PORTNJAGIN, Pavel Konstantinovič. Vladivostok 1903 — Samarkand 1977. Russian Traveller. Interested early in Theosophy and eastern religions. In 1925-26 travelled in China and Mongolia, in 1926 joined in Urga the Roerich Central Asian expedition, until 1928, then with I. A. D’jakov in Burma. After a while as teacher in Harbin went to Rome in 1932 to study at Gregorian University, then to Czechoslovakia and was ordained as Roman Catholic missionary. From 1937 again teacher of Russian literature in Harbin. When the mission was put to end in 1948 he was arrested, accused for spionage and imprisoned to Russian camp in eastern Siberia. Released in 1956 finally settled in Samarkand. Rehabilitated 1960, but had difficulties with employment. From the late 1960s translator at Institute of karakul sheep industry.
Publications: “Sovremennyj Tibet. Missija Nikolaja Reriha: Èkspedicionnyj dnevnik P. K. Portnjagina (1927–28)”, Ariavarta 1998:2, 11-106.
Sources: Vasil’kov & Sorokina 2003.
Last Updated on 1 year by Admin
