He was born in Shumen around 1841. He is a student of Sava Dobroplodni in the school of Shumen. In 1858 he was admitted as a fellow at the Odessa Theological Seminary, where he becomes close with Georgi Rakovski. He cooperates with poems, translations and correspondences of "Constantinople Gazette" and the "Bulgarian booklets” magazine.
At the beginning of 1862 he goes to Belgrade and registeres in the First Bulgarian Legion. After its dissolution he returned to the seminary and was graduated in 1865. He continued his education at the Theological Academy in Kiev (1865-1869). Then he settled in Braila and became a teacher and director of the Bulgarian school until 1873. V. Drumev is among the founders of the Bulgarian Literary Society (1869) - Today Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and later (1898) its chairman.
After the Liberation (1878) V. Drumev is actively involved in socio-political and cultural life. Rector is of the theological school "St. St. Peter and Paul" near Lyaskovetz (1878-1884). He participates in the Constituent Assembly and the first Grand National Assembly (1879). He was Prime Minister and Minister of Education (24.11.1879 - 26.ІІІ.1880). In 1884-1901 he was bishop of Tarnovo diocese. In connection with the Unification of Eastern Rumelia with the Principality of Bulgaria (1885) was sent with a delegation to the Russian Emperor Alexander III to seek Russia's support. He became First Chairman of the Bulgarian Red Cross (1885-1887).
After the dethronement of Prince Alexander I, Drumev headed the provisional government (9-12.08.1886). At beliefs V. Drumev was a russophile and opposed the policy of Stefan Stambolov and King Ferdinand I. He is therefore persecuted and exiled to Glojen monastery, where he was released after the death of Stambolov. In 1895, he was sent to the Russian Emperor Nicholay II to assist in the normalization of relations between Bulgaria and Russia.
V. Drumev is the father of Bulgarian Belles Lettres and drama. He is the author of the first original Bulgarian novel "Miserable Family" (1860) and "Ivanku, the murderer of Assen I" (1872). Notable are his appearances as a literary theorist, critic and historian. He died on July 10/23, 1901 in Sofia.
Vasil Drumev is patron of 67th primary school and community center in quarter "Serdika" in Sofia.
