Hovhannes Shiraz

He was born in Alexandrapol (now Gyumri). In 1925–32 he studied at the seven-year school of his native town. In 1932 his first poems were published. In 1937–41 he studied in the Armenian language and literature department of the Faculty of Philology of Yerevan State University. In 1956 he completed the courses of the M. Gorky Literary Institute in Moscow. In 1941–45 he worked on the editorial staff of the newspaper "Khorhrdayin Hayastan" (Soviet Armenia). In 1935 his first book of poems was published. In 1977 he was awarded the State Prize of the Republic of Armenia. He was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner of Labour and the Order of the Badge of Honour. He died in Yerevan.