Lavanam | |
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 Lavanam andSteve Allen in Los Angeles | |
| Born | Goparaju Ramachandra Lavanam 10 October 1930 (1930-10-10) India |
| Died | 14 August 2015(2015-08-14) (aged 84) Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Other names | G. Lavanam, Gora Lavanam |
| Occupation | Social reformer |
| Known for | Founder of atheist centre, Samskar |
| Spouse(s) | Hemalatha Lavanam (1960–2008; her death) |
| Parent(s) | Goparaju Ramachandra Rao (father) Saraswathi Gora (mother) |
| Relatives | G. Samaram (brother) Chennupati Vidya (sister) Gurram Joshua (father-in-law) |
Goparaju Ramachandra Lavanam (10 October 1930 – 14 August 2015), known popularly asG. Lavanam orLavanam, was an Indiansocial reformer andGandhian. He worked to removeuntouchability in Indian society.[1] He was anatheist[1] and co-founded the Samskar institution with his wifeHemalatha Lavanam.[2]Chennupati Vidya and G. Samaram are his siblings.
He was born to atheist leaderGoparaju Ramachandra Rao "Gora" andSaraswathi 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 ofVinoba Bhave during his land reform movement inAndhra Pradesh and parts ofOrissa. He married outside his caste toHemalatha Lavanam, daughter of noted poetGurram Joshua, in 1960 atSevagram.[4][5]
After the1977 Andhra Pradesh cyclone hitDiviseema, Lavanam helped in the rehabilitation work.[6]
He and his wife worked to reform theJogini system prevalent in Andhra Pradesh through their organisation, Samskar.[7][8] His wife, a well known atheist and social reformer, died on 19 March 2008 at the age of 75. She was suffering fromovarian cancer.[7] Lavanam died on 14 August 2015, due tomultiple organ failure at a hospital inVijayawada,Andhra Pradesh.[3]
Lavanam supported the formation of the new stateTelangana. According to him, there were few cultural and social ties between Telangana and Andhra.[1] He wrote a petition to theAndhra Pradesh High Court for the inclusion of an atheist option in theIndian census.[9]
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