Ravikumar (writer) explained

D. Ravikumar
Office:	Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Constituency:	Viluppuram
Term Start:	23 May 2019
Predecessor:	S. Rajendran
Office2:	General Secretary Of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
Term Start2:	2010
Chairman2:	Thol. Thirumavalavan
Predecessor2:	Thol. Thirumavalavan
Successor2:	Thol. Thirumavalavan
Office3:	Member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
Constituency3:	Kattumannarkoil, Cuddalore district
Term Start3:	2006
Term End3:	2011
Predecessor3:	P. Vallalperuman
Successor3:	N. Murugumaran
Birth Date:	10 June 1961
Birth Place:	Manganam Pattu
Occupation:	VCK General Secretary
Party:	VCK
Nationality:	Indian

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 and Buddhist.^[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

• Book: Ravikumar . D. . Venomous touch : notes on caste, culture, and politics . 2009 . Stree-Samya Publications . R. Azhagarasan . English. 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
• Book: Ravikumar . Azhagarasan . R. . The Oxford India anthology of Tamil Dalit writing . 2012 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-807938-5 . 1st . English.

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.

Notes and References

1. Book: Satyanarayana and Tharu. No Alphabet in Sight: New Dalit Writing from South India. 2011. Penguin India. New Delhi. 978-0-143-41426-1. 258.
2. Web site: Want the complete annihilation of caste: First-time MP D Ravikumar. 23 July 2019.
3. Web site: Members : Lok Sabha.
4. News: S. Mohamed Imranullah. 2021-09-08. Villupuram MP Ravikumar tells HC he is a member of the DMK. en-IN. The Hindu. 2021-11-28. 0971-751X.
5. News: Kolappan. B.. Tamil Dalit writing set to go English. The Hindu. 20 March 2012.