August 16, 2002 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Yuri Roerich, a true encyclopedist, who is proud in the West and East, a thinker, a connoisseur of Oriental culture, a scientist who gave his life to science, a wonderful person. Of the 58 incomplete years allotted by fate, Yu. N. Roerich spent the first fourteen and the last three years in his homeland. But he was always with Russia in mind and soul. Wherever Yu. N. Roerich was, he did not ignore orientalist studies in his homeland, was constantly interested in the works of Russian scientists, obtained Russian literature, books, and magazines with all the difficulties, and was aware of the achievements and discoveries of Soviet Oriental studies. Yu. N. Roerich, a Mongol scholar, Tibetologist, indologist, Sanskrit scholar, and an outstanding orientalist, brilliantly combined knowledge of the history, philology, and philosophy of the East in his works, and was a worthy successor to the traditions of his family. The Roerich family was distinguished by high spirituality, deep knowledge, true professionalism, dedication to universal ideals, and service to the common cause. Human decency, absolute morality, and purity of thought in everything were inherent in every member of this great family. Yu. N. Roerich, the eldest son of the famous academician of painting, archaeologist, and historian Nikolai Konstantinovich Roerich and his wife, close friend and assistant Elena Ivanovna Roerich, was born in 1902 near the village of Okulovka, Novgorod province, where N. K. Roerich conducted archaeological excavations. The Roerich family united amazingly beautiful and harmonious people. The Roerich family was marked by brave soldiers and statesmen. Nicholas Roerich's father was a well-known lawyer and owned a large notary's office in St. Petersburg. The maternal line was also famous for its ancestors. Elena Ivanovna was the great-granddaughter of the war hero of 1812, Field Marshal M. I. Kutuzov, and the composer M. P. Mus ... Read more