Vardan Ajemian

Vardan Mkrtchi Ajemian (Վարդան Մկրտչի Աճեմյանը; September 15, 1905 in Van, Ottoman Empire – January 24, 1977 in Yerevan, Armenian SSR) was an Armenian theatrical director and actor. He was named People's Artist of USSR in 1965 and Hero of Socialist Labour in 1975.

Biography
Ajemian studied in Yerevan and Moscow. In 1928 he founded the Second Armenian State Theatre (Gyumri State Theatre). In 1939 he moved to Yerevan Sundukian Theatre and became its artistic director. He directed Alexander Shirvanzade's For the Honour (1939), William Saroyan's My Heart is in the Mountains (1961), Papazian's Rock (1944), Nairi Zarian's Ara Geghetsik (1946), Aramashot Papayan's The World, Yes, Turned Upside Down (1967) and several musical presentations. He won State Prizes of the USSR in 1951 and of the Armenian SSR in 1971.

Awards

 * November 24, 1945 — Order of the Badge of Honor
 * 1951 — USSR State Prize, third level
 * June 27, 1956 — Order of Lenin
 * 1970 — State Prize of the Armenian SSR
 * December 8, 1975 — Hero of Socialist Labor with the award of the Order of Lenin