SHARAF RASHIDOV SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME SOVIET OF THE UZBEK SSR FOR ALMOST NINE YEARS. DURING THIS TIME, HE ACCUMULATED THE NECESSARY EXPERIENCE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND GAINED AUTHORITY BOTH WITHIN THE COUNTRY AND OUTSIDE. HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE HIGHEST PARTY POST IN UZBEKISTAN WAS A LOGICAL CONTINUATION OF SHARAF RASHIDOV'S CAREER.
From the recollections of his wife, Khursandoy Gafurovna: "I think it would be appropriate to tell about how we received the election of Sharaf Rashidov in March 1959 the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan. It should be noted that Sharaf-aka was willing to talk about anything, but getting any information about the work was very difficult. He never mixed government work with family affairs. On the day when Sharaf-aka was elected first secretary, our family didn't know about anything. That day he returned home late, after midnight. We always knew where Sharaf-aka was and what he was doing. But we didn't know anything that day. To our question, "Where is Sharaf Rashidovich?" his all-knowing assistants answered only: "At the meeting." Only later I found out what kind of meeting it was. Returning home very tired, Sharaf-aka answered my question, "Why are you so late?" with a question about whether the children were sleeping.
"For quite a while now," I said.
"Then wake everyone up," he replied in an unexpectedly commanding tone.
"Everyone?" I asked in surprise, since the youngest daughter was 7 years old at the time.
"Yes, wake everyone up, let everyone wash up!" he said again.
When I looked at him to see what all this was about, he smiled slightly and said: "Let's have a family meeting." The children washed themselves, changed their clothes and stood in a circle. After that, Sharaf-aka, as once when he taught us at the Jizzakh school, began to speak, highlighting every word:
"MY BELOVED CHILDREN! I HAVE JUST HAD ONE BIG MEETING. A PLENUM WAS HELD TODAY. I WAS ELECTED THE FIRST SECRETARY OF THE REPUBLIC. WHO SHOULD I RELY ON NOW, WORKING IN THIS BIG POSITION? YOU, MY CHILDREN, SHOULD BE MY MAIN ASSISTANTS. WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT THIS? YOU MUST GET THE HIGHEST SCORES AT SCHOOL. OUR BEHAVIOR MUST BE AN EXAMPLE FOR EVERYONE. IF THERE IS NO STRONG DISCIPLINE IN OUR FAMILY, HOW CAN I TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE TO OTHER PEOPLE?" THE CHILDREN PROMISED NOT TO LET THEIR FATHER DOWN AND WENT TO THEIR ROOMS.
After that, Sharaf-aka and I stayed alone. Then I suddenly said: "Sharaf-aka, you have taken on a very heavy burden." To which he replied: "Khursandoy, I was obliged. I will work for four or five years, and then I will return to my writing again. The task is very difficult. The republic is drowning as if in a swamp. People hungry for power and high office are leading the country to decline. There are few leaders who really care about the Motherland. I worry watching the situation of the capital. What kind should the capital of such a beautiful republic be?"
He said he would spare no effort and energy to make Tashkent a world-famous city, a great city of the East. "Will your health allow it, Sharaf-aka?" I asked, and I had reasons for this question. In 1952, Sharaf-aka had a treatment course in Moscow, where he was forced to agree to remove the gallbladder. In subsequent years, this operation made itself felt, which was also evident on Sharaf-aka's face.
"WE WILL ASK ALLAH FOR OUR HEALTH, KHURSANDOY," SHARAF RASHIDOV REPLIED.
