MEMORIAL PLAQUE UNVEILED IN PODOLSK TO COMMEMORATE THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF OKB "GIDROPRESS"
Inauguration of the memorial plaque to mark the 120th anniversary of the birth of Boris M. Sholkovich, the first Director of OKB "GIDROPRESS" took place in Podolsk on November 3, 2020. The rally was held as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the nuclear industry. The memorial plaque was installed on the house Boris M. Sholkovich lived in from 1947 to 1965.
Winner of the Lenin and Stalin prizes, holder of the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Badge of Honour, B. M. Sholkovich was a trailblazer in elaborating the liquid metal-cooled NSSS for submarines.
With certified engineers for nuclear industry not available, it was the talent of B. M. Sholkovich as a manager that helped him to find the personnel he needed and join them in the venture of the nuclear plant design development. The team of OKB GIDROPRESS headed by B. M. Sholkovich succeeded in implementing unique projects for the country within an overwhelmingly short time lag. They involved elaboration of special research reactors, heat exchange equipment for production reactors and the equipment for the world's first nuclear power plant in Obninsk.
The rally was attended by Viktor Dzhangobegov, Director General of the enterprise, Nikolay Pestov, Mayor of Podolsk, A.M Danilenko, Chairman of the council of veterans at OKB GIDROPRESS, O.N. Bakhus, Chairman of the Trade Union Organization at the enterprise and other representatives of the town administration and OKB GIDROPRESS." It is a good tradition to pay tribute to people who made a significant contribution into the development of industry and the entire town.
The name of Boris Sholkovich is widely known in the nuclear industry. And it is deeply symbolic that we pay tribute to his heritage in the year of his 120th anniversary, the 75th anniversary of the nuclear industry and almost on the eve of the 75th anniversary of OKB GIDROPRESS, " said Nikolai Pestov. "Thanks to the ideas Dr. Sholkovich laid down as he was setting up the new organization," Viktor Dzhangobegov continued, "OKB GIDROPRESS is now the only design organization in the world that has participated in four directions of the development of nuclear technologies. The activities in one of the fields were highly appreciated by the Government of the Soviet Union by awarding the company the Order of the Red Banner of Labor."
At the end of the event, the participants laid flowers at the memorial plaque.