In 2013, the scientific series "East: Historical Portraits" of the publishing house "Vostochnaya Literatura" was supplemented with the book"Benazir Bhutto by the well-known orientalist, author of numerous works on literature and spiritual culture of South Asian countries A. A. Suvorova (Moscow, "Vostochnaya Literatura", 2013, 223 p)..

Benazir Bhutto (1953-2007) - daughter of the executed Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a worthy representative of the family, whose life, as the author rightly writes, is most directly and directly connected with the history of Pakistan, the first woman in the world to head a government in a Muslim country (1988-1990 and 1993-1996). An active politician, a fighter against dictatorship and simply a charming and beautiful woman, a mother of three children, was the victim of a political murder on December 27, 2007.

At a certain stage of independent development in South Asian countries - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka-women become the first leaders. At the same time, A. Suvorova draws our attention to a certain pattern: "in the destinies of women, presidents or prime ministers, there is a common family and hereditary component-all of them were widows or daughters of the "fathers of the nation", founders of new states, charismatic leaders in the struggle for national independence or democratization " (pp. 5-6)..

This is Indira Gandhi in India, the daughter of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, whose life was tragically cut short by a terrorist attack on October 31, 1984. The world's first female Prime Minister in Ceylon was Sirimavo Bandaranaike, who came to power in 1960, immediately after her husband was assassinated.

husband of Solomon Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Ceylon. Their daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga, widow of Vijaya Kumaratunga, the founder of the Sri Lanka People's Party, who was assassinated in 1988, won the presidential election in 1994 and was herself the victim of a fortunately unsuccessful attempt on her life. Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wazed is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of this country, who was assassinated during a coup in 1975. Hasina Wazed's long-term rival in the political arena of Bangladesh is the widow of Ziyaur Rahman, who was elected President in 1977, Khaled Zia, was twice elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Finally, this is Benazir Bhutto, whose life path was dedicated to the Doctor of Philology A. Suvorova. This book is not just a biography of the daughter of a popular political leader who lived only 54 years, whose execution in 1979 caused a storm of protests of the world community. While Benazir Bhutto began her political career in order to save her father, who was threatened with death, and then was motivated by the desire to avenge his death, after surviving imprisonment, exile and years of exile, Benazir gradually turned into a politician who was ready to defend her beliefs even at the cost of her own life.

In fact, we are witnessing a new phenomenon in world politics - the rise to power of female political leaders in a number of countries with predominantly Muslim populations, which changes our understanding of traditional Islamic society and indicates its modernization.

Based not only on a variety of sources, but also on personal interviews with members of Bhutto's family and close friends, A. Suvorova shows the main stages of her heroine's personal and social life, as she defines it, in "two angles". The author examines the situation of a Pakistani woman in a Muslim country, whose life is developing under the influence of prejudice and cruel customs; shows in detail the history of the Bhutto family, reveals the main stages of Benazir's life, the process of forming her personality. The author-researcher deeply analyzes the conditions and circumstances in which her heroine was forced to make difficult decisions that determined her entire subsequent life, the main stages of her path, in which triumph and tragedy alternated. All these events are considered in the context of the development of the country and the world, the most important problems and events of Pakistan's domestic and foreign policy.

A. Suvorova , a highly qualified scientist, an excellent expert on Pakistani realities, who is not indifferent to her heroine, presented a study that is distinguished by a deep insight into the life and psychology of Benazir, and an awareness of her place in the history of Pakistan. Here are two quotes from the book: "Being a natural fighter, she fought against the prejudices of a patriarchal society, male sexism dominating religion and politics, discrimination against women, Islamic extremism and bigotry" (p. 193); "She could not tolerate the arbitrariness of the system or doctrine, and that is why she is likely to remain in human memory as a heroine" (p. 193).

Benazir Bhutto had many critics during her lifetime, but, as the author rightly writes, " even if there was truth in the accusations against her, the payback was monstrous and disproportionate. After her death, everyone remembered at once that she was the most prominent Pakistani politician for 30 years. Of these, she was in power for less than 5 years, and the rest of the time she fought two military dictatorships, led the largest party, was in prison, lost almost all her relatives, raised three children and kept her reprehensible marriage " (p. 192).

The publication of the monograph on Benazir Bhutto is a worthy start to the publication of a series of works devoted to the special role of women in the development of political processes in countries not only in South Asia, but also in the entire Asian geopolitical space.

T. L. SHAUMYAN, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Head of the Center for Indian Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

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