Victor Hambardzumyan was a Soviet Armenian scientist, one of the founders of the theoretical astrophysics. Hambardzumyan was born to an Armenian family in Tbilisi in 1908. His father was the philologist and writer Hamazasp Asaturovich Hambardzumyan, the translator of Homer's Iliad into Armenian. In 1924 Victor entered the physico-mathematical department of Leningrad State Pedagogical Institute and then of Leningrad State University. As a student in 1926 he published his first scientific article, devoted to sun jets. Hambardzumyan continued his postgraduate studies at Pulkovo Observatory under the guidance of Professor A. A. Belopolskij in 19281931. In 1930 married Vera Feodorovna Klochihina, born at Lisva, Solikamsk uyezd, Perm). After three years of affiliation at Leningrad University in 1934 Hambardzumyan founded and headed the first astrophysics chair. In 19391941 Hambardzumyan was the director of the Leningrad University Observatory. In 1939 Hambardzumyan was elected a correspondent member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. In 1953 he became a full academician of the Academy. In the beginning of World War II he was the Vice-rector on Academic Affairs of Leningrad University. The scientific laboratories of the University were evacuated in 1941 to remote Elabuga (Tatarstan) where Hambardzumyan spent four years directing the work of the refugee laboratories. In the heaviest period of the war, in 1943 the Armenian Academy of Sciences was founded. Probably, this was a reward Armenia received for her loyalty to the Soviet Union in the Great War effort. Iosif Orbeli was appointed as the President and Hambardzumyan as the Vice President of Armenian SSR Academy. In 1947 Hambardzumyan was elected as the president of the Armenian SSR Academy and since then he was invariably re-elected to the position till 1993. In 1993 he became the Honorary President of the Armenian National Academy. In 1946 the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory was founded. Hambardzumyan became its first Director and directed the Observatory till 1988. Hambardzumyan was the President of the International Astronomical Union from 1961 till 1964. He was twice elected the President of the International Council of Scientific Unions (19661972). V. A. Hambardzumyan died on August 12 1996 in Byurakan and is buried next to the Grand Telescope Tower.