Rostislav Borisovich Rybakov (Russian: Ростислав Борисович Рыбаков; 28 March 1938 – 7 August 2019 in Moscow, Russia)[1] was a Russian scholar of Oriental Studies, writer, Indologist and the director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Oriental Studies).

[2] He heads the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Academy[3] and is a former president (2006–2008) of the Dialogue Eurasia Platform (DAP), one of the five forums under the Journalists and Writers Foundation (JWF), promoting peaceful coexistence through dialogue and understanding.

[4] He has also been associated with the International Centre of the Roerichs and is one of the founders of PEACE through CULTURE, a non governmental organization based in Austria.

[5] He was a son of Russian historian Boris Rybakov.

[6] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2007, for his contributions to literature and education.