>MB at 16:46, 15 May 2021

2021-05-15T16:46:21Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian politician (1930–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lavanam
| image = Lavanam Gora.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Goparaju Ramachandra Lavanam
| birth_date = {{birth-date|10 October 1930}}
| birth_place = India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|08|14|1930|10|10|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh]], India
| other_names = G. Lavanam, Gora Lavanam
| occupation = Social reformer
| years_active =
| known_for = Founder of atheist centre, Samskar
| notable_works =
| parents = [[Goparaju Ramachandra Rao]] (father)<br/>[[Saraswathi Gora]] (mother)
| spouse = [[Hemalatha Lavanam]]<br/>(1960–2008; her death)
| relatives = G. Samaram (brother)<br/>[[Chennupati Vidya]] (sister)<br/>[[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.<ref name=telangana>{{cite news|author=P. Sujatha Varma |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/lavanam-bats-for-telangana/article4325549.ece |title=Lavanam bats for Telangana |newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=20 January 2013|access-date=7 November 2013}}</ref> He was an [[atheist]]<ref name=telangana/> and co-founded the Samskar institution with his wife [[Hemalatha Lavanam]].<ref name=samsara>{{cite news|title=School, hospital for Samsara|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/30/stories/2007093050480200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230143252/http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/30/stories/2007093050480200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 December 2007|access-date=8 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=30 September 2007}}</ref>

==Life==
He was born to atheist leader [[Goparaju Ramachandra Rao]] "Gora" and [[Saraswathi Gora]] on 10 October 1930.<ref name=obituary>{{cite news|last1=Reddy|first1=Ravi|title=Noted atheist G. Lavanam dead|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/noted-atheist-g-lavanam-dead/article7539430.ece|access-date=14 August 2015|work=The Hindu|date=14 August 2015}}</ref> 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, India|Orissa]]. He married outside his caste to Hemlata Lavanam, daughter of noted poet [[Gurram Joshua]], in 1960 at [[Sevagram]].<ref name="secular values">{{cite news|title=A recognition of secular values|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/06/stories/2009100657910200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010025011/http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/06/stories/2009100657910200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 October 2009|access-date=7 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=6 October 2009}}</ref><ref name=AtheistMovement>{{cite web|title=Atheist Movement in Andhra Pradesh|url=http://www.atheistcentre.in/pdfs/AtheistMovementInAndhraPradeshIndia.pdf|publisher=[[Atheist Centre]]|access-date=14 August 2013|author=Dr. G. Vijayam}}</ref>

After the [[1977 Andhra Pradesh cyclone]] hit [[Diviseema]], Lavanam helped in the rehabilitation work.<ref name=diviseema>{{cite news|title=Tragedy strikes Diviseema again|url=http://www.hindu.com/2003/10/08/stories/2003100808330400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031106204951/http://www.hindu.com/2003/10/08/stories/2003100808330400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 November 2003|access-date=8 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=7 October 2003}}</ref>

He and his wife worked to reform the [[Jogini system]] prevalent in Andhra Pradesh through their organisation, Samskar.<ref name=wifedeath/><ref name=hemlatha>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/article3016486.ece|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|title=Hemalatha Lavanam remembered |publisher=The Hindu |date=20 March 2013 |access-date=}}</ref> 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]].<ref name=wifedeath>{{cite news|title=Hemalatha Lavanam passes away|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032057350400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324000101/http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032057350400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 March 2008|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=20 March 2008|access-date=7 November 2013|location=[[Vijayawada]]}}</ref> Lavanam died on 14 August 2015, due to [[Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome|multiple organ failure]] at a hospital in [[Vijayawada]], [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name=obituary/>

==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.<ref name=telangana/> He wrote a petition to the [[Andhra Pradesh High Court]] for the inclusion of an atheist option in the [[Census of India|Indian census]].<ref name=census>{{cite news|title=Give us our rightful due: Atheists|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/give-us-our-rightful-due-atheists/article2634253.ece|access-date=4 April 2014|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=17 November 2011}}</ref>

==Awards==
* 1991: Atheist of the Decade Award from Atheists United in Los Angeles for promoting international atheism 1980 to 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/lavbio.htm |title=An Autobiographical Account of Lavanam |publisher=PositiveAtheism.org |date=1995 |author=Lavanam |author2=Mark Lindley |author2-link=Mark Lindley |access-date=30 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000901000056/http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/lavbio.htm |archive-date=1 September 2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* 2009: [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]] for resettling and providing employment opportunities to the members of [[Denotified Tribes]].<ref name=2009award>{{cite news|title=Jamnalal Bajaj award for Lavanam|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/06/stories/2009100656440400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010001058/http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/06/stories/2009100656440400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 October 2009|access-date=7 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=6 October 2009}}</ref><ref name=dougherty>{{cite news|title=Dougherty honoured for promoting Gandhian values abroad|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-dougherty-honoured-for-promoting-gandhian-values-abroad-1308361|access-date=7 November 2013|newspaper=[[DNA India]]|date=7 November 2009|location=Mumbai}}</ref>
* 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.<ref name=vaishnava>{{cite news|title=Lavanam feted for his humanist services|url=http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/05/stories/2011060561970200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809095455/http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/05/stories/2011060561970200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 August 2011|access-date=8 November 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=5 June 2011}}</ref>
*2015: International Humanist Award from Probe Resource Center for Journalist in Hyderabad, for his contribution to promote human rights and social reforms.<ref>{{cite news|title=Intl Humanist Award for Lavanam|url= http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-03-27/Intl-Humanist-Award-for-Lavanam-140312
|access-date=27 March 2015|newspaper= [[The Hans India]]|date= 27 March 2015|location=Hyderabad}}</ref>

==Books==
* ''Gandhi as We Have Known Him'', with [[Mark Lindley]] (National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi, 2005; 2nd edition, 2009)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/lavbio.htm |title=An Autobiographical Account of Lavanam |publisher=PositiveAtheism.org |date=1995 |author=Lavanam |author2=Mark Lindley |author2-link=Mark Lindley |access-date=30 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000901000056/http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/lavbio.htm |archive-date=1 September 2000 |url-status=dead }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150427110939/http://www.outlookindia.com/printarticle.aspx?230095 'Goddess, Let Them Go']
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924111622/http://www.sundarayya.org/sites/default/files/papers/NGO_Sector_Sundarayya_Conference_2013_SUNDAR.pdf 'Evolution of Voluntary Sector in Modern Andhra: Past and Present- Sundar Kompalli, Ph D (HCU)']

{{Jamnalal Bajaj Award winners}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dalit activists]]
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian atheists]]
[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:Activists from Andhra Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian social reformers]]
[[Category:People from Vijayawada]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian educational theorists]]
[[Category:Scholars from Andhra Pradesh]]

Lavanam - Revision history

>MB at 16:46, 15 May 2021