P. Ochirbat — Professor, Mongolia

Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat

In the communist period, Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat worked as a mining engineer, became then the Minister of Mining and Geology and later on the Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Supplies. Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat was named Chairman of the People’s Great Khural on March 21, 1990 and the government leader at the wake of the 1990 Democratic Revolution. On September 3, 1990, Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat was elected the first President of Mongolia by the Parliament supported by nearly all political parties. In 1993 he again got credence from electors. He was the leader of the country for seven years. As the President he abandoned the party membership, and this principle is kept in Mongolia to the present day. Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat considers his major achievements the Democratic Constitution acceptance and rapid development of public education in the country.

The first President of Mongolia left presidency in 1997 and is now engaged in science as the Academician of the International Academy of Sciences of Ecology, Safety of Man and Nature. He is a member of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum—influential organization to unite parliamentary officials of the Asia–Pacific Region.