Tajikistan Life & Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Mountaineering

Reporter Christopher Wren, Member of 1974 Team That Found Climbers´ Bodies on Lenin Peak, Has Died

Christopher S. Wren, a journalist for The New York Times who was part of a 1974 American expedition that discovered the bodies of seven Soviet women climbers on Lenin Peak, on today’s border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, has died at the age of 89. Wren died at home in Vermont on February 15, the newspaper reported, quoting his daughter Celia Wren. The journalist reported extensively from the Soviet Union and China during the Cold War, as well as other regions, and his report on the discovery of what he called “one of the worst tragedies in modern mountaineering” was among his most dramatic dispatches. Wren, an experienced mountaineer, was with a team that found the bodies of the all-female Soviet group on Lenin Peak, a 7,134-meter mountain in what was then part of the Soviet Union. Many international climbers had gathered there that year at a time when the Cold War dominated global politics. The body of an eighth Soviet climber was found after Wren and his teammates left the site. “The Soviet press did not report the deaths of the country’s best women climbers until after I had returned to Moscow and revealed the disaster in The New York Times,” Wren wrote in his 1990 book The End of the Line: The Failure of Communism in the Soviet Union and China. Usually accessed from the Kyrgyz side, Lenin Peak is not the highest mountain in Kyrgyzstan, nor is it considered the most technically difficult. Russian climber Natalia Nagovitsina and an Italian friend, Luca Sinigaglia, died last year on Pobeda Peak, the country’s highest mountain at 7,439 meters above sea level. Kyrgyzstan’s Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation says Lenin Peak is popular among “beginner climbers.” The peak, the federation says, “is one of the most accessible 7000s in the world for climbing, one of the five world peaks in terms of popularity, and its base camp - Achyk-Tash - is the most convenient in terms of infrastructure accessibility among peaks of this height.” Infrastructure and communications at the mountain were more basic half a century ago, and the perils of high altitude, the cold, winds and storms are significant. In 1974, Russian expedition leader Elvira Shatayeva and her party got into trouble in a storm as they descended from the summit. In radio calls, she told base camp that they were dying and, according to Wren’s book, her last words were: “Please forgive us. We love you. Goodbye.” Heading toward the summit after the storm cleared, Wren and his group found the bodies of the stranded Soviet women. “A body is stretched on the snow before us. With a chill of recognition, I know it is Elvira Shatayeva, the women's team leader with whom I sat and talked one evening several weeks earlier,” Wren wrote in a 1974 article. The Soviet media blamed the storm for the disaster. But Wren said he wondered if more transparency and communication among climbing teams at Lenin Peak, despite heightened tension and rivalry between...

Politics of Language

The Language Nobody Wants to Speak About: Russian’s Uneasy Place in Central Asia’s Cultural Conversation

Rhetoric in segments of the Russian media has sharpened debates over sovereignty and influence across Central Asia, pushing these concerns beyond policy circles and into everyday conversations. The region is reassessing not only pipelines and alliances, but language itself. In politics, this shift is visible and symbolic. In culture, it is more difficult to discern. The Russian language still shapes how Central Asian art is funded, circulated, and institutionally processed, even as institutions distance themselves from Moscow’s influence. This contradiction sits at the heart of contemporary cultural life in the region. Artists produce work rooted in Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik, or Turkmen histories. They title exhibitions in local languages. They speak passionately about decolonial futures and cultural sovereignty. But when the catalogue is written, the grant application submitted, or the curatorial text sent abroad, the language quietly shifts. First to Russian, sometimes to English, and only occasionally does it remain in the local language. This is not nostalgia, but a structural inheritance. Russian remains the shared professional language of much of the urban cultural sector. Edward Lemon, President of the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, argues that the language’s endurance reflects both ideology and pragmatism. “While local languages have become much more widespread as the Central Asian republics have strengthened their nationhood and as there has been an increase in anti-Russian sentiments since the invasion of Ukraine, Russian language use remains widespread,” Lemon told TCA. “Despite the ideological imperative to reduce reliance on Russian, there are some pragmatic reasons why it remains prominent. High levels of migration to Russia, particularly from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, mean that a basic competence in the language is essential to survival for many Central Asians. Russian remains a language of interethnic communication, particularly in Kazakhstan, where ethnic Russians, for the most part, are reluctant to speak Kazakh. While English has become more widespread and some of the Central Asian languages are mutually intelligible, Russian retains a status as a diplomatic, business, and civil society language for those working in multiple countries. Russia also remains a language of education. Over 200,000 Central Asians study in Russia, by far the largest destination in the world. Russian-language schools remain prominent at every level in Central Asia, from kindergarten to graduate schools. In short, while the usage of Russian is in slow decline, its position is relatively entrenched.” For cultural institutions, this reality means that distancing from Moscow politically does not automatically sever the linguistic infrastructure through which grants are written, exhibitions travel, and contracts are signed. Naima Morelli, an arts writer focused on contemporary art across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, argues that the issue is less about elimination than coexistence. “For me, it makes sense that Russian continues to function as a practical operating language across Central Asia’s cultural infrastructure, as an inherited connective tissue of sorts. In the hypothesis of getting rid of it, the most obvious alternative for a shared language for exchanges across countries in Central Asia is English, which the global...

