Raavi Sastry birth centenary celebrations to be held in Visakhapatnam on July 30, 31
The Hindu
Olga to be given ‘Raavi Sastry Sahitya Puraskaram-2022’
The birth centenary of noted writer and humanist Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry, popularly known as Raavi Sastry, will be organised by Visakha Rasagna Vedika here on July 30 and 31.
Raavi Sastry was a great story writer, playwright, novelist, critic and editor. He supported the poor and the downtrodden against oppression by the rich, the legal system and the police through his literary works. His first story ‘Demude Chesadu’ was published in the monthly magazine ‘Vinodini’ in September 1938. Many of his works were translated into various languages, including a few of them into Russian and Chinese, Rasagna Vedika president G. Raghurama Rao told a media conference, here, on Sunday.
Born at Thummapala village, in erstwhile Visakhapatnam district, on July 30, 1922, Raavi Sastry studied at Mrs AVN College and later did Philosophy (Honours) from Andhra University. He worked for four years, and between 1946 and 1948 he studied Law at Madras University. He started practice as an Advocate in Visakhapatnam in 1950. He fought on behalf of the poor not only through his writings but also through his profession.
A compilation of his stories: ‘Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry Kadhalu’ bagged the Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi Award in 1966. Andhra University had honoured him with the ‘Kalaprapoorna’ award in 1983. He died on November 10, 1993.
Dr. Raghurama Rao said that Visakha Rasagna Vedika, which has been organising literary, music and cultural events for a decade, has decided to conduct the centenary celebrations for two days in Visakhapatnam city by inviting Telugu writers, professors, legal luminaries and admirers of Raavi Sastry from both the Telugu States.
The two-day event would commence on July 30 morning with paying tributes at the statue of Raavi Sastry on Beach Road, followed by a meeting. The next morning, a literary meeting would be held on the works of Raavi Sastry, in which noted writers and litterateurs like: Ampasayya Naveen, Acharya Shikamani, Acharya Velamala Simmanna, Dr. K. Venu, Dr. V. Krishna Murthy, Olga and Rambhatla Nrusimha Sarma would participate. Noted litterateur D.V. Surya Rao would conduct the programme.
Noted writer Olga would be awarded the ‘Raavi Sastry Sahitya Puraskaram-2022’ in the centenary celebrations meeting to be held on July 31 evening.