Ravikumar (writer)

D. Ravikumar
D. Ravikumar
	Photo for Lok Sabha in 2019
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 23 May 2019
Preceded by	S. Rajendran
Constituency	Viluppuram
General Secretary Of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; 2010
Preceded by	Thol. Thirumavalavan
Succeeded by	Thol. Thirumavalavan
Personal details
Born	10 June 1961; Manganam Pattu
Occupation	VCK General Seceratory

D. Ravikumar (born 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.[2] Ravikumar is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Viluppuram and member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.[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).

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.

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.

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 Garcia Marquez 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

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

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.
"Want the complete annihilation of caste: First-time MP D Ravikumar". 23 July 2019.
"Members : Lok Sabha".
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.
Kolappan, B. (20 March 2012). "Tamil Dalit writing set to go English". The Hindu.