Lavanam Explained

Lavanam
Birth Name:	Goparaju Ramachandra Lavanam
Birth Place:	India
Death Place:	Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India
Other Names:	G. Lavanam, Gora Lavanam
Occupation:	Social reformer
Known For:	Founder of atheist centre, Samskar
Parents:	Goparaju Ramachandra Rao (father) Saraswathi Gora (mother)
Spouse:	Hemalatha Lavanam (1960–2008; her death)
Relatives:	G. Samaram (brother) Chennupati Vidya (sister) Gurram Joshua (father-in-law)

Goparaju Ramachandra Lavanam (10 October 1930 – 14 August 2015), known popularly as G. Lavanam or Lavanam, was an Indian social reformer and Gandhian. He worked to remove untouchability in Indian society.^[1] He was an atheist^[1] and co-founded the Samskar institution with his wife Hemalatha Lavanam.^[2] Chennupati Vidya and G. Samaram are his siblings.

Life

He was born to atheist leader Goparaju Ramachandra Rao "Gora" and Saraswathi Gora on 10 October 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 Hemalatha Lavanam, daughter of noted poet Gurram Joshua, in 1960 at Sevagram.^{[4] [5]}

After the 1977 Andhra Pradesh cyclone hit Diviseema, 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] His wife, a well known atheist and social reformer, died on 19 March 2008 at the age of 75. She was suffering from ovarian cancer.^[8] Lavanam died on 14 August 2015, due to multiple organ failure at a hospital in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.^[3]

Views and opinions

Lavanam supported the formation of the new state Telangana. According to him, there were few cultural and social ties between Telangana and Andhra.^[1] He wrote a petition to the Andhra Pradesh High Court for the inclusion of an atheist option in the Indian census.^[9]

Awards

• 1991: Atheist of the Decade Award from Atheists United in Los Angeles for promoting international atheism 1980 to 1990.^[10]
• 2009: Jamnalal Bajaj Award for resettling and providing employment opportunities to the members of Denotified Tribes.^{[11] [12]}
• 2011: Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Service Society, which is affiliated with the Vaishnava Center for Enlightenment, for his contribution to world peace and service to humanity.^[13]
• 2015: International Humanist Award from Probe Resource Center for Journalist in Hyderabad, for his contribution to promote human rights and social reforms.^[14]

Books

• Gandhi as We Have Known Him, with Mark Lindley (National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi, 2005; 2nd edition, 2009)

External links

• Web site: An Autobiographical Account of Lavanam . PositiveAtheism.org . 1995 . Lavanam . Mark Lindley . Mark Lindley . 30 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20000901000056/http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/lavbio.htm . 1 September 2000 . dead .
• 'Goddess, Let Them Go'
• 'Evolution of Voluntary Sector in Modern Andhra: Past and Present- Sundar Kompalli, Ph D (HCU)'

Notes and References

1. News: P. Sujatha Varma . Lavanam bats for Telangana . The Hindu. 20 January 2013. 7 November 2013.
2. News: School, hospital for Samsara. https://web.archive.org/web/20071230143252/http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/30/stories/2007093050480200.htm. dead. 30 December 2007. 8 November 2013. The Hindu. 30 September 2007.
3. News: Reddy. Ravi. Noted atheist G. Lavanam dead. 14 August 2015. The Hindu. 14 August 2015.
4. News: A recognition of secular values. https://web.archive.org/web/20091010025011/http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/06/stories/2009100657910200.htm. dead. 10 October 2009. 7 November 2013. The Hindu. 6 October 2009.
5. Web site: Atheist Movement in Andhra Pradesh. Atheist Centre. 14 August 2013. Dr. G. Vijayam.
6. News: Tragedy strikes Diviseema again. https://web.archive.org/web/20031106204951/http://www.hindu.com/2003/10/08/stories/2003100808330400.htm. dead. 6 November 2003. 8 November 2013. The Hindu. 7 October 2003.
7. Web site: Hemalatha Lavanam remembered . The Hindu. The Hindu . 20 March 2013 .
8. News: Hemalatha Lavanam passes away. https://web.archive.org/web/20080324000101/http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032057350400.htm. dead. 24 March 2008. The Hindu. 20 March 2008. 7 November 2013. Vijayawada.
9. News: Give us our rightful due: Atheists. 4 April 2014. The Hindu. 17 November 2011.
10. Web site: An Autobiographical Account of Lavanam . PositiveAtheism.org . 1995 . Lavanam . Mark Lindley . Mark Lindley . 30 August 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20000901000056/http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/lavbio.htm . 1 September 2000 . dead .
11. News: Jamnalal Bajaj award for Lavanam. https://web.archive.org/web/20091010001058/http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/06/stories/2009100656440400.htm. dead. 10 October 2009. 7 November 2013. The Hindu. 6 October 2009.
12. News: Dougherty honoured for promoting Gandhian values abroad. 7 November 2013. DNA India. 7 November 2009. Mumbai.
13. News: Lavanam feted for his humanist services. https://web.archive.org/web/20110809095455/http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/05/stories/2011060561970200.htm. dead. 9 August 2011. 8 November 2013. The Hindu. 5 June 2011.
14. News: Intl Humanist Award for Lavanam. 27 March 2015. The Hans India. 27 March 2015. Hyderabad.