Lavanam
Lavanam is an Indian social reformer and Gandhian. He has worked to remove untouchability in the Indian society.[1] He is an atheist[1] and co-founded the institution, Samskar, with his wife Hemalatha Lavanam.[2]
Life
He was born to atheist leader Gora and Saraswathi Gora in 1930.[3] He began social work at the age of 12 under the guidance of his father. He was the interpreter of Vinoba Bhave during his land reform movement in Andhra Pradesh and parts of Orissa. He married outside his caste to Hemlata Lavanam, daughter of noted poet Gurram Joshua, in 1960 at Sevagram.[4][5]
After a tidal wave hit Diviseema in 1977, Lavanam helped in the rehabilitation work.[6]
He and his wife worked to reform the Jogini system prevalent in Andhra Pradesh through their organisation, Samskar.[7][8] His wife Hemalata Lavanam, a well known atheist and social reformer, died on 19 March 2008 at the age of 75. She was suffering from ovarian cancer.[7]
Views and opinions
Lavanam supports the formation of the new state Telangana. According to him, there is little cultural and social ties between Telangana and Andhra.[1] He has written a petition to the Andhra Pradesh High Court for the inclusion of an atheist option in the Indian census.[9]
Awards
- 2009: Jamnalal Bajaj Award for resettling and providing employment opportunity to the members of Denotified Tribes.[10][11]
- 2011: Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Service Society, which is affiliated to the Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, for his contribution to world peace and service to humanity.[12]
- 2015 :International Humanist Award from Probe Resource Center for Journalist in hyderabad,for his contribution to promote human rights and social reforms.[13]
Books
- Gandhi as We Have Known Him, with Mark Lindley (National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi, 2005; 2nd edition, 2009)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 P. Sujatha Varma (20 January 2013). "Lavanam bats for Telangana". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ↑ "School, hospital for Samsara". The Hindu. 30 September 2007. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ↑ Lavanam; Mark Lindley (1995). "An Autobiographical Account of Lavanam". PositiveAtheism.org. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ↑ "A recognition of secular values". The Hindu. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ↑ Dr. G. Vijayam. "Atheist Movement in Andhra Pradesh" (PDF). Atheist Centre. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- ↑ "Tragedy strikes Diviseema again". The Hindu. 7 October 2003. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Hemalatha Lavanam passes away". The Hindu (Vijayawada). 20 March 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ↑ "Hemalatha Lavanam remembered". The Hindu. The Hindu. 20 March 2013.
- ↑ "Give us our rightful due: Atheists". The Hindu. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
- ↑ "Jamnalal Bajaj award for Lavanam". The Hindu. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ↑ "Dougherty honoured for promoting Gandhian values abroad". DNA India (Mumbai). 7 November 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ↑ "Intl Humanist Award for Lavanam". The Hans India (Hyderabad). 27 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
Externallinks
- 'Goddess, Let Them Go'
- 'Evolution of Voluntary Sector in Modern Andhra: Past and Present- Sundar Kompalli, Ph D (HCU)'