Hovhannes Tumanyan

Born in the village of Dsegh in Lori. He received his primary education in his native village and then at the school in Jalaloghly (now Stepanavan). In 1883 he continued his studies at the Nersisyan School in Tiflis, but because of financial hardship he was forced to leave the school in 1887 and began working at the Armenian ecclesiastical court in Tiflis and in the office of the Armenian Publishing Society (until 1893). In 1899 the poet organised the literary circle "Vernatun" ("The Upper Room"), whose members included many prominent Armenian writers and poets. At the beginning of the 20th century Tumanyan also became known as a public figure. In 1912-1921 he was president of the Caucasian Union of Armenian Writers, and in 1921-22 chairman of the Committee for Aid to Armenia. He died in Moscow and is buried in the Armenian Pantheon of Khojivank in Tbilisi.