, and in 1996 became the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Tatarstan. He was appointed to this post by Mintimer Shaimiev, who at that time was the president of the republic.
Many ill-wishers associated this appointment with the long-term friendship of the Shaimiev and the Minnikhanov family. Evil tongues even said that Shaimiev was pulling Minnikhanov “by the ears”, and the latter itself was a complete zero in politics. But further - more. Two years later, Minnikhanov has already assumed the post of Prime Minister of Tatarstan and has been holding it for the next 12 years.
At first, this turn of events provoked a sharp protest from the local elite. She even organized a putsch, however, easily suppressed by Shaimiev.
And Rustam Minnikhanov justified the trust. During his dominance in the Cabinet of Ministers of Tatarstan, he did a lot for the republic. For example, he made a technological revolution, as a result of which all management documentation turned into electronic form; made the work of officials transparent; achieved the victory of Tatarstan in the race for the right to host the Universiade in 2013, etc.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov: new heights
January 22, 2010, on the eve of the expiration of his presidential term, Mr. Shaimiev voiced the then head of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev a request not to put him on this post anymore. Instead, he suggested Minnikhanov.
And Medvedev liked the candidacy. After approval by the State Council of the Republic, Rustam Nurgalievich became the president of Tatarstan. On March 25, 2010, he formally assumed his new position. He held this responsible post until March 2015.
Almost half a year - from March 24, 2015 to September 18, 2015 Minnikhanov ruled the republic as an acting president of the Republic of Tatarstan. And on September 18 he was elected to the main post of Tatarstan by popular vote. 94.41% of voters trusted the current and. about.
Other areas of activity of Minnikhanov
In addition to the success of the race car driver that Tatarstan, Kazan and all of Russia are proud of, Rustam Minnikhanov also distinguished himself by his activities in the economic sphere. So, for example, in 1997 he was on the supervisory board of Ak Bars Bank, and at the very end of the nineties he chaired the board of directors of Tatneft. The current president of Tatarstan has a doctorate in economics. He defended his thesis in 2003.
Personal life
Minnikhanov never pleased with the details of his personal life of journalists who were eager for gossip. Neither he nor his wife seek to be in the spotlight of the press and show maximum humility.
By the way, the first wife of Rustam Minnikhanov, she is the only one, 12 years younger than him. Her name is Gulsina Akhatovna. Future spouses met in Arsk almost 30 years ago. And since then they have not parted. Rumor has it that Rustam Nurgalievich had to achieve the hand and heart of Gulsina for a year. But the marriage was durable.
The President of Tatarstan, in general, is an active opponent of divorces and even somewhat tightened the legislation of the republic in this regard. He proves his position by personal example.
The wife of Rustam Minnikhanov is engaged in business. She owns one of the elite beauty salons in Kazan. Before the tragedy of 2013, the family had two sons. Now there is only one left - Iskander Minnikhanov born in 2008.
Accident 11/17/13
On November 17, 2013, a Boeing 737-500 passenger crashed while landing at Kazan Airport. The plane was returning from Moscow. All passengers died, including the eldest son of Rustam Minnikhanov, Irek.
He left his pregnant wife Anthony (a French citizen), who gave birth to a girl exactly one month later. The first granddaughter of the president was named Andriana. The deceased was incomplete 24 years.
Rustam Minnikhanov, whose biography is inextricably linked with Tatarstan, received condolences from all over the republic. People sincerely mourned with him and his orphaned family. The eldest son of Rustam Nurgalievich was a modest and "not major" guy. He avoided public events, did not boast of his position in society. However, it was he who completely and completely inherited his father ...
In conclusion, we wish Rustam Minnikhanov success in the political field and well-being in family life.