Menq Ankeghts Zinvor Enk (We Are True Soliders)

Hovhannes Badalyan was born in village Shavarin (Iran) near city Hamadan. He went to Armenian secondary school in Baghdad. Hovhannes returned to Tehran in 1936 and started singing in Nikol Galanderyan’s choir. From 1946 to 1949 he studied at R. Melilikian’s Music College in Yerevan. Badalyan was a soloist at Folk Instruments Ensemble of Radio and Television of Armenia and between 1954 to 2001 soloist at Armenian State Song and Dance Ensemble. He taught at Komitas State Conservatory from 1981 to 2001. Hovhannes Badalyan awarded titles People’s Artist of Armenia in 1961 and Order of St. Mesrop Mashtots in 2001. Hovhannes Badalyan died in Yerevan.