Penza, 12 June 2015. PenzaNews. The Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the state prizes of Russia in science and technology, literature and arts, as well as humanitarian achievements, to the most distinguished citizens, including Tamara Melnikova, director of “Tarkhany” Lermontov State Museum-Reserve.

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“June 12 is, no doubt, a notable date in the Russian history. It was on that day 25 years ago when the cardinal reforms in the country began with the adoption of the declaration of state sovereignty. It affected all parts of our life: political and civil structure, economy and social ways. We all remember how difficult and dramatic were the radical changes, the will, patience and skill to accept the new that those times had demanded of all the citizens at that time of the radical change of history,” said the head of the state in his address to the Kremlin audience.

However, Vladimir Putin noted, Russia not only overcame the hardest challenges with honor and made successful democratic and market economy breakthrouths, but also managed to center itself as a modern, open and self-serving country.

Before the award ceremony proper, the Russian President spoke of each recipient of the state prize.

“In the Year of Literature, the state prize laureate is Tamara Mikhaylovna Melnikova. She dedicated forty-five years of her life to ‘Tarkhany’ Lermontov State Museum-Reserve. After becoming its director, she began to reconstruct the architectural and floral ensemble of the estate through daring innovative steps. Her talent as a manager and a researcher not only allowed her to successfully conduct restoration works in the museum, but create an emotionally compelling location that conveyed the atmosphere where the character and the vision of the great Russian poet had formed. Years of intricate and truly monastic work of Tamara Mikhaylovna and the whole staff of ‘Tarkhany’ have enriched the theory and practical experience of the Russian museum craft,” stressed the head of the state.

In her reply speech, Tamara Melnikova thanked Vladimir Putin for the high praise.

“Dear friends! My work brings me much happiness, as you can see, since it is connected to the art and the personality of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov. And you know that the more you learn about Lermontov, the more you see him as a totally endless subject, and, most importantly for us today, he remains modern. You may find much proof of that in his works, but I shall quote just a single passage: ‘We must live our own life and bring our regular legacy into that of the whole humanity. Why should we chase Europe and all that is French? I learned much from the Asians, and I would like to grasp all that is deep in their philosophy. There, in the East, lies a secret cache of highest revelations, and one can be sure that Russia may gain much that is interesting and much that is useful by turning its face to the East’,” she said.

Among the other state prize laureates were Evgeny Kablov, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), general director of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Aviation Materials; Gennady Krasnikov, member of RAS, general director of “Research Institute for Molecular Electronics and manufacturing facility ‘Mikron’”; Valery Tishkov, member of RAS, director of the N.N. Miklukho-Maklai Institute of Anthropology and Ethnography; Alexander Sokurov, a film director; Chulpan Khamatova, an actress famous for her theater and screen performances; and Alexandra Pakhmutova, a music composer.