Alikhan Bukeikhanov – the Most Prominent Figure of the 20th Century

Origin

Alikhan Nurmukhameduly Bokeikhanov, whose ancestors trace back to Jochi — the eldest son of Genghis Khan, was born on March 5, 1870, in the former Semipalatinsk region, Karkaralinsk uyezd, in the 7th aul of Tokyraun volost. Today it is the Shabanbai-bi rural district. Alikhan surname was originally recorded as Nurmukhamedov; later, in his final year of higher education, he voluntarily changed it to Bokeikhanov.

Family

Alikhan Bokeikhanov married Olga, daughter of Yakov Sevostyanov. In 1903, daughter Yelizaveta was born, and in 1910, son Ukitay. Bokeikhanov daughter married Smagul Saduakasov. In 1957, son Ukitay died under mysterious circumstances.

Education

Alikhan Bokeikhanov began studying Arabic literacy from a village mullah in Karkaralinsk. He then transferred to a three-class Russian-language primary school in the city. After completing it, from 1879-1886 he attended a school for Kazakh children in Karkaralinsk. From 1886-1890 he studied at a technical school in Omsk. From 1890-1894 he received education at the Economics Faculty of the Forest Technology Institute in St. Petersburg.

Creative works

Alikhan Bokeikhanov legacy consists of thousands of essays and articles in various fields. They were published in all publications in Russia and Kazakhstan. Numerous writings by the researcher-scholar and outstanding publicist Alikhan on economics, literary studies, forestry, and agriculture have been preserved.

Arrest in the 1920s

In 1920, the Alash autonomy disappeared from the historical stage forever, and its members were persecuted. Alikhan Bokeikhanov was exiled to Moscow, where he was under house arrest for 10 years.

Execution

Imprisoned in Moscow Butyrka prison, Alikhan Nurmukhameduly Bokeikhanov was executed in Moscow in 1937 at the age of 67. Information about the location of Alikhan grave was made public only in 2007. He is buried at the Donskoy Cemetery in Moscow.