Among these brave women is Maria Musalieva. Hailing from a Kyrgyz village, she dreamed of a "male profession" and became one of the first parachutists in the country. However, fate had it that, becoming a victim of ala kachuu (bride kidnapping), she had to leave sports.
Maria dedicated almost 60 years to medicine and earned the title of Honored Doctor of the Kyrgyz Republic. We spoke with her about how her life unfolded, the challenges she faced, and what helped her not to give up on her dream.
"I sought to justify my father's hopes"
Maria Musalieva, born Sadikbaeva, was born on April 10, 1940, in the village of Oro-Bashi. She was the youngest of eight children in her family.
Her mother was a housewife, while her father, Sadikbay Shopokov, graduated from a madrasah and served as a moldo (a religious teacher). He dreamed of providing education for all his children, but not all were able to complete their studies. This became additional motivation for Maria to meet her father's expectations.
As a child, she dreamed of becoming a geologist, inspired by the work of specialists who often visited her village. However, her relatives discouraged her from this choice, considering it unfeminine.
After finishing the 7th grade, Maria enrolled in a medical college. However, to continue her studies at a university, she needed to complete a mandatory three-year work obligation — a requirement introduced during Nikita Khrushchev's rule.
She went to work in Batken, where she initially worked at a first-aid post, and then as a paramedic, gaining experience and helping patients. At 17, for her achievements, she was awarded a certificate from the Supreme Soviet of the Kyrgyz SSR, but the path to higher education proved difficult.
I failed the entrance exam twice. First, I tried to get into the medical institute in the capital, but I couldn't. Then I went to Kochkor, but again I didn't pass. That's when I decided not to give up.
Maria Musalieva
She took a job at a kindergarten during the day and attended the Workers' Youth School in the evenings to prepare for admission.
"My character, perseverance, and desire to meet my father's expectations helped me move forward. After three years, I managed to enroll in the medical institute. Studies were challenging due to my insufficient command of the Russian language, but my desire to learn was stronger. Soon I adapted and began to succeed," Maria recalls.
"I never thought I would fly"
The path to becoming a parachutist began in her third year at the institute. Maria signed up for the military department, where she learned about recruitment for the parachute section of DOSAAF (Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Fleet). Only three girls, including her, registered in the group.
"My curiosity and desire for new knowledge opened up new opportunities for me. I wanted to see Kyrgyzstan from above. When my family learned about my decision, they were against it, claiming it was dangerous and not for women. But I chose my path," says Maria.
Before the jumps, the cadets trained for a long time. A special parachute tower about 500 meters high was set up in the park, where training jumps took place to help overcome fear.
Photo from Maria Musalieva's archive. Far left in the second row
First achievements and publications in Moscow publications
Maria made her first jump in 1963. The cadets were taken to the airfield in Kara-Balta, where they jumped from an An-2 plane from an altitude of about a thousand meters.
"The first jump was the most difficult. I remember that summer day when my heart was racing. I stood at the door of the plane and thought: am I really going to fly? It was reality. When the parachute opened and I saw the ground below me, the feelings were indescribable," she recalls.
This was just the beginning. During her training, she made 49 parachute jumps.
After each landing, there were bruises and bumps on my body, but the desire to fly was stronger.
Maria Musalieva
Her successes attracted attention, and newspapers wrote about her. Maria's photograph even appeared on the front page of the Moscow aviation magazine "Wings of the Motherland."
Marriage that became a barrier to the sky
Maria was just one jump away from receiving her parachutist's certificate, but fate had other plans. She became a victim of kidnapping when a man she met on a bus abducted her for marriage. In those years, ala kachuu was common, and after the wedding, he forbade her from continuing her activities.
"Returning home after being kidnapped was considered a disgrace, so I had to come to terms with the situation. He insisted that sports were too dangerous. I was upset and angry, but he became a support in my medical career. Now I understand that this was my fate," says Maria.
Although this happened in the 1960s, in 2024, according to preliminary data from the "Country Gender Equality Review in the Kyrgyz Republic," more than 20% of marriages in the country are still concluded through ala kachuu, which threatens women's right to choose their own destiny.
Calling — to heal people
In 1966, Maria graduated from the medical institute. Due to a shortage of specialists, she was sent to work as an obstetrician-gynecologist in At-Bashi, where she worked for 12 years. Then she worked for three years as a dermatologist-venereologist in Kochkor and later became the head of the maternity ward. Over the years, Maria helped bring thousands of children into the world and earned respect from both colleagues and patients, receiving the title of Honored Doctor of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Maria retired in 2014 but continued to work for another five years as a family doctor, dedicating almost 60 years to medicine and remaining active until the age of 80.
"It's important to love your profession and work honestly. Then work brings joy. That's why I couldn't leave medicine even after retirement. It's my calling," she believes.
Today, Maria Musalieva is 86 years old. She has four sons, 15 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. Despite her age, she remains active and curious.
Every person should find their calling and follow their dream. If you believe in yourself and don't give up, everything is possible. If I could achieve this at a time when it was difficult for a woman to choose her path, then you too can break any barriers and stereotypes.
Maria Musalieva
