Eugene Chelyshev facts for kids

Eugene Petrovich Chelyshev (born October 27, 1921 – died July 13, 2020) was a very important Russian scholar. He was known for studying India, its languages, and its culture. People who do this are called Indologists. He was also a top member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a group of leading scientists and scholars.

Chelyshev was a public figure and a member of the Writers' Union of Russia. He received many awards for his work, including the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" and the Order of Honour.

Life Story

Eugene Chelyshev was born in Moscow, Russia, on October 27, 1921. His family had a history of being merchants.

Early Education and Military Service

After finishing high school in 1939, he started studying at the Moscow Institute of Chemical Engineering. But soon after, he joined the army. He was sent to flight school to train as a pilot.

In 1949, he graduated from the Military Institute of Foreign Languages. This institute was part of the Red Army. He then continued his studies there. In 1952, he earned a degree called "Candidate of Sciences" in linguistics. This is like a master's degree. He then became the head of the Indian languages department at the institute until it closed in 1956.

Academic Career Begins

After leaving the military as a Lieutenant Colonel, Chelyshev began working at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He worked there for over 30 years and led the Indian Philology department. Philology is the study of language in historical texts.

At the same time, from 1956 to 1975, he also directed the Department of Indian Languages at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. In 1965, he earned a higher degree called "Doctor of Sciences" for his work on Indian literature. This is similar to a PhD.

In 1981, Chelyshev became a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This meant he was recognized for his important research. In 1987, he became a full member, which is a very high honor. A year later, he was chosen to lead the Department of Literature and Language of the Academy of Sciences. He was also part of the Presidium, which is like a governing board, of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

His Work and Achievements

Eugene Chelyshev's main areas of study were literature, culture, and Indian languages. He also compared literature from different countries.

Awards and Recognition

In 2002, India gave him a high award called the Padma Bhushan. This award is given to people for their special achievements. In 2004, he was the first Russian person to receive the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship from the Government of India. This is a special honor for writers and scholars in India.

Chelyshev was a member of the Soviet Union of Writers for 30 years. He also helped organize the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pushkin, a famous Russian poet. For this, he received the Medal of Pushkin from the President of Russia.

He was also a member of the Bureau of Indian Philosophical Society and The Asiatic Society.

Studying Swami Vivekananda

Chelyshev greatly admired Swami Vivekananda, a famous Indian spiritual leader. For over 30 years, Chelyshev studied Vivekananda's life and teachings. He worked to share Vivekananda's ideas and culture with others. He was also one of the vice-presidents of a committee that studied the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Movement in depth.