A brief history in pictures: Walter Barshai travels to Russia in 1986 to examine early results of Mikhail Gorbachov’s “Perestroika” (restructuring) policies. The banner behind him reads “Moskovites! Consolidation of all healthy restructuring forces is a guarantee of necessity of the democratization process.” 

He travels deep in Siberia to confirm rumors circulating in the West about giant cabbage fields that feed Russia and sustain its economic prosperity. The hourly news of record harvests filled Soviet news reports since time of Bolshevik’s Revolution of 1917.

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     Walter Barshai is mystified by serene beauty of Siberian landscapes and decides to join its prime source of Scientific research and exploration , the Esteemed Russian Academy of Sciences , to promote its knowledge for the better of mankind.

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     On the left, Walter Barshai took a snap shot of some leading researchers: (from left) Alexander Dokukin, who later developed hydrothermal process for growing Ruby, Vitaly Efremov, Deputy Director of Institute of Geology, Geophysics and Mineralogy of the Academy, who played an integral part in early development of Tairus, Alexey Ilyin, who is currently the Chief of Production and , on the right, Oleg Kholdeev, now the CEO of Tairus.

 On their first trip to Thailand, Oleg Kholdeev and Vitaly Efremov are seen relaxing after an exhausting day of negotiations.

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He is absolutely astonished by the grandeur of the Monuments he sees (left – a monument of a head of Vladimir Lenin – Ulianov, founder of the Soviet State).

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At the contract signing ceremony: (standing)  Walter Barshai delivering speech; on the right – Academician Nikolay Dobretsov, Director of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; on the left – Oleg Kholdeev, Tairus’ CEO.

     Walter Barshai is in front of construction of Tairus’ new factory (above, left) and (above, right) with Academician N. Dobretsov and Dr. Efremov at the construction site. The 5,000 m² (50,000 ft²) production facility was completed in record time (less than one year) and became fully operational in 1995.

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