Egia Khachaturian

Egia (Ilia) Khachaturian – belonged to a peasant family living for a long time in v.Upper Aza of Nakhichevan District located near the city of Ordubad bordering on Iran. In late 1870s, the 13-year-old Ilia left for Tbilisi in search of a job. At that time Tbilisi was a large city, the center of trade and culture of the Southern Caucasus. Enterprising people from all parts of the Caucasus aspired to establish their business there. Ilia arrived in Tbilisi in peasant shoes, having several copper coins in his pockets. Here he managed to settle as an apprentice at a bookbinder’s shop. In a short time he mastered the bookbinder’s profession and gain a good reputation among Tbilisi’s craftsmen. In early 1890s, having collected some money, he bought his master’s declining business and shortly managed to attract quite many customers. Hence at the age of 25, Egia Khachaturian became the owner of the bookbinder’s shop where his sons Vaghinak and Levon worked afterwards.