Stepan Shahumyan

Vahan Teryan was born in Gandza, Akhalkalaki. He studied at Gandza secondary school. In 1899 he entered Lazaryan Seminary and in 1906 Moscow University the faculty of history –philology. His first collection of poems was published in 1908 in Tiflis. Teryan entered St. Petersburg University Faculty of Oriental Studies in 1913. From 1915 to 1916 he was actively participating in the promotion of Armenian literature in Russia. He was a member of Bolshevik Party from 1971. Teryan participated in Brest-Litovsk peace talks as an advisor of Armenian affairs. Because of health conditions and by decision of the Commissar of Foreign Affairs he left for Middle Asia in 1919. Vahan Teryan died in Orenburg. In 1970 land was brought to Yerevan Pantheon named after Komitas.