Born on January 31, 1947.
Graduated from Kazan Aviation Institute (1970), Moscow Maurice Thorez Institute of Foreign Languages (now Linguistic University, 1983), and the Diplomatic Academy of the USSR Foreign Ministry (1990).
Doctoral degree in Politics, professor.
1977-1987: worked at different posts at the USSR Committee of Youth Organisations.
1990-1995: worked at the USSR Foreign Ministry as first secretary, counsellor, section head, deputy, first deputy department head.
1993-1995: First Deputy Director of the Foreign Ministry's Department for the Constituent Regions of Russia, the Parliament, and Socio-Political Organisations.
1995-1999: Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation.
1999-2003: Head of the Department for the Federal Assembly (Parliament), Public Organisations and Religious Associations in the Government Staff.
2003-2008: Russia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan.
October 17, 2008: appointed Head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Cultural Cooperation by a presidential decree.
Married, with two sons.