Ravikumar (writer)

• V. Duraisamy (father)
• D. Kanagammal (mother)

Duraisamy Ravikumar
Photo for Lok Sabha in 2019
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office 23 May 2019
Education	LL.B., Tamil University; M.A., Ph.D, Annamalai University
Occupation	VCK General Secretary

Duraisamy Ravikumar, popularly known as D. Ravikumar (born 29 May, 1961), is an Indian Tamil intellectual, writer, lawyer, politician and an anti-caste activist. He was the editor of the magazine, Nirapirikai. Nirapirikai inspired several new writers in the 1990s in Tamil Nadu. ^[1] He is an Ambedkarite and Buddhist. ^[2] Ravikumar is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Viluppuram and member of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. ^{[3] [4]}

Career

Ravikumar is the founder of the anti-caste publishing house Navayana, along with S. Anand, and the former president of the People's Education Movement (Makkal Kalvi Eyakkam) and PUCL (Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry).^{[ citation needed ]}

Ravikumar was elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Kattumannarkoil, Cuddalore district, and served from 2006 to 2011. ^[5] He was instrumental in bringing a new policy to handle EWaste in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu government started a skill development program and Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi, then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, created six welfare boards, both at the request of Ravikumar.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 2010, Ravikumar won the Aringar Anna Award, conferred by the Tamil Nadu Government. Vikatan Awards for Translation ( 2014) Thiranayvu chemmal award for literary criticism (2019) manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Bharathi Award (2019) Vitiyal Trust Chennai.^{[ citation needed ]}

Writings

Books

• Ravikumar, D. (2009). Venomous touch : notes on caste, culture, and politics. Translated by R. Azhagarasan. Stree-Samya Publications. ISBN   978-8185604763.

Prose

• "Kankanippin Arasiyal" (1995) Vidiyal Pathippagam
• "Kothippu Uyarndu Varum" (2001) Kalachuvadu
• "Kadakka Mudiyatha Nizhal" (2003) Kalachuvadu
• "Malcolm X" (2003) Kalachuvadu
• "Sonnal Mudiyum" (2007) Vikatan Publication
• "Indrum Namadhe" (2008) Vikatan Publication
• "Thuyarathin mel patiyum Thuyaram" (2009) Aazhi Publication
• "Thamizharay Unarum Tharunam" (2010) Aazhi Publication
• "Kaana Mutiyaa Kanavu" (2010) Aazhi Publication
• "Bob Marley" (2010) Uyirmai Publication
• "Andai Ayal Ulakam" (2010) Uyirmai Publication
• "Piravazhip payanam" (2010) Uyirmai Publication
• "Katranaiththoorum" (2010) Uyirmai Publication
• "Soolakam" (2010) Uyirmai Publication
• "Meelum Varalaru" (2010) Ulakath Thamizaraychi niruvanam
• "Kumbatchiyilirunthu kodungonmaikku" (2017) Kizhakku Pathipakam
• "Kaalathai Thorkaditha Kalaingar" (2017) Manarkeni

Kaanalaay marum kaveri (2018) Manarkeni Ayiram Pookkal Karukattum (2019) Manarkeni

Poetry

• "Avizhum Sorkal" (2009) Uyirmai
• "Mazhai Maram" (2009) CreA
• "Vaanil Vitterintha Kanavu" (2017) Manarkeni

Short stories

• "Kadal Kinaru" (2014) Manarkeni

Translations

• Uraiyadal Thodarkiradu (1995) (interviews and articles of philosophers including Michel Foucault, Edward Said) Vidiyal Pathipakam
• Choli ke peche (2010) (short stories of women writers including Mahasweta Devi, Ismat Chuktai, Isabelle Allende) Aazhi
• Velichamum Thanneer Mathiritan (2003) (short stories of Gabriel García Márquez and others) Dalit Veliyeedu
• Athikarathitam Unmaiyaip Pesuthal (2010) (writings of Edward Said) Manarkeni
• Varalaru Ennum Kathai (2010) (writings of Eduardo Galeano) Manarkeni
• Valasaip Paravai (2010) (poems of Yehuda Amichai, Maya Angelou, Ethelbert Miller, Joy Goswami and others) Manarkeni

Editing

Tamil

• Dalit Literature, Politics, Culture (1996)
• Dalit Engira Thanitthuvum (1998) Dalit Publication
• Iyothee Thaas Panditar Cintanaikal (four volumes) (1999) Dalit Sahitya Academy
• Rettaimalai Srinivasan Jeevida Carithira Curukkam (1999) (Autobiography) Dalit Sahitya Academy
• Mikai Naadum Kalai (2003) (Essays on cinema) kalachuvadu
• Dalit journal
• Bodhi journal
• Manarkeni journal

English

• We, the Condemned (1999) (Against Death Penalty) PUCL, Pondicherry
• Ravikumar; Azhagarasan, R., eds. (2012). The Oxford India anthology of Tamil Dalit writing (1st ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-807938-5. ^[5]

References

1. Satyanarayana and Tharu (2011). No Alphabet in Sight: New Dalit Writing from South India. New Delhi: Penguin India. p. 258. ISBN   978-0-143-41426-1.
2. "Want the complete annihilation of caste: First-time MP D Ravikumar". 23 July 2019.
3. "Members : Lok Sabha".
4. S, Mohamed Imranullah (8 September 2021). "Villupuram MP Ravikumar tells HC he is a member of the DMK". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 28 November 2021.
5. Kolappan, B. (20 March 2012). "Tamil Dalit writing set to go English". The Hindu.

Further reading

• Satyanarayana, K & Tharu, Susie (2013) From those Stubs Steel Nibs are Sprouting: New Dalit Writing from South Asia, Dossier 2: Kannada and Telugu, New Delhi: HarperCollins India.