Society

On the Eve of Valentine’s Day: Customs of Love and Marriage in Central Asia

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Central Asia is once again debating whether to celebrate the holiday or regard it as a symbol of foreign influence. Yet the region has its own rich and diverse customs related to love, matchmaking, and marriage. Accusations of Alien Influence and “Corruption” Valentine’s Day, like Halloween, spread to the former Soviet republics after the collapse of the USSR. In the first decades, young people embraced the new holidays. In recent years, however, critics have increasingly argued that commemorating a Catholic saint in a format centered on romantic love contradicts the traditions of the region’s peoples. For example, in Kazakhstan last year, deputies of the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, sharply criticized Valentine’s Day. Some deputies argued that it corrupts young people, promotes “free love,” and even carries “homosexual overtones.” It is worth noting that Kazakhstan recently adopted legislation prohibiting so-called “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations.” The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan has also stated that Valentine’s Day promotes alien values and encourages promiscuity. Gratitude for Raising a Daughter Many matchmaking and marriage customs remain common across Central Asia, particularly the significant role of the bride’s and groom’s parents in ceremonies and celebrations. While traditions have evolved, many are still practiced in modern engagements and weddings. The well-known custom of paying bride price, kalym, has been preserved, though it has undergone significant change. Today, kalym varies depending on the wealth of the families. It may include apartments or cars, or it may amount to several hundred dollars. Importantly, kalym is now generally regarded as financial support for the young family and, as a rule, remains at the disposal of the bride and groom. Historically, in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, kalym was paid in livestock, and wedding celebrations could last more than a month. One of the main Kazakh wedding rituals is the groom’s visit to the bride’s village or, in modern practice, her home. Before his first visit, the groom sends gifts to the bride’s family, known as Ilu, an expression of gratitude for raising their daughter. In some regions of Kazakhstan, this ritual is called ana suty (“mother’s milk payment”). In the past, it included horses, camels, sheep, and riding equipment for the bride’s father. Today, it may consist of any valuable gift, and jewelry is often presented to the women in the bride’s family. The bride traditionally gives the groom a scarf as a symbol of her purity. Festivities then begin, with singing and dancing. Kazakh traditions often involve two weddings: one at the bride’s home and one at the groom’s. The bride’s farewell from her family home remains especially significant, reflecting her relatives’ wishes for her future life. Today, this ceremony is often held in a restaurant. The bride does not wear a white wedding dress at the farewell celebration but appears in an elegant outfit and a traditional headdress known as a saukele. During the farewell, the groom and his friends are subjected to playful pranks, for which they must...

Tourism

New Rail Tour Launched Across Silk Road Routes in Central Asia

Rail tourism is gaining traction in Central Asia, offering travelers a slower yet more immersive way to experience the region’s historic Silk Road cities. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have recently expanded their joint Jibek Joly tourist train route to include Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, an initiative that further strengthens regional railway tourism. A new high-end offering has now entered the market. British operator Golden Eagle Luxury Trains has launched The Grand Silk Road, a 22-day luxury rail journey traversing key cultural and historical landmarks along the ancient Silk Road corridor. Spanning approximately 3,862 kilometers, the route begins in Beijing and concludes in Tashkent. It passes through northwest China and four Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Notable stops include Almaty, Bishkek, Lake Issyk-Kul, Dushanbe, and Uzbekistan’s major heritage cities, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Kokand, and Nukus. The inaugural departure is scheduled for September 21 to October 12, 2026. The route is expected to increase high-end tourism to Central Asia. Due to the absence of a direct railway link between China and Kyrgyzstan, a segment of the journey, between Kashgar and Almaty, will be completed by air. Kyrgyzstan’s existing rail network connects to Kazakhstan, extending to Bishkek and Balykchi, near Lake Issyk-Kul. Meanwhile, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan are advancing the construction of a new cross-border railway that will directly link the three countries. Once operational, the line is expected to facilitate both freight transit and tourism, providing a critical new artery for regional connectivity.

