Friday marks the 100th birth anniversary of famous orientalist Yuri Roerich

The 16th August marks the 100th birth anniversary of famous Russian orientalist Yuri Roerich.

The son of painter and philosopher Nikolai Roerich, he was born and graduated from the gymnasium in Russia, then spent many years abroad. He studied in England, the United States of America and France. In the 1920s he took part in the Trans-Himalyayan expedition organized by his father. Since 1928 and till the end of the Second World war he was heading the Himalayas institute of scientific research "Uruswati" whose objective was to organize comprehensive study of the East. Roerich had a unique gift: he understood almost all languages of the world and perfectly knew several dozens of them.

In autumn 1957 Roerich came back to Russia to head the sector of history of Indian philosophy and religion in the Institute of oriental studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow. The return to Russia of creative heritage of his father as well as dissemination of unique knowledge known under names of Agni Yoga or Live Ethics should be credited to him.

The third Altai mountain peak (between the peaks of Nikolai Roerich and Uruswati) near the sacred for local population Belukha mountain was named after Roerich.

The opening on 16 August of an exhibition in the State Oriental Museum is timed to the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Yuri Roerich. The exposition contains about 100 exhibits which reflect the inner world of the prominent Russian scientist. At the very same day at the birth place of Yuri Roerich in the city of Okulovka in the Novgorod region the 2nd international scientific and practical conference "The heritage of Roerich. New Russia on the road towards united mankind" will be held.