David Gamkrelidze - Early Career

Early Career

David Gamkrelidze was born on April 2, 1964 in a family of Geologist, Academician of Georgia’s Academy of Sciences and one of the most distinguished representatives of Georgian geological school Erekle Gamkrelidze and of Ia Gobronidze. His grandfather, Academician Petre Gamkrelidze was one of the founders of Georgian geological school.

David Gamkrelidze graduated from the Tbilisi 55th secondary school. In 1982 he became student of Tbilisi State Medical University, Faculty of Pediatrics. He was a distinguished student, holder of Tarkhnishvili Scholarship, member of the Student’s Medical Council. He was a frequent participant of various students’ international conferences and Olympiads.

Since 1988 the “National movement” gained significant momentum among the majority of Georgian citizens; especially among the youth. The Georgian citizens began to demand independence and the country unraveled in massive protest demonstrations. In this hectic time, David Gamkrelidze, along with his friends, established the Christian-Democratic Association, which later was renamed into the Christian-Democratic Union.

David Gamkrelidze took active part in the March–April 1989 protest demonstrations against the Soviet Army.

Right after the tragic events of April 9, 1989 several organizations were established, the Rustaveli Society among them, of which David Gamkrelidze was a member.

In the spring of 1989, with the purpose of coordinating the National Liberation Movement, the National Forum was established. The participants of the forum were Gia Chanturia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Irakli Batiashvili and others. The Christian-Democratic Union was represented at the Forum by David Gamkrelidze and Irakli Kakabadze. In June of the same year, the first delegation of the National Liberation Movement traveled to Paris to celebrate the Independence Day of Georgia at the invitation from the Georgian Diaspora living there. David Gamkrelidze was a member of the delegation as well.