Kasym MAULENOV, Professor: KazGU has always been a forge of champions.

E.Ibraimov, V.Zhirov and K.Maulenov

Our editorial office was visited by Kassym Maulenov, Doctor of Law, Professor, winner of the Ch. Valikhanov Prize in the field of science, and Fulbright Program Fellow of the U.S. Congress, to congratulate the leadership, scientists, teachers, and students on the 90th anniversary of KazNU. Kassym Maulenov is a graduate of the Law Faculty of KazGU (1977), a postgraduate student (1979-1982), and has worked as a lecturer, associate professor, and deputy dean of the Law Faculty (1982-1987). During his student years, he was actively involved in sports – he was the winner of the Spartakiad of universities of the Kazakh SSR (1974), the 10th All-Union Universiade (1974), a bronze medalist of the All-Union Dynamo Sports Society Youth Championship (1974), a finalist of the Spartakiads of universities of the Kazakh SSR (1976-1977), a finalist of the All-Union Universiades (1976-1977), a bronze medalist of the Spartakiad of Airborne Forces of the Central Asian Military District (1977), and a finalist of the Spartak All-Union Sports Society Championship (1978). During the conversation, Kassym Syrbaevich shared the history of student boxing at our university.

– Kassym Maulenov, you are a member of the executive committee of the Boxing Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, so perhaps no one else can tell us in as much detail about the history and tradition of student boxing at KazGU.

– As you know, boxing has become Kazakhstan’s calling card on the world stage. This sport began to be cultivated in the republic starting in 1933. The success of Kazakhstani boxing during the Soviet period is largely due to the creative work of the older generation of coaches: Shokhrat Bultykuly, Davletkeri Mullaev, A. Infland, Gustav Kirshtein, Mengerei Khairutdinov, Iskander Khasanov, Gennady Rozhkov, Gennady Rekhert, Nikolai Li, Khabdulmazhit Omarhaliev, Abdusalam Nurmakhanov, Kazbek Ashlyayev, Serikbay Abdenaliyev, and others.

The first success for KazGU students named after S.M. Kirov came in 1947, when Mahmut Omarov, a student of the historical faculty, won a bronze medal at the USSR Championship. He went on to become the champion of the Spartakiad of the Central Asian republics and Kazakhstan (1948), the winner of the All-Union Dynamo Sports Society Championship (1950), and a silver medalist at the All-Union Dynamo Sports Society Championship (1955). His success was continued by his younger brother, Maksut Omarov, a student of the biological faculty, who became the champion of the Spartakiad of the Central Asian republics and Kazakhstan (1954), a bronze medalist at the USSR Championship (1957), and a finalist at the II Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR (1959). The Omarov brothers trained under the guidance of Shokhrat Bultykuly, the founder of boxing in Kazakhstan and a Honored Coach of the Kazakh SSR. After their boxing careers, the Omarov brothers successfully defended their candidate dissertations, were awarded the academic title of associate professors, and taught at universities in Almaty.

– Are there any boxers from those years who have achieved such heights in science that their accomplishments are truly impressive?

Yes, many of them reached notable heights in science as well. Gennady Rozhkov holds a record that could easily be placed in the Guinness World Records – 9 of his students-boxers from KazGU, spanning different years, among them Soviet sports masters and candidates for master of sports, became academicians and doctors in various fields of science. I would like to highlight two of his students who became laureates of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan in science: Murat Sabitov – Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, and Mikhail Nauryzbaev – Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor. Among the doctors of sciences, I would single out Lazari Kerimov – Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Rakhim Koishybaev – Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Kamalbay Mardanov – Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Zaylagi Kenzhaliev – Doctor of Legal Sciences, Professor, and Kanatbek Dosaliev – Doctor of Legal Sciences, Professor, and Director of the South Kazakhstan College of Law and Industry Technologies. My younger brother, Gaziz Syrbaevich, and I defended doctoral dissertations in legal sciences and also received the academic title of professors. More than 40 of G.F. Rozhkov's students have defended their candidate dissertations: Sabit Tairov – Candidate of Economic Sciences, former Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Iran, Kultay Dzhakupbaev – Candidate of Economic Sciences, who worked for many years as head of the department at the State Planning Committee of the Kazakh SSR and in the Office of the President and Government of Kazakhstan, Chatai Duysybaev – Candidate of Economic Sciences, Professor, Rector of the Almaty Commercial and Financial Academy, Bulat Zhusupbekov – Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Tleugabul Abaideldinov – Candidate of Legal Sciences, and others.

– During the Soviet era, who were the notable coaches at KazGU who worked on training boxers? Who was responsible for raising the most outstanding athletes?

– I would particularly like to highlight the significant contribution of Abdyasalan Nurmakhanov to the development of boxing at the Department of Physical Education at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. He worked for more than 12 years at the flagship institution of higher education in the republic. His students became not only champions and medalists of Kazakhstan and USSR championships but also leaders of national government bodies, ministries, departments, and national companies. Abdyasalan Nurmakhanov took constant care of his boxer-students. During that period, Valentin Yunusov, a finalist of the 1985 World Youth Championship in Bucharest and a finalist of the 1986 USSR Cup, studied at the law faculty. At the day-time department of the Philosophy and Economics Faculty, Borankul Nurpeisov, champion of the All-Union Universiade (1981 and 1984), champion of the Kazakh SSR Championship (1983), studied successfully. Borankul Nurpeisov defended his candidate dissertation and now works as an associate professor at Karaganda State University named after E.A. Buketov. Karimjan Abdrakhmanov, winner of the USSR Championship (1984 and 1990), bronze medalist at the European Championship and World Cup (1985), graduated from the correspondence department of the law faculty.

Abdyasalan Nurmakhanov made a huge contribution to the achievements of Kazakhstan's boxers during the independent period. He served as the head coach of the Kazakhstan national boxing team from 1993 to 1997. As is known, Kazakhstan made its debut as a sovereign, independent state at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and it was Abdyasalan Nurmakhanov who led the Kazakhstani boxers into the ring at the Atlanta Olympics. Debuting at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the Kazakhstan team achieved excellent results, winning 4 medals and taking 3rd place in the unofficial team standings, just behind Cuba and the USA.

– Kassym, what would you wish to your colleagues and students on the eve of the 90th anniversary of your alma mater?

– With deep respect and pride, I would like to note the outstanding achievements of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. For 90 years, the university has demonstrated leadership in education, the training of highly qualified specialists, and scientific research activities. I wholeheartedly congratulate the university staff and students on this anniversary and wish professors and teachers continued success, scientific breakthroughs, and significant achievements in their noble work. May every student who graduates from the university not only be well-educated but also a deeply cultivated individual.

– Thank you!

Interviewed by
Kairzhan TUREZHANOV