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  ISAHAKYAN Avetik (Armenian: Ավետիք Իսահակյան) was born on October 30, 1875. A poet, prose writer and public figure. NAS ASSR Academician (1943). Grandfather of A. V Isahakyan. In 1889-93 Isahakyan studied at Gevorkian Theological Seminary, attended classes at the Universities of Leipzig (1893) and Zurich (1897). In 1895 he became the member of ARF and was engaged in ideological secret activities. He was imprisoned in Yerevan because of taking part in the national-liberation struggle in 1896, was exiled to Odessa in 1898, he was imprisoned for the second time in 1908. As a political deportee he moved to Constantinople in 1911, then to Europe. In 1936 he finally settled in Homeland.

The first collection of poems "Songs and Wounds" was published 1897. In this and subsequent collections (“Poems” 1903, “From the native spring” 1920, “Songs to Alagyaz”, 1945) the themes of love and longing, maternal love are depicted in lyrical spirit and philosophical thoughts. Love is the first and the dominant theme of Isahakyan’s poems. He wrote many patriotic verses and poems that were published in “Droshak” journal entitled "The Songs of Haiduks". In his works the everyday problems of people are closely related to complex and contradictory phenomena of the era. The poet took the historical and social situation very hard. For establishing and strengthening the existence of his people, he searched for social and political foundations. Along with the patriotic and lyrical works Isahakyan wrote many rebellious poems (“My heart is there”) philosophical poems (Abu-Lala Mahari", 1909-11).  In the poem "Abu-Lala Mahari" the social conditions and natural laws of human life are encountered and correlated. 

In the poem the emotional controversy and the bitterness of the hero  never collapse hopelessly, but is balanced by the most powerful spirit. His searching spirit goes to “fascinating distances”. 

The works of Isahakyan is a poetry of national ideals and aspirations sealed with the national worldview, behavior and dignity. This is revealed in his legends, fairy-tales (“Shidhar” 1907, “The Eternal Love” 1919, “Lilit” 1921), prose (“The Pipe of Patience”, 1928, “Master Karo”): Isahakyan wrote also publicistic articles and memoirs. Many songs written on the Isahakyan’s poems were nationalized. There are house-museums of Isahakyan in Yerevan and Gyumri. The streets in Yerevan, Gyumri, Moscow, etc, as well as schools and libraries in different regions of RA were named after Avetik Isahakyan. 

In 1980 The Writers' Union of Armenia set an annual Award after Isahakyan. 

Deputy of ASSR General Council (1947-57).

USSR State Award (1946).

A. Isahakyan died on October 17, 1957 and is buried in Komitas Pantheon-Park.

Source - "Who is Who. The Armenians" Encyclopedia, Volume I, chief-editor Hovh. Ayvazyan, Yerevan, 2007.