The "quiet" Russian scholar

He was always a quiet worker, quietly sharing with everyone, but behind that quietness was a burning and spreading passion for research, profound erudition, a relentless pursuit of new studies, and a warm, kind heart that always empathized with everyone.

For generations of students, Mr. Pham Gia Lam has always been an example of striving for excellence, of a burning desire to acquire knowledge, and of overcoming seemingly insurmountable difficulties. Like many other teachers of his generation, he went through the war years, left the lecture halls to go to the battlefield, then returned to his studies, struggling with the hardships of the subsidy era and the challenges of the teaching profession... The story of those journeys is perhaps endless. But the stories he told about his learning and life experiences truly helped me understand the Russian idiom he often used to encourage me whenever I faced difficulties or complained about my hardships:Bce будет b порядке/All Already will fineThis is the story of the unexpected difficulties that arose as the professor prepared to leave for Russia to pursue postgraduate studies: illness, the challenges encountered after treatment… It is also the story of the arduous journey from Kharkiv to Moscow to contact the doctoral thesis defense committee when his supervising professor in Kharkiv faced internal problems in the early stages.PerestroikaIt was also a story about making a living as a translator during those extremely difficult times… I understood him not only through his stories but also through the direct experience of working with him as a student, a research fellow under his guidance, and a colleague in the same department.

Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Gia Lam

In 2005, when narrative theory was still unfamiliar to Vietnamese researchers, my supervisor guided my graduation thesis, using the light of narrative theory to illuminate the works of a 19th-century Russian classical writer. From the very beginning, he gave me newly published materials on narrative theory by a German scholar written in English. I read, translated, and asked my supervisor many questions, and he was always willing to answer them all. Completing my graduation thesis also meant completing the Vietnamese translation of M. Jahn's work. My supervisor, amidst his numerous responsibilities (at that time he was the Vice Rector of the University), diligently proofread the translation. Over the years, we have been very happy that this translation has assisted many graduate students, undergraduates, and researchers in their work. After that translation, we continued with more difficult, lengthy, and substantial translations, both in English and Russian. My teacher never hesitated to proofread each page for me. I understood that proofreading translations was essentially him teaching me translation, foreign languages, and research skills. And signing translation contracts was also a way for him to help me earn a small amount of money to cover my living expenses. After each translation he proofread, I learned a great deal about translation techniques, language usage, and perseverance in the face of difficulties. And after each translation, he instilled in me a passion for exploring new horizons of knowledge. During his time as Vice Rector and as the "leader" of credit-based training, despite constant meetings and a very busy schedule, he diligently and quietly dedicated time to his professional work. I continuously received the latest and most engaging materials from him in both English and Russian to support my research and teaching. My professor consistently provided guidance and suggestions, helping me to gradually overcome the difficulties and concerns I had in my research.

Associate Professor Pham Gia Lam (far left) with faculty members from the Department of Western Literature, Faculty of Literature.

Many teachers and generations of students, when mentioning Professor Pham Gia Lam, share that he was very serious (and strict), meticulous in his work and in his profession. But alongside that, there was also the image of a teacher in everyday life: kind, simple, tolerant, and exemplary. I was his student from my undergraduate years to my doctoral studies, and I have continued his research and teaching work, so I have had many opportunities to interact with him and his family. Whenever I faced difficulties, he and his wife were always ready to share and were always a safe haven for me to turn to. I can never forget his words when he and his wife talked to me during the time I was injured and they took me home to care for me: "Any young staff member in your situation would receive help from us. Like you, we have received a lot of support and assistance from previous generations of teachers." Young faculty members in the Department, both professionally and personally, whenever they had concerns or difficulties requiring support from their professor, he would listen, share, and help wholeheartedly. Talking with him, listening to his slow, deliberate voice, and hearing his stories—both humorous, engaging, and profoundly insightful—everyone felt the kind, approachable "Russian spirit" and the erudition and depth of mind of a model researcher and teacher.

 Nếu kể tên những nhà Nga học, những người kiên định với nghiên cứu Nga học dù thời thế có nhiều đổi thay không thể không nhắc đến PGS.TS Phạm Gia Lâm. Thầy là người đã từng được đào tạo bậc học tiến sĩ ở Nga, giảng dạy và nghiên cứu văn học Nga trong nhiều năm. Nhìn vào các công trình nghiên cứu của thầy, chắc chắn ta sẽ thấy một quá trình bền bỉ, không mệt mỏi và không ngừng tìm tòi, khám phá, tìm đến những cách tiếp cận mới với văn hóa và văn học Nga. Những bài báo của thầy, chẳng hạn như Christian motifs in M. Bulgakov's novels "The Master" and "Margarita": An experiment in an intertextual approach.,Cultural symbols in Natasha Rostova's dance ("War and Peace" by L. Tolstoy),Cultural interaction in V. Nabokov's works”.... không chỉ là nguồn tham khảo quan trọng trong nghiên cứu, giảng dạy văn  học Nga mà còn là những bài báo có tính khơi mở những cách tiếp cận mới, ứng dụng những lí thuyết mới trong nghiên cứu văn học. Mấy năm vừa qua, thầy đứng ra chủ trì một đề tài trọng điểm về Văn học Nga hải ngoại. Đó cũng là cơ hội để nhóm nghiên cứu Nga-Slav chứng minh được sức làm việc và những đóng góp của mình trong nghiên cứu giảng dạy. Trong năm nay, cuốn sách khá đồ sộ và công phu Russian literature abroad:Process – Characteristics – Reception, chuyển tải những kết quả nghiên cứu từ đề tài trọng điểm đó sẽ đến tay bạn đọc. Thời điểm này PGS.TS Phạm Gia Lâm đang cùng với một số nhà Nga học của Việt Nam tham dự hội thảo Quốc tế lớn kỉ niệm 120 năm ngày sinh của S.Esenin tại Nga. Thầy vừa là học giả Việt Nam được mời tham gia điều khiển tiểu ban, vừa là người tham gia trình bày một tham luận bằng tiếng Nga rất thú vị và hấp dẫn “Проблемы межкультурной коммуникации b переводе стихотворений Есенина na вьетнамских yazsk” (Intercultural communication issues in translating Esenin's poetry into Vietnamese.It can be said that the "leader" of that Russian studies group, through his research and his simple, modest demeanor, inspired and instilled a passion for research in generations of students and colleagues.

PGS.TS Phạm Gia Lâm trong một chuyến công tác tại Nga

Làm việc, trò chuyện với thầy, tôi luôn nhớ đến câu thành ngữ tiếng Nga mà thầy đã nói với tôi trong buổi tôi bảo vệ chính thức luận án tiến sĩ: Тише едешь, дальше будешь/Lặng lẽ sẽ tiến xa.