The first woman cosmonaut, State Duma deputy Valentina Tereshkova proposed to rename Astana as Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"I wholeheartedly congratulate the residents of the beautiful city of Astana and all Kazakhstan people on the magnificent 20th anniversary of the city. The city that Nursultan Nazarbayev built. I think that it is not Astana that needs to be called, but the name of your President. We love him very much and are proud that our President, Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev have excellent relations," she said.

“The Qazaq Times”