An outstanding Tatar scientist, writer and enlightener Kayum Nasyri (Gabdelkayum Gabdelnasyrovich Nasyrov) published about forty works on fiction, folklore, philology, applied linguistics, mathematics, history, geography, astronomy and other sciences during his more than half-century literary and pedagogical activity. Kayum Nasyri was a true scientist. He passionately loved his native country, his nation and did a lot for their progress. Being a democratic writer and enlightener, Kayum Nasyri devoted all his life to science development, giving knowledge to Tatar people, national culture and progress.

He went in advance of democratic representatives of social life, constantly standing up for rapprochement of Tatars with Russian revolutionary figures. He fought for the Tatars opportunity to study Russian. Kayum Nasyri was born on 14 (2) February, 1825 in the village Verkhniye Shirdany of Sviyazhsky Uyezd in Kazanskaya gubernia (Kazan province). The Nasyrovs differed from other fellow-villages as the head of the family was a well-educated man. Such things happened in the villages very seldom. The future writer’s father wielded a skilful pen; he spoke Russian, Persian and Arabic and was the author of several books. Gabdelnasyr cultivated in children love for work and reading. Future scientist and writer spent childhood in his native village. In 1841 he was taken to Kazan and sent to medrese (religious school), which he finished in 1855. Having finished the medrese, he was engaged to teach Tatar in Kazan Theological Seminary. The work in Russian educational institution let him study Russian well.

Wishing to enrich his knowledge, Kayum Nasyri entered the Kazan University as lecture-goer. Although he was a teacher of Theological Seminary, Kayum Nasyri lived quite modestly. He had been teaching in seminary for 15 years till 1871. Having left the seminary, Kayum Nasyri dedicated himself to teaching Russian Grammar to Tatar children. He established a school for Tatars, which functioned till 1876. The same year Nasyri left the school because of the conflict with school inspector V. V. Radlov and completely devoted his life to literature, scientific work and teaching.

Kayum Nasyri wrote his best works during this period. He began to do his scientific work and write literature in the end of 1850th. His first publication was a textbook “Syntax”, issued in 1860. His books on different fields of knowledge as well as works of fiction were published later on. In 1871 he began issuing every-day table calendar, and dreamed of publishing daily Tatar newspaper. He even found a title for the newspaper, “The Morning Star”, but the tsarist government didn’t permit to issue it. Although tsar authorities kept down the Tatars, Kayum Nasyri connected his hopes for the development of his nation with Russian people.

He constantly stood for the rapprochement of these two nations. He keenly and earnestly worried about honour and dignity of the country, the Tatars and Russian people. Nasyri believed that he was a success first of all owing to Russian culture. Passionate standard-bearer of enlightenment, Kayum Nasyri tried to build a school in his native village. According to old residents of the village, Kayum Nasyri built the school. The construction has not remained. But the bright image of the scientist has been kept not only the hearts of his fellow-villagers, but all those, who appreciate the past of two nations as well as the great heritage of the writer and scientist.