The Djrtgyan Family

THE DJRTGYAN FAMILY

The participant in the Hadjin self-defense Sarkis Djrtgyan (later known as Djarpikyan) was born in 1902 in Hadjin. He was a sword man and an adjutant of Aram Gaydzag, the leader of the “Vrej” group, and played a key role in leading 365 Hadjentsis out of the besieged town of Hadjin. The groups of survivors of those horrendous events scattered all over the world. Sarkis Djrtgyan is known to have settled in Greece along with other Hadjin defenders. Together with Aram Gaydzag’s group, he participated in the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922. For his courage, he was awarded Armenians were given the opportunity to return to their homeland in 1932, and Ebrouhi and Sarkis were among those who returned to Armenia via Batumi on the ship collectively known as “Armenia.” The people of Hadjin from all over the world were among the first new residents who populated the 13 streets of the Nubarashen Quarter. At first, they lived in tents, but gradually the community developed, revitalized, and became indigenous to the Hadjentsis. Sarkis Djarpikyan and Ebrouhi Markosyan had three children: Nazel, Manuk, and Sarkis. Today, the family has grown to over 40 people and spans multiple generations, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Thanks to the family’s innate talents and hard work, they all have excelled in various fields such as engineering, medicine, performing arts, and sports. Manuk Djarpikyan was a famous sportsman, his son was a well-known football player and presently, he is a successful entrepreneur. Sargis Djarpikyan’s son, Hakob, used to be a recognized tennis player and now he is engaged in the shoe production industry.

Hovhannes Grigoryan-Djarpikyan

 Hovhannes Grigoryan-Djarpikyan, the son of Nazely Djarpikyan, previously a member of the Hadjin Compatriotic Union, is the youngest appointed Chairman of the Union (2006). He worked for Armenian Public Television for many years, served as the President of the “Tesaket” Press Club, and also gained fame as an actor. For his significant contribution to preparing news coverage of the establishment of the Armenian Armed Forces, he was awarded the Commander “Vazgen Sargsyan” Medal. Today, his son, Mher Grigoryan continues the family’s tradition in the field of acitng.Hovhannes Grigoryan-Djaprikyan studied the history of Armenian families from Hadjin and understood the importance of passing on this knowledge to future generations. With this regard, he made a significant contribution in filming his grandmother as well as other Hadjentsis and their descendants who could present their stories about the sufferings and deprivation they had endured. He visited historic Hadjin (now Saimbeyli) and described his pilgrimage to his ancestral land in numerous publications. As a symbolic gesture, he brought back the land from Hadjin to ensure that his compatriots could mix it with the land of their ancestral shrines, thus fulfilling his grandmother’s last wish.