Biography
Shakhmardan Yessenovich Yessenov (August 5, 1927, the village of Tartogai, Shieli District, Kyzylorda Region – August 24, 1994, Almaty) was a prominent scientist and statesman of Kazakhstan, Minister of geology of the Kazakh SSR (1961-1965, 1974-1978), Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR (1967), President of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR (1967-1974), doctor of geological and mineralogical sciences (1970), a Lenin Prize laureate (1966), and laureate of the State Prize of the Kazakh SSR (1972).
Yessenov made a significant contribution to the development of geological science and geological services, as well as to the formation of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan. The list of his titles, honors, awards, and scientific works is extensive. He was the discoverer and developer of the world’s largest mineral deposits in the Zhezkazgan and Mangystau regions, including the Uzen and Zhetybai fields, among others.
EDUCATION
Having finished school, Shakhmardan Yessenov studied at the pedagogical college in Kyzylorda, graduating in 1944. That same year, he enrolled in the Kazakh Mining and Metallurgical Institute (now Satbayev University) and graduated from it in 1949.
“Among the young men and women who had just become students at the Faculty of Geological Exploration of the Kazakh Mining and Metallurgical Institute, he particularly stood out – tall, slender, handsome, cheerful, and attractive. This was Shakhmardan Yessenov,” Zhurmbek Sydykov, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. wrote with warmth in his memoirs about him.
EARLY CAREER
Shakhmardan Yessenov initially worked as a geologist at the Zhezkazgan Integrated Geological Exploration Expedition, later becoming its chief engineer.
In the 1950s, at Shakhmardan Yessenov’s initiative, a large-scale predictive geological map of the Zhezkazgan ore node was compiled. The new map indicated that Zhezkazgan’s estimated ore reserves were 2.5 times greater than previously assessed.
An expedition led by Yessenov discovered and initiated the development of two major underground fresh water seas – Zhanai and Aidos. In the 1960s, Yessenov was also awarded discovery certificates for the assessment and exploration of the Zhylandy group of copper deposits, including Itauz, Saryoba, Karyshoshak, Kipshakpai, Airanbai, Taldybulak, Zhartas, and others.
The assessment and exploration methods applied by Yessenov often contradicted the regulations and instructions established at the time, however they offered a substantial time advantage and had a tremendous economic impact.
In 1953, Shakhmardan Yessenov was elected as a deputy to the Zhezkazgan District Soviet from electoral district No. 45, and in 1955, as a deputy to the Zhezkazgan City Soviet from electoral district No. 144. In 1959, he was elected as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR of the 5th convocation.
GOVERNMENT AND SCIENTIFIC CAREER
In 1960, recognizing his talent, personal qualities, achievements, and experience as a geologist and practicing scientist, Shakhmardan Yessenov was offered the position of Deputy Minister of Geology of the Kazakh SSR, a post he held until 1961. That same year, at the age of 33, Yessenov became Minister of Geology of Kazakhstan. He served in this position through 1965, becoming the youngest minister in the USSR.
In 1962, following the discovery of vast oil and gas reserves on the Mangyshlak (Mangystau) Peninsula, the Soviet leader of the time, Nikita Khrushchev, came up with the idea of transferring the region to either Azerbaijan or Turkmenistan. Dinmukhamed Kunayev entrusted Shakhmardan Yessenov with preventing this proposal from being implemented. At a closed government meeting in Moscow, Yessenov made a well-argued case for keeping Mangyshlak within the Kazakh SSR. Alexei Kosygin, then Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR – essentially the Deputy Prime Minister – strongly supported his position. As a result, a historic decision was made to keep the peninsula as part of Kazakhstan.
In 1965, Shakhmardan Yessenov was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR. His professional responsibilities included the management of Kazakhstan’s heavy industry sectors.
In 1967, Yessenov was elected an Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, President of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, and concurrently Director of the Institute of Geological Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR (1967-1974). That same year, Shakhmardan Yessenov was elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR.
In 1970, the prominent scientist defended his doctoral dissertation on the geology, metallogeny, and methods of prospecting and exploration of sandstone-hosted copper deposits of the Zhezkazgan type. Shakhmardan Yessenov was awarded the title of Professor.
In 1974, he was reappointed Minister of Geology of the Kazakh SSR.
In 1978, Yessenov returned to his alma mater, then known as the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute. The scientist and statesman remained a professor and Head of the Department of Mineral Deposit Prospecting and Exploration Methods at this higher education institution until his death.
Shakhmardan Yessenov passed away on August 24, 1994, and was buried at the Kensai Cemetery in Almaty.
Whatever occurred in Yessenov’s life, and regardless of all the ups and downs, his faithful companion, his wife Khamila, was always by his side. Yessenov had three sons and a daughter, as well as grandchildren, one of whom, businessman and philanthropist Galimzhan Yessenov, is the founder of the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation.
SIGNIFICANCE
Alongside Kanysh Satpayev, whose student he was, and Yevney Buketov, Shakhmardan Yessenov belongs to a distinguished group of prominent Kazakhstani scientists who had a tremendous and lasting impact on the development of science and the economy in Kazakhstan. Owing to Shakhmardan Yessenov’s fruitful work and his active involvement, the largest deposits of oil, gas, copper, and other natural resources were discovered and developed, including the Zhezkazgan, Zhanaozen, Karazhanbas, Zhetybai, Kalamkas, and Buzachi fields. The reserves of the Uzen and Zhetybai fields are estimated at approximately 1.5 billion tons of oil. To a certain extent, the development of the entire Mangystau region, and the city of Aktau in particular, owes much to Shakhmardan Yessenov.
According to contemporaries, Yefim Slavsky, a prominent Soviet statesman, industrial leader, Minister of Medium Machine-Building, and head of the entire USSR nuclear industry, believed that at least one of his three Hero of Socialist Labor titles rightfully belonged to Shakhmardan Yessenov – for the discovery of oil and gas fields in the Mangystau region, the Kazakh scientist’s contribution to science, and his distinguished service in government.
MEMORY AND LEGACY
In 1995, to honor the memory of Shakhmardan Yessenovich Yessenov, the Aktau Polytechnic Institute was renamed the Shakhmardan Yessenov Aktau Polytechnic Institute (now Yessenov University) by a resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
There are streets named after Shakhmardan Yessenov in Almaty, Zhezkazgan, Kyzylorda, and several villages in the Kyzylorda Region.
In 2013, the prominent scholar’s grandson, Galimzhan Yessenov, founded the charitable Academician Shakhmardan Yessenov Science and Education Foundation – the Shakhmardan Yessenov Foundation. The organization’s goal is to support students and young Kazakhstani scientists specializing in the exact and natural sciences through grants awarded as part of the Foundation’s educational programs. The Foundation’s mission is to develop Kazakhstan’s intellectual potential.