Salchak Toka

Salchak Toka studied at Communist University of the Toilers of the East. The recorded working language is Russian and Tuvan. Positions recorded include deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Distinctions recorded are Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of the Red Banner of Labour, Medal "For Labour Valour" and Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR".

• Name — Salchak Toka • Native Name — Салчак Тока • Citizenship — * Qing dynasty Qing China • Tuvan People's Republic • Soviet Union • Born — 15 December 1901 • Birthplace — Mergen Lamaiin Hiid, Outer Mongolia, Qing China • Died — 11 May 1973 • Place of death — Kyzyl, Tuvan ASSR, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union • Party — CPSU (1944–1973) • Other Party — Tuvan People's Revolutionary Party (1921–1944) • Order — General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Tuvan People's Revolutionary Party • Term Start — 6 March 1932 • Term End — 10 October 1944 • Predecessor — Irgit Shagdyrzhap • Successor — Position renamed • Order2 — First Secretary of the Tuvan Autonomous Oblast Committee of the CPSU • Term Start2 — 13 October 1944 • Term End2 — 10 October 1961 • Predecessor2 — Position renamed • Successor2 — Position renamed • Order3 — First Secretary of the Tuvan Regional Committee of the CPSU • Term Start3 — 11 October 1961 • Term End3 — 11 May 1973 • Predecessor3 — Position renamed • Successor3 — Grigoriy Shirshin

Salchak Toka was a member of the Communist University of the Toilers of the East (Коммунистический университет трудящихся Востока, Kommunisticheskiy universitet trudyashchikhsya Vostoka) in Moscow and Kyzyl. In 1929, the Soviets arrested the head of state Donduk Kuular. Meanwhile, five Tuvan graduates of the Communist University of the Toilers of the East were appointed commissars extraordinary to Tuva. Their loyalty to Stalin ensured that they would pursue policies, such as collectivization, that Donduk had ignored. A coup was launched in 1929. On 6 March 1932, Salchak Toka replaced Donduk as General Secretary of the Tuvan People's Revolutionary Party. • Illustration — Statue of Toka Salchak Toka established close contacts with Joseph Stalin. After the execution of Donduk Kuular in 1932, Salchak Toka became the ruler of Tannu Tuva. He introduced a communist ideology after the Soviet model, the nomad agriculture was collectivised and the traditional religions (Tibetan Buddhism and Shamanism) were suppressed. A personal cult developed around him, and he was awarded numerous Soviet prizes for his literary works. In 1940 he married Khertek Anchimaa, who was Chairwoman of the Little Khural. In 1944 he requested that Tuva should be annexed by the Soviet Union. The event took place on 30 October 1944 de jure via Mikhail Kalinin. Tuva was initially an autonomous oblast of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) and starting from 10 October 1961 as the Tuvan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (Tuva ASSR). Salchak Toka remained up to his death in 1973 the General Secretary of the Tuvan department of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. • Illustration — Gravestone at the town cemetery