PODGORNY, NIKOLAY

born Feb. 18, 1903, Karlovka, Ukraine, Russian Empire

died Jan. 12, 1983, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.

Soviet politician.

He worked in engineering jobs in the sugar industry, then was appointed deputy commissar of the Soviet food-processing industry in 1940. He rose through the Communist Party hierarchy to become chair of the Ukraine party committee (1957–63), a full member of the Politburo (1960), and head of the party's Central Committee (1963–65). In a power struggle with Leonid Brezhnev , Podgorny was demoted to the ceremonial post of chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1965–77).