He was probably born in Aleppo, Ottoman Empire to an Armenian family and spent most of his life in Zumpango del Río, Guerrero. Despite his wealth, he was a known benefactor who built roads that connected his own town with other local villages.

In 1913, he enrolled as a physician and then as a soldier for Victoriano Huerta's army. As a close friend of Juan Andrew Almazán, Harootian was chosen to command a legion of 2,000 soldiers who fought in the Battle of Zacatecas against Pancho Villa's forces on June 23, 1914.

Shortly after the fall of Victoriano Huerta's de facto government, Harootian was persecuted by the new authorities and chose to leave the country.

Once the Mexican Revolution came to an end, the socialist government deprived him and his family of their properties. His former house is now the Town Hall of his homeplace, Zumpango del Río.

• NARANJO, Francisco (1935). Diccionario biográfico Revolucionario. Mexico: Imprenta Editorial "Cosmos". ISBN 968-805-293-0.