Gurgen Boryan

Born in Shushi. Boryan graduated from the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow. From 1936 he was a member of the Writers' Union of Armenia, and in 1938-41 and 1950-54 the union's executive secretary. In 1938-41 he was editor of "Grakan tert" ("Literary Newspaper"), and during the Second World War a correspondent for a military newspaper. In 1958-62 he edited the journal "Literaturnaya Armeniya" ("Literary Armenia"). In 1968-71 he was First Deputy Minister of Culture of Armenia. Boryan was published from 1930. His first collection of poems appeared in 1937. His works have been translated into a number of languages. In 1970 Gurgen Boryan received the State Prize of the Armenian SSR. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and other orders. In 1971 Gurgen Boryan was awarded the title of Honored Worker of Culture of the Armenian SSR. He died in Yerevan.