January 20, 1937
In the village of Anyakovo, 300 kilometers from Kazan, was born Mintimer Shaimiev — the first president of Tatarstan.
Don't go into power without love for people.
His childhood coincided with the war and postwar years. According to Shaimiev himself, he remembers it as a constant hunger. In search of frozen potatoes, he dug furrows and stole peas from fields guarded from the half-starved populace.
When my father returned from the front, he was elected chairman of the collective farm. Then he was nearly sent to prison for donating two sacks of millet to the public food service for starving villagers.
After graduating from the agricultural institute, Mintimer Shaimiev returned to the village. He first worked as a mechanic at a tractor station, then as a chief engineer. He invented a new method for sowing corn, which was later spread throughout the country.
At the age of 32, he headed the regional Ministry of Agriculture, and at 52, he became the first secretary of the regional committee.
In June 1991 he was elected president Republic of TatarstanDuring the August putsch, he supported the State Emergency Committee. Yeltsin, in accordance with his famous recommendation, “took as much sovereignty as he could” – Tatarstan under Shaimiev achieved sustainable economic development, but at the same time remained part of Russia.
In the 90s, I had the composure to never utter the word "independence" anywhere. I never said out loud what the raging and aggressive crowd wanted from me.
In total, he led the republic for 21 years. In January 2010, the 73-year-old politician announced his withdrawal and refused to run for another term.
He received a lifetime position as a State Counselor, which allows him to remain a member of the Republican Parliament, introduce bills and influence public life.
After retirement, he began to revive ancient settlements: Bolgar and Sviyazhsk.
Power is a vicious circle; leaving power is impossible. If it weren't for my age, I wouldn't have left. I know I've been in power too long. A sense of freedom is already beginning to settle in, but I don't know when the responsibility will leave.