He was born on July, 24, 1942 in Shekpeer settlement, Tiva Republic. Wife - Oorzhak Sara Mongiushovna (born 05.07.1949). Children: Rada (born 07.11.1968), Marita (05.12.1970), Andrian (born 10.07.1973), Aneta (born 10.07.1973), Aidis (12.08.1979).
From 1966 till 1971 he studied at the Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy and got the qualification "agronomist-economist".
In 1984 he graduated from the Novosibirsk Political Science Institute. He began his career as a carpenter at the Construction-assembling department "Selstroi" in the Barun-Khemchinsk region.
After having served in the Soviet Army he worked as a carpenter-concrete worker in the Construction department "Tuvaasbeststroi".
Upon graduation of the Timiryazev Academy in 1971 he began working as a chief economist, then the director of the collective farm "Shekpeer".
In 1980 he was elected Chairman of the Barun-Khemchinsk regional people's deputies Soviet, in 3 years - First secretary of the Ulug-Khemsk district CPSU Committee.
In 1986 he was promoted to the post of the Head of the agriculture and food industry department of the Tuva regional CPSU Committee.
In 1990 he became Chairman of the Tuva ASSR Ministers' Soviet.
In 1992 he was elected President of the Tiva Republic.
In 1997 he was elected for this post for the second term. He was repeatedly elected deputy of the republic Supreme Soviet, in 1990 - deputy of the RF Supreme Soviet. He has been member of the Federation Soviet, member the Republic Heads Soviet since 1992, since 1995 - the RF representative of the Europarliament.
He is Chairman of the coordination Soviet on foreign economic connections of the Interregional association "Siberian agreement", member of the Russian academy of investment and construction economy, doctor of the Nature Law.
He is Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, responsible for the preparation of the Tiva Republic Constitution, and Editor-in-chief of "The Constitution of the Tiva Republic" (Kizil, 1993).
He speaks Tuvinian, Russian and English well. His favorite pass-time is gardening. His favorite sports are volleyball and athletics. He lives and works in Kizil.
