He noticed the talented peasant boy Fedot Sychkow and paid for his education at an art school in St. Petersburg. Later, Sychkow became a famous artist in Russia. Arapov built schools, hospitals, and educational institutions for peasants, bringing a spirit of innovation to Russian life. Thanks to his influence, he managed to have a railway constructed near his estate, which contributed to the development of the Narovchat district of the Penza province. Many researchers believe that Levin from 'Anna Karenina' and Alyokhin from the story 'About Love' were based on Ivan Arapov. However, his fame does not end there.

Ivan Andreyevich Arapov, a passionate lover of horses and a patron of equestrian sports, surprised all of Russia by purchasing the racehorse Galtimor for 215,000 rubles. This purchase was part of his ambition to elevate Russian horse breeding to the level of Western European countries. He also made the first translation of the German book 'Guide for Breeders'. By the end of the 19th century, equestrian sports were very popular in Russia. The architect of racetracks Benois noted that 'the soul of this endeavor was General Arapov, a most amiable man'.

If in 1880 races were held in only 7 cities in Russia, within a few years their number increased to 13. The income of the Moscow Racing Society reached 1.5 million rubles in 1889. However, not all funds went to the development of equestrian sports. After a devastating fire in his hometown of Narovchat, Arapov donated a significant amount for restoration.

By the way, Arapov's wife was the daughter of Natalia Lansky, Pushkin's last love. Russia owes much to Ivan Andreyevich for transforming the village of Mikhailovskoye, the estate of the Pushkins, into a national treasure and reserve.