To: Minister of Culture of the USSR
Comrade N.N.Goubenko
No FR-354/15 dated 19.11.1990 (in hand writing)

Dear Nicholay Nickolaevich!

The Soviet Fund of the Roerichs is appealing to you with an earnest request to assist in an important issue related to the heritage of the Roerich family.

The matter concerns the exhibition of paintings by Nicholas and Svetoslav Roerichs that is now at the disposal of your Ministry and placed in the Museum of Oriental Art at 12, Suvorov Boulevard. The duration of the exhibition according to the resolution of the Reserve Bank of India expired on 30 June 1990, but in April it was extended by Svetoslav Roerich till 30 June, 1991. However, Svetoslav Nikolaevich, the honorary chairman of the Soviet Fund of the Roerichs, expressed his wish to hand over this exhibition for that period to the aforementioned Fund, which was stated in the relevant documents of the Reserve Bank of India.

The Soviet Fund of the Roerichs has pledged to arrange the paintings which state leaves much to be desired, and as far as possible to restore them.

We request for your consent and assistance in putting 286 paintings, of which 125 are works by Nicholas Roerich and 163 – by Svetoslav Roerich, at the disposal of the Soviet Fund of the Roerichs.

We would be very grateful for your assistance. The documents and their translations are attached.

With the deepest respect,

Chairman of the Soviet Fund of the Roerichs                                        / V.Y. Lakshin /