Viktor was born in Novosibirsk oblast in 1957. He says he became interested in Kalmyk customs and traditions by listening to his grandmother. He is from the arvn (lineage) of Shonkhor of the Asmud clan. The founder of his arvn was a man called Shonkhor born in 1793. Tall and skillful, he served in the military regiment of the Kalmyk Prince Tundutov during the Napoleonic War. With the Russian Army he entered Paris from where he brought back with him a woman. Shonkhor had a son called Mandzhi whose son was Bamba. Bamba’s son was Tumya who had a son called Sandzhi who was Viktor’s paternal grandfather.