”I HAVE ARMENIAIN’S WARM AND LOVING HEART”

My predecessors are from Old Julfa. My father a general of Indian Army Vanik Minas lived in Kalkata. My grandfather (from father) Tigran I haven’t seen instead of that I won’t never forget my grandmother Mary from Julfa. She was a powerful woman. The characters of my grandma and father were similar: both were too proud of their Armenian roots, were strict, persistent, disciplined, honest and dominant… Both beat me (there was also an occasion for beating). My grandma says: “This stick will make you an Armenian”. She says: “As soon as you come home from school, go and kiss the stick, because you won’t be a man without this stick”.

– The stick with which she punished You?

– Yes, just that stick. Characterly I was similar with my grandma and father, I was recalcitrant, indocile and continiously was in fights. My father and grandma so hammered into my head that I am from the most strong, the cleverest, the oldest and the best nation of the world, that I didn’t miss an opportunity to remind my friends about my exellency comparing with them. But some of them didn’t put up with it and the fight was begining. As a rule during the regular meetings of parents and teachers the teachers complained of me. But my elder brother Glen was my antipode. He was like my English mother as he knew how to avoid problems. He remembered all the teachers’ birthdays, visited them wih flowers. Speaking about myself the teachers said:” There is no hope, nothing will be made from Ashly, but when was Glen’s turn, they laughed with blessedness, the expression of their face categorically was changed. ‘’Glen is so sweet’’. I was going in for sports (up to day) weightlifting, cycling, bodybuilding, box. When we graduated from school I was the second with my progress among the graduates of that year.

– And «sweet Glen»?

– He wasn’t among the good learners. My teachers always pointed out my two classmates sitting the next desk and said that I had to take an example from them. They were very clever and studied hard. I have listened with half an ear a lot that they have made a decision to enter the most authoritative Medical University of India: Velorre, «The Christian medical college». … I and Glen often visited my English grandpa. I loved him, he was a good person. One day my grandpa sickened and the doctors couldn’t save his life. The poor was suffering a lot. Probably in that time was born my decision to become a surgeon. And I remembered my two exemplary classmates and their dream to enter Velleroe’s Medical University. There was always a great rivalry in that University. Thousands of applications for a post. … I have entered. During the 6 years of study I was looking long and vain for my exemplary classmates. They haven’t seen the most authoritative Uiversity’s entrance of India at last. I studied hard and I was the first among all the Medical Universities by bodybuilding.

– It is written in your biography that you have served in Indian Army, you hav been a military doctor and got captain’s title.

– When I grew up, I was in come of my age, I understood that what a wonderful person is my father, how honest, clever, active, respected he is. He was a Chief of the engineering troops of Indian Army. I want to tell a little episode from my father’s life. Must be signed a very important military agreement. My father returned from his service and saw that there was a big basket with numerous presents on our table. My father awfully got angry, He said:’’This Indian dirty mom think that they can buy over the Armenian. I knew the next day that my father didn’t sign the agreement. I don’t tell this story accidently. I loved my father and wanted to be like him. Deserve his respect. And I began to serve in army. Some time later (I think 1 year) the Chief of Military-medical Service has invited one Assembly. I was the junior along the all gathered military doctors. Suddenly the Chief said.’’ Ashly Minas, stand up.’’I was afraid a lot, thought he must comlain of my service. I was astonished when the Chief said that I was worthy a reaward for my exemplary service. But I couldn’t put up with illegalities going on in Indian Army. When my commander rang me up and ordered to give a great deal of medicine to one of his relatives I refused and got enemies.

– The mother of your children Sirun, Vanik and Tigran is from Nigeria, where did You meet her?

– One of my doctor friends relatives invited me to work in Nigeria. The salary was very high and I agreed. Here I married, Sirun and Vanik (It’s my father’s name) were born in Nigeria, but Tigran (It’s my grandfather’s name) was born in Megri.

– When and how did you decide to return to Your hometown?

– My blood has decided, my gene, my heart… Coming to Armenia was my long-standing dream. I applied to the Soviet Embassy with request to come to Armenia in time of the earthquake. But I was refused. I came to Armenia with my wife and two children in 1994. It were hard years. I went to the frontier Megri and founded my own clinic: ‘’Minasyan Medical Center’’. It’s difficult to imagine another important thing but hospital in that peripheral area. 600 hundred children were born in my hospital, also the soldiers and officers were making use of our service. I am so proud and glad that I have shared the hard life of my nationals in that hard years and could be useful to them. I have founded also a clinic in Askeran. Then we opened ‘’Minasyan Medical Clinic’’ in Yerevan.

– I wonder how did You see Armenia for the first time, the Armenian… What expectations did You have…

– I was already an adult to understand that Armenia isn’t Eden ( as said my father) and all Armenians aren’t the chosens. Armenia is very lovely for me, because it is mine, I feel the connection of my blood with this land, air and water. We Armenians are nation of extremeness. Here live the most wonderful people of the world… Unfortunately, there are also some people unworthy to be Armenian: self-centered, self-interested, fraudulent…

– In any case I won’t forget Glen… Did we lose him as an Armenian?

– He is English in nature. He lives in Indian Bangalore city, he is an English teacher. Armenian gene is weak inside him. I don’t know, he is a such Armenian.

– There is a very exciting story connected with little Sarah’s adoption.

– An American family lived near our school in India. They had three child. Both were blond with blue eyes, the third was black. The three wore similar clothes. Then I knew that the black was adopted. The parents also took care after her warmly. The orphan was so happy. This story has deeply excited me. And there was a dream in the hidden corner of my heart to make somebody, an orphan happy.
When I first had seen little Sarah, something was vibrated inside me. The child had a sivere disease: there was gathering water in her head. A few survived from such a disease. Her parents have left her, the doctors didn’t give any hope. We adopted Sarah. Some time later the child’s condition categorically got worse, the water removal probe of her head was closed( her organism didn’t accept foreign body). We sent for a doctor from Peterburg. The child of the age of 7 was operated 16 times in Armenia. Sarah was in coma when we clinged for the last hope, me moved the child to Italy. We fought for the child’s life by the end. And she has been survived. Now Sarah Minas is completely healthy, a wonderful child and was familiar with her younger brother Tigran.

– Does she live with your foreigner wife?

– Yes, I and my wife divorced, naturally Sarah stayed with her mother, sister and brothers. They live in Armenia, we are always in touch. I married with an Armenian girl. I met Armine by chance and fall in love at once. I am not a teenager everwhiles but I have Armenian’s warm and loving heart, I am emotional, peppy, jovial… Living in Armenia for 17 years I have got an invitation to work in Nigeria again. I’ll work in Nigeria for 3 years and will return to my hometown. I’ll reopen ‘’Minasyan Medical Center’’ and finally will be established in my hometown. My daughter Sirun studies in Medical University with excellent scores (gratis). She will continue my work. The descendant of Tigran Minas from Julfa wandering from world to world again will root in his national land with Sirun, Vanik, Tigran Minass, little Sarah Minas and that children having Minas surname who certainly will born.