Ybyrai Altynsarin (Kazakh: Ыбырай Алтынсарин) (1 November 1841 – 29 July 1889) was a major figure in pre-Soviet Kazakh history. He was the most prominent Kazakh educator of the 19th century, at the period of Russian colonization of and cultural influence in Kazakhstan. Ibrahim Altynsarin is best known for introducing the transition from the Perso-Arabic alphabet to the Cyrillic alphabet for the Kazakh language, and was a proponent of teaching in the Western style. Being a Muslim, though, he opposed the teaching of Orthodox Christian doctrines to non-Russian Kazakhs, but at the same time urged resistance to Tatar language and culture, in favor of Russian and Western influences. As an educator, he opened numerous Kazakh-Russian boarding schools, technical schools and schools for girls. Altynsarin is also known as the author of the first Kazakh grammar book, the first Kazakh-Russian newspaper, and translator of a large number of textbooks and reference works. He was honored by the Imperial Russian government with numerous awards, including the title statski sovetnik (State Counsellor). A number of Kazakh institutions, including the Kazakh Academy of Education, Arkalyk State Pedagogical Institute and some streets, schools, and academic awards, are named after Altynsarin. There is an Altynsarin museum in Kostanay.