Nurtas Ondassynov — a Statesman and Lexicographer
Nurtas Ondassynov (1904-1989) was a prominent Kazakh politician who, as Prime Minister of Soviet Kazakhstan, oversaw significant infrastructure projects like the Mointy-Shu railway and Arys-Turkestan Canal. After retiring due to a clash with Khrushchev, he pursued Oriental studies, authored dictionaries, and advocated for female education. Despite a humble lifestyle, Ondassynov regretted his children not speaking Kazakh. He valued Kazakhstan’s cultural wisdom and was a proud patriot.
