Vyacheslav Samvel Badalyan (May 27, 1998, Ararat region, Noyakert city – September 30, 2000, Hadrut)
He graduated from a local high school and was admitted to the Faculty of Journalism at Yerevan State University on a full scholarship. He worked as a journalist in the Public Relations and Information Department at YSU, as well as a correspondent for “Aravot” daily newspaper, and later for “Hraparak” daily newspaper and “Ararat” TV Company. He was known to prefer being called “Slava”. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree, he enrolled in the master’s program at the same faculty for free. However, he was drafted into the army and ended up serving in Hadrut. During the war, he shot down three tanks, and while taking down the last one, he sacrificed his life to save the lives of around 15 of his fellow soldiers. He became immortalized on September 30 and was posthumously awarded the “Combat Service” medal by the President of the Republic of Artsakh. In 2021, an auditorium was named after him and other students of the faculty who died in the first Artsakh and 44-day wars. The auditorium is located at the Faculty of Journalism at Yerevan State University. Additionally, from September 21, the Armenian language and literature classroom of Noyakert secondary school has been named after Slava Badalyan. His unfulfilled dream was to attend the Diplomatic School of Armenia while completing his master’s education after serving in the military. His ultimate goal was to lecture at the university and work as a news commentator.
