On May 29, 2026, a portrait of Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Royal Linnean Society of London, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, member of three foreign academies (Slovakia, Czech Republic and Mongolia), Honorary Professor of the University of Nitra (Slovakia) and Lugansk Agricultural University, Professor was unveiled in the Gallery of Fame of Outstanding Scientists of the Agrophysical Research Institute. Genetics, Doctor of Biological Sciences Viktor Alexandrovich Dragavtsev. The solemn event was attended by Viktor Alexandrovich's daughter Galina Viktorovna and his grandson Mikhail, as well as employees of the Agrophysical Institute.
The solemn meeting was opened by the Director of the Institute, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences Yu.V. Chesnokov. In his opening remarks, he said that he had been personally acquainted with Academician V.A. Dragavtsev for more than 30 years and that during his time at the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Breeding (now the Federal State Budgetary Budgetary Institution of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences) he had worked as Deputy Director for Scientific Work at the Institute under the supervision of Viktor Alexandrovich. Chesnokov noted that V.A. Dragavtsev worked at the Agrophysical Institute for 20 years, from 2006 to 2026, more than anywhere else in the institutions in which Viktor Alexandrovich worked. For example, academician V.A. Dragavtsev worked at the famous VIR for 17 years, from 1990 to 2006, first as director and then as chief researcher. "The remarkable qualities of a scientist and leader distinguished Viktor Alexandrovich during this period. He possessed encyclopedic knowledge and, in the difficult 1990s, managed not only to preserve the VIR, but also to bring it to the rank of a State Scientific Center, which made it possible to preserve the staff of the GNU SSC RF All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Breeding named after N.I. Vavilov and thereby ensure the safety and replenishment of the unique Vavilov collection of seeds of agricultural plants preserved in the VIR.," Y.V. Chesnokov shared his memories.
Next, the floor was given to G.V. Nartova, who thanked the AFI staff for preserving the memory of her father, Academician V.A. Dragavtsev. She said that Viktor Alexandrovich, even in his family, devoted most of his time to work. "He lived it, he burned with it. He was a scientist, and it was important to him that the fruits of his scientific work went to people, that they were in demand by the scientific community, and that Russian science developed and flourished with new areas of research and new discoveries," said Galina Viktorovna. Grandson Mikhail remembered how kind and caring his grandfather was and how, in moments of communication with him, his grandfather always instilled in him a love of knowledge and science. After that, Galina Viktorovna and Mikhail were given the right to unveil the portrait of V.A. Dragavtsev. When the draping cloth was removed, a portrait of academician V.A. Dragavtsev was revealed to everyone present, in which he smiles with his usual soft smile and gently looks at the audience with a slight squint, as if encouraging them to communicate with themselves. The audience greeted the opening of the portrait with sincere warm applause. Following this, Yu.V. Chesnokov invited everyone to share their memories of Viktor Alexandrovich, an academician and a man.
The first speaker was given to the head of the Department of Plant Light Physiology and Bio-productivity of Agroecosystems, V.N.S. Gayane Gennadievna Panova, who focused the audience's attention on the amazing human qualities and scientific contribution of Viktor Alexandrovich to scientific and technical development in the department and at the Institute.: "Without disturbing the harmony of the department's research, Viktor Alexandrovich has enriched our scientific and practical activities with his knowledge and experience. With his arrival, the field of genetic breeding research at the Institute received a powerful impetus, his views on nature and the mechanisms of interaction between genotype and environment were fully consistent with our understanding and ideas. It was a great pleasure to communicate with Viktor Alexandrovich. His positive, friendly attitude, attentiveness and openness, generosity in enriching others with his knowledge, earned the deepest respect of the entire staff of the department and the institute. The bright memory of Viktor Alexandrovich Dragavtsev, a strong-minded, courageous, courageous man, a discoverer and pioneer in science, and an ascetic until his last days, will forever remain in our hearts. And we are very pleased to see his portrait unveiled in the Gallery of Fame of Outstanding World-class Scientists at our Agrophysical Institute. I bow low to you from all of us, dear Viktor Alexandrovich."
After that, the floor was given to Vladimir Andreevich Skrypnik, who worked with Viktor Alexandrovich at VIR as Deputy Director for General Affairs for more than 15 years. V.A. Skrypnik said, how, on behalf of academician V.A. Dragavtsev, who was the director of the VIR at that time, he defended the buildings of the VIR and the world collection of plant seeds stored in them, the heritage of the Russian Federation, from the encroachments of unscrupulous officials of the highest level, and how he and V.A. In the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, the Dragavtsevs managed to defend the historical buildings of the VIR located on St. Isaac's Square in St. Petersburg. How Viktor Alexandrovich managed to obtain, free of charge, the refrigerators that were so necessary for VIR, which were urgently needed for storing seed collections. What a sense of humor Academician V.A. Dragavtsev possessed, and how easily and intelligibly he could explain any, even the most complex scientific problem or question to an ordinary person who had nothing to do with science.
Further, the floor was given to the acting head of the Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Breeding, which at one time was headed by academician V.A. Dragavtsev, PhD Nadezhda Georgievna Sinyavina at AFI. In her speech, N.G. Sinyavina noted that Viktor Alexandrovich was both an outstanding scientist and a sincere, caring person who, in the difficult 90s, was able to defend not only the scientific heritage of the University, but also the buildings of dormitories, gardening lands - something that really helped employees survive in those days.A. Dragavtsev joined the laboratory team very quickly, he was an excellent storyteller, a widely erudite person, generously shared his scientific knowledge with colleagues, and brought a lot to the work of the laboratory, including for the future.
AnatolyIvanovich Osipov took the next floor. He told how difficult the path of the institute's director can be and recalled how he first met V.A. Drgavtsev in the early 1990s and how Viktor Alexandrovich made a vivid and indelible impression on him with his deep knowledge not only in the field of science, but also understanding the need to make the right administrative decisions. "As a person," A.I. noted. Osipov, "Viktor Alexandrovich was always attentive to people and tried to understand and understand the problem that he discussed with his interlocutor."
After that, the floor was given to Mikhail Vadimovich Arkhipov, who highlighted three episodes from personal meetings with V.A. Dragavtsev. "As Viktor Alexandrovich used to say," said M.V. Arkhipov, —the first is family – this is my Yasnaya Polyana, and without a cup of tea (for several hours) I won't let you go. The second is my understanding of interdisciplinary interaction: in order to understand each other, physicists and agronomists must move towards each other, contrary to the rules of the road. And third, the prospect of genetic and physiological research is digital technologies that should become end–to-end through three laws: "on gene resources", "on breeding", and "on seed production".
In conclusion, the director of the AFI Federal State Budgetary Budgetary Institution once again thanked all those present at the opening of the portrait of Academician V.A. Dragavtsev for their attention to this undoubtedly important event in the history of the Agrophysical Institute, for their memory and the tribute they came to pay to Viktor Dragavtsev, an outstanding scientist, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor of Genetics, Doctor of Biological Sciences.
