Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry
Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry (Telugu: రాచకొండ విశ్వనాధశాస్త్రి) | |
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Born |
Ravi Sastri 17 August 1922 Srikakulam, Srikakulam district Andhra Pradesh, India |
Died | 10 November 1993 71) | (aged
Residence | Tummapala village, Anakapalli |
Occupation | Lawyer, writer |
Years active | 1952–1975 |
Height | 5'9" |
Awards | "Kalaprapoorna", voluntarily declined by the author |
Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry (Ravi Sastri) (Telugu: రావిశాస్త్రి) (1922–1993) was a Telugu writer who published several novels and more than 60 short stories in six volumes. Often praised for his unique style, Ravi Sastry supported marginalized communities.[1] Professionally, he was a lawyer.[2]
Education
Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry graduated with honours to obtain his B.A. from Andhra University, Visakhapatnam. In 1946, he completed his B.L. degree at Madras University. Having gained professional expertise in law by working with his father, he started his own law practice in 1950. He began his career as a dedicated congressional leader. In his later years (1960) he was influenced by Marxist theory.
As a writer
In 1947, he observed the lifestyle of the inhabitants of Srikakulam district and Vizianagaram district, as well as major changes in urban lifestyles. The perceived inhumanity in these new ways of life caused much distress, and Sastry was the first, after Gurajada Apparao and Sripadala, to employ dialects in writing about the effect of these changes.[3]
First novel
Written in 1952, the novel Alpajeevi (Telugu: అల్పజీవి)[4] was an experimental foray into the world of Telugu literature. It was very well received and went on to become one of the most successful Telugu novels. Raavi Sastry was among the first authors in the region to write novels with syntactic similarity to the novels of James Joyce. Alpajeevi was the first novel with stylistic similarities to Chaitanya Sravanthi (Telugu: చైతన్య స్రవంతి).
Career
After the novel Alpajeevi, he wrote two unfinished novels, Raju MahiShi (Telugu: రాజు మహిషీ) and Rattalu Rambabu (Telugu: రత్తాలు-రాంబాబు). Near the end of his career, he wrote the novel illu (Telugu: ఇల్లు). Alpajeevi is considered his best work among the several novels that he wrote during his career.
Stories
He wrote six stories (Telugu: ఆరుసారా కథలు) which analyze the effects of the Liquor Act in Andhra Pradesh and also about the misuse of this Act. These stories are now famous in Telugu literature.
List of his novels
- Kathasagaram (Telugu: కథాసాగరం) (1955)
- Aru sara kadhalu (Telugu: ఆరుసారా కథలు) (1961)
- Rachakonda kathalu (Telugu: రాచకొండ కథలు) (1966)[5]
- Aru sorrow kathalu (Telugu: ఆరుసారో కథలు) (1967)
- Raju mahishi (Telugu: రాజు మహిషి) (1968)
- Kalakanthi (Telugu: కలకంఠి) (1969)
- Banisa kathalu (Telugu: బానిస కథలు) (1972)
- Rukkulu (Telugu: ఋక్కులు) (1973)
- Rattalu – rambabu (Telugu: రత్తాలు- రాంబాబు) (1975)
- Sommulu Ponayandi (Telugu: సొమ్ములు పోనాయండి)
- Govulostunnayi Jagratta (Telugu: గోవులోస్తున్నాయి జాగ్రత్త)
- Bangaram (Telugu: బంగారం)
- Illu (Telugu: ఇల్లు)
Dramas, Playlets
- Nijam – Natakam (Telugu: నిజం నాటకం)
- Tirasktruthi – Natika (Telugu: తిరస్కృతి నాటిక)
- Vishadam – Natika (Telugu: విషాదం నాటిక)
Honors
In 1983, he was honored with the “Kalaprapoorna” award by Andhra University. He refused this award.
Acting
He was not only a writer, but an actor. He played the role of an artist in the playlets "Nijam" and "Kanyasulkam". "Nijam" had over 100 performances. Ravi Sastry said, "Every writer should think that my writings are neither harmful to the good nor helpful to the bad.".
Death
Ravi Sastri died on 10 November 1993.
References
External links
Drawing of Raavi: https://googledrive.com/host/0B9A1ibSifyXycUhXQ3ZNYXVGdU0/Rachakonda%20Viswanatha%20Sastry_Raavi%20Sastri_Raavi%20Sastry%20drawing.jpg
Commemorative Statue: https://googledrive.com/host/0B9A1ibSifyXycUhXQ3ZNYXVGdU0/Rachakonda%20Viswanatha%20Sastry_Raavi%20Sastri_Raavi%20Sastry%20statue.jpg
Unveiling of statue: https://googledrive.com/host/0B9A1ibSifyXycUhXQ3ZNYXVGdU0/Rachakonda%20Viswanatha%20Sastry_Raavi%20Sastri_Raavi%20Sastry.jpg