Sokrat Khanyan

"Sokrat Khanyan" (), is an Armenian poet, translator, literary critic, publicist, doctor of philology, professor, member of Writers Union of Armenia, and a member of the USSR Writers' Union since 1958. 
Biography.
Sokrat Khanyan was born on January 22, 1930, in the village of Aknakbyur in the Nagorno Karabakh's, Hadrut region. In 1944 he graduated from the seven-year school in his native village, then from the secondary school in the village of Harlan Edillu (now Ukhtadzor). In 1947 – 1948 he worked in his native village as the secretary of the communist organization, the head of the house of culture. Between 1949 and 1953 he studied and graduated from Baku V. I. Lenin State Pedagogical Institute, Department of Armenian Language and Literature, Faculty of Philology. 
In 1950 Khanyan's first poem dedicated to the memory of the elder brother, poet Suren Khanyan, who died in the Great Patriotic War, was published in "Communist" newspaper. Between 1953 and 1962 he worked as a journalist in the editorial office of "Communist" Armenian Republican newspaper published in Baku. He has been a member of the USSR Writers 'Union since [1958], Artsakh] Writers' Union since 1994. In 1959 he published his first collection of poems entitled "Karkach". Between 1962 and 1965 he studied in Baku. In the postgraduate course of the Lenin State Pedagogical Institute, with a degree in "Armenian Literature". At the same time, he taught in the department of Armenian language and literature. In 1965 Institute of Literature after Manuk Abeghyan of NAS RA he defended a thesis on "Nairi Zaryan Dramaturgy", and received the degree of Candidate of Philological Sciences. In 1969 after the closure of the Armenian department of the Lenin State Pedagogical Institute of Baku, he moved to Stepanakertwhere he continued teaching at the Department of Armenian Language and Literature of Artsakh State University as an associate professor. 
In1974 – 1988 he was the chairman of the Student Scientific Council of Artsakh State University, 1975 – 1976 the chairman of the regional "Gitelik" company. Between1978 – 1981 he was the Dean of the Linguistic Faculty of Stepanakert Pedagogical Institute (ArSU). Between 1984 and 2007 Khanyan was first the head of the chair of the Armenian language, literature, then literature and journalism at ArSU. Between 1985 and 1990 he was the chairman of the NKR Regional Committee for the Defense of Peace. In 2002 he defended his thesis at the Abeghyan Institute of Literature on "The Fate of the Homeland in Armenian Poetry (1950–1990)" and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philological Sciences. In 2004 Khanyan received a professor's diploma in "Literature".
In 2010, on his 80th birthday, he was awarded a Mesrop Mashtots medal, by President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan.
In January 2020, Khanyan celebrated his 90th birthday and 70th birthday as a poet. 
Personal life.
Sokrat Khanyan's grandson is Hayk Melikyan, an Armenian pianist and composer. 
Awards.
<br>• NKR medal "Mesrop Mashtots" (NKR, 2010)
<br>• NKR medal "Vachagan the Pious" (NKR, 2001)
<br>• Medal "Maternal gratitude" (NKR, 2001)
<br>• Prize to them. Muratsan (NKR JV for the study "Artsakh War and Armenian Poetry", 1998)
<br>• Prize to them. Yeghishe of NKR (for the poem "Eagle of Artsakh", 1992)
<br>• Medal "For Labor Distinction" (State Committee of Public Education and the Central Committee of Trade Unions of the USSR, 1990).