About Me

Since I have written in Tamil and English this site is designed as bilingual

Vanavil K. Ravi, is a practising Lawyer in Madras High Court, Tamilnadu, India. He has been writing poems from his early school days. Being a bilingual poet and well-grounded in Tamil and English literature, prosody and grammar, he has written hundreds of poems in Tamil and English. His poems are a happy blend of tradition and modernity.

He is an ardent admirer of the Great Revolutionary Tamil Poet, Subramanya Bharati and has published several significant, path-breaking essays and books on the works of Bharati, well received and appreciated by Tamil Scholars. His legal acumen and his post-graduation in philosophy have also contributed in opening up more vistas for his writing skill to ramble around. A list of his published works is given below.

His latest work in English ‘The Ballad of the Warrior-Girl KUYILI’ has received rave reviews from all who have read it. The link to the book: ravilit.com ‘Prahalad’, is another epic of his in English coming up for print.

His books ‘Namakku Tozhil Kavithai’ and ‘Minnar Chuvai’ were prescribed text books in Madurai Kamaraj, S.R.M., Kerala, and Kozhikode Universities. The link to the books: ravilit.com

Vanavil K Ravi is a spontaneous lyricist. He is also a composer and singer in both Tamil and English and has released several albums of his own songs. The latest Album, “The Bard of Love” contains 16 songs in English, written, composed and sung by him. The YouTube Link to the album is https://youtu.be/o¯_s0ezGefE.

His album “Deivaganamrudham” released in 1994 contains 10 devotional songs in Tamil, all rendered by the great playback singer of India, S.P.Balasubramaniam. The YouTube Link to the album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Si02gRFOs.

Even in his school days he was active in the field literature. He then founded a literary society, “Sinthanai Kottam”. In college days he edited and published a monthly magazine by and for students, titled, “ Manavarism” for about four years. He won the prestigious Miller Medal for passing M.A.Philosophy in first rank.

Later he founded a literary society named “Vanavil Cultural Centre” in the year 1994 and that was how he came to be called Vanavil K. Ravi. Since then, among other literary and cultural activities, the said Centre has been celebrating the birthday of Bharati in a grand manner as an art and literary festival for about a week in December, every year. The Highlight of this festival is the event called Jathi Palakku. 11th December being the birthday of the great poet Subramanya Bharati, a palanquin with his idol is carried in procession. Ministers and political bigwigs, cutting across the party lines, carry the palanquin on their shoulders in commemoration of Bharathi’s patriotic and poetic fervour. Great Luminaries like Dr. A. P.J. Abdul Kalam, Shri Venkayya Naidu, Dr. M. S. Subbulaksmi, Justice V.R .Krishna Iyer have graced this festival with their presence. In December, 2020, this was celebrated as a ten-day International Festival and it was inaugurated by Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. The valedictory address was delivered by Mrs. Nirmala Sitaraman, the Hon’ble Union Finance Minister.

A nonagenarian scholar, Shri B. S. Raghavan, I.A.S., (Retd.) came across Ravi’s poems and books and evinced interest in his works. Under Mr. Raghavan’s guidance and instructions, Professor Dr. K. A. Rajaram, the Director of Tamil Cultural Research Center, Palakad, coordinated with his friends in the academic circle, conducting about ninetyfive seminars so far, by several Universities and Colleges, on Vanavil K. Ravi’s literary, legal and philosophical works. The link to one such seminar https://youtu.be/R98DqQ6RTEQ

On 24th January, 2021 an International Conference on Ravi’s works was conducted and was attended by Vice Chancellors and Professors of Tamil and English not only from Tamilnadu, but also from other States and other Countries. In the concluding Session of that Conference a Resolution was unanimously passed appealing that Vanavil K.Ravi be awarded the highest prizes for Literature, including the Nobel. A copy of the Resolution is given below.

Ravi was born on 13.01.1953 at Chennai to Professor Viswam and Ganga Viswam, but was brought up by his aunt and uncle, Saraswathi aka Alankaram, and Kalyanaraman. Ravi’s wife Shobana Ravi was a popular Newscaster in Doordarshan, chennai. They have 2 daughters and 3 granddaughters.

He is active on the face book under the name Ravi Kalyanaraman posting several songs, poems and thought-provoking articles in the past 5 years.

He resides in Chennai with his wife. His Mobile Number is +91 98400 49060 and Mail ID is advkravi13@gmail.com