Higher Education

Tajikistan Admits Over 600 Students Following Expulsion or Entry Denial in Russia

More than 6,000 applicants from Tajikistan were admitted to Russian universities in 2025, signaling that Russia is still the primary destination for Tajik students pursuing higher education abroad. The figures were announced by Tajikistan’s Minister of Education and Science, Rahim Saidzoda, during a press conference, according to Russia’s state news agency TASS. Saidzoda reported that during the 2025-2026 academic year, a total of 6,665 Tajik applicants enrolled in foreign universities. Of these, 551 chose destinations other than Russia, while more than 6,000 began their studies at Russian institutions. Admissions took place both through government-allocated quotas and standard entry procedures. At the same briefing, Deputy Minister of Education Lutfia Abdulholikzoda stated that over 600 Tajik students that had previously been expelled or denied entry to Russia in 2025 were subsequently admitted to universities in Tajikistan. She did not elaborate on the reasons for their removal but confirmed that they had been able to resume their education at home. Russian education remains highly popular among Tajik students. Each year, Russia allocates approximately 1,000 government-funded study placements for Tajik nationals. In October 2025, Russia’s Ambassador to Tajikistan, Semyon Grigoryev, said that out of 43,000 Tajik students studying abroad, more than 30,000 were enrolled in Russian institutions. Russian higher education is also present within Tajikistan. The Russian-Tajik Slavonic University enrolls over 6,000 students, while local branches of Moscow State University, the National University of Science and Technology MISIS, and the Moscow Power Engineering Institute collectively educate more than 8,000. In addition, several schools in Tajikistan operate entirely in Russian, and five Russian-funded schools built in 2022 follow Russian educational standards.

Healthcare

More Doctors in Tajikistan, but Shortages Persist

Despite a modest increase in the number of healthcare professionals, Tajikistan continues to face a significant shortage of medical personnel, particularly in rural regions. Authorities are hoping to bridge the gap through the recruitment of medical school graduates and the redistribution of existing specialists. At a press conference on January 28, Minister of Health and Social Protection Jamoliddin Abdullozoda reported that as of early 2026, there were 22,419 doctors and 64,909 mid-level medical personnel working in the country’s healthcare system. These figures represent a year-on-year increase of 1.9% and 2.3%, respectively. However, the staffing deficit remains unresolved. Tajikistan currently lacks 1,432 medical specialists. According to ministry estimates, the staffing rate for doctors stands at 94.3%, while for mid-level personnel it is 99.7%. These figures reflect slight improvements over the previous year, up 0.8% and 0.1%, respectively. The shortage is unevenly distributed across the country. In July 2025, the minister had noted a shortfall of 1,600 specialists for the first half of the year, indicating a reduction of nearly 170 positions in the latter half. Nevertheless, the situation remains critical in remote and underserved areas. Abdullozoda highlighted acute shortages in family medicine, as well as in the specialties of narcology, phthisiology, and radiology. In some regions, there is also a lack of gynecologists and surgeons. To address immediate needs, the ministry has compiled lists of district-level doctors who will be deployed to remote areas on a rotating basis. Authorities are also promoting personnel retraining to fill urgent gaps. “We are proposing that regions with shortages – for instance, if they lack radiologists – receive specialists from related fields such as surgery or traumatology. These doctors will undergo advanced training and then serve where they are most needed,” the minister explained. In the long term, the government plans to solve the shortage by mobilizing young professionals. According to Abdullozoda, if at least 50% of medical school graduates begin working in their field of study, the staffing issue could be resolved. The total number of students in medical universities reached 26,911 in 2026, an increase of 2,738 over the previous year. Enrolments in medical colleges also saw significant growth, with 80,000 students in the 2025–2026 academic year, up from 72,760 the year before.