About Ravi Valluri
The author is the CEO of Chattisgarh East Railway Ltd and Cattisgarh East West Railway Ltd. He retired from the Indian Railway Traffic Service and served last as the Principal Chief Commercial Manager , Southern Railway. The officer of Indian Railway Traffic Service has vast experience of working in several capacities and was conferred with the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Medal. He is also a faculty of Art of Living Foundation , counselling alcoholics and addicts and conducts Happiness Programme. He has written several fiction and non-fiction works and writes regularly for The Pioneer and The Daily Guardian Review.
LiFT: Tell us about the theme of the anthology and how did you get to know about it?
Ravi Valluri: The anthology Sita to Abhaya: Have Things Changed? reflects the ever-evolving status of women in Indian society.
The anthology undertakes a study of the theme through a bouquet of poems, pieces of fiction and thought-provoking articles, essays, and a research paper.
The broad sweep of the anthology explores the status of important popular mythological figures like Sita, symbol of loyalty, sacrifice and bearer of societal expectations, Draupadi, fiery, individualistic, and opinionated and Andal. Each of these characters, while being strong individuals in their own right, had to bear the weight of patriarchal judgement and moral scrutiny at various stages in their life. Several other lesser-known but equally strong women are also discussed. In the context of the contemporary society, the anthology explores the home-maker vs working woman stereotypes and the attendant appellations often associated with them. The anthology also explores the dichotomy of the status of women in our country, where on the one hand the Mother Goddess is deeply venerated in various parts of the country and yet women continue to be at the receiving end of patriarchal and abusive treatment both at a personal and societal level.
The book also highlights the fact that though not uniform nor complete, transformation and progress have taken place. Authors have suggested concrete steps to make a permanent and positive change in society. The section on women achievers highlights the battles against cultural barriers and systemic constraints that women achievers have had to overcome to secure their spot under the sun.
The fiction segment drives home the point that though women-achievers are often trailblazers in their fields, it need not necessarily be so in the conventional sense. It could be something as simple as a grandmother spreading happiness all around her, through every situation in life.
The struggles of modern symbols like Abhaya are explored, acknowledging that the recent case of Abhaya, represented once again the collective failure of society in guaranteeing women a safe and secure life.
In conclusion, the anthology drives home the fact that real transformation will require sustained and collective efforts to challenge outdated expectations and ingrained thought processes.
The immediate provocation to explore the theme of Sita to Abhaya: Have Things Changed was the gruesome rape and murder of a female doctor trainee at R.G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata (on August 9, 2024), now known as the Abhaya case. The anthology has been created by author Ravi Valluri and compiled and edited by Lakshmi Valluri. Forty-one authors have contributed to this bilingual (English and Hindi) anthology.
LiFT: What inspired you to write for this particular anthology?
Ravi Valluri: The gruesome incident at Dr RG Kar Hospital triggered the thought to configure this anthology.
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Ravi Valluri: 1) To keep reading and writing.
2) Work on scripts for web series and movies.
3) Conduct Art of Living Courses.
4) Travel around the country and the globe in search of plots for meaningful stories.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Ravi Valluri: 1) CEO of Chattisgarh East Railway Ltd and Chattisgarh East West Railway Ltd.
2) Faculty of Art of Living .
3) Counselling alcoholcs and addicts .
4) Enjoy travelling.
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.
Ravi Valluri: Will not give spolilers. But this is a novel on 10 characters in search of a Final Closure in life. It is a spiritual fiction.
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?
Ravi Valluri: No way out but to keep reading and writing. To take part in competitions. One should keep writing blogs , attend book fairs and writing workshops. Try to write for newspapers and magazines and also write letters to edirors.
Click here to order Ravi Valluri’s Book – Sita to Abhaya
10 thoughts on “In Conversation with Ravi Valluri”
Excellent, Mr Ravi ‘s books are really inspiring. I read his articles in the newspaper . He is very knowledgeable and articles are quite informative and interesting.
Wonderful Sir, You are an inspiration. Keep writing, keep inspiring.
Mr and Mrs Ravi & Lakshmi Valluri came up with the idea to collect a series of articles and poems about women and their status in society. 41 authors including myself contributed to this anthology that Lakshmiji kindly compiled. Read the interesting tales about both traditional and modern women in this fantastic collection. Thank you Ravi ji and Lakshmi ji and all authors.
Read the interview sir
You and your ideals have always been inspirational for us . Your writings , a combination of modern outlook and spiritualuty cater to the ever doubting intelligentsia as alo to the ones who conform to spirituality with conviction
Very unique and thought provoking Title.
Very nice and inspiring. 👏🏻👏🏻 Kudos to the author.
Empowering thoughts by prominent author ! Your to do list is a catalyst for the youth ..more power to you
Very nice Ravi ! It’s great work
You have nicely captured collective failure of society in guaranteeing women safety and this should be eye opener for all us to ensure a safe society for women.
This one on improving writing is iconic and true gem– “No way out but to keep reading and writing. To take part in competitions. One should keep writing blogs , attend book fairs and writing workshops. Try to write for newspapers and magazines and also write letters to editors.”
On the learning front I would say, I have struggled in writing and memorizing my whole school life.
I had opportunity to ask many of seniors who are good at it, they mentioned you have to practice and keep improving,seek feedback,have right mentor , there is no other way
Mr. and Mrs. Ravi & Lakshmi Valluri conceptualized a truly beautiful idea—to curate a collection of articles and poems that explore the lives and status of women in society. The result is a powerful anthology featuring contributions from 41 authors, including myself.
It was a privilege to be part of this enriching project. The collection presents a diverse and compelling range of perspectives, celebrating both traditional and modern women.
A heartfelt thank you to Ravi ji, Lakshmi ji, and all the contributing authors for bringing this inspiring work to life.
Mr. and Mrs. Ravi & Lakshmi Valluri conceptualized a truly beautiful idea—to curate a collection of articles and poems that explore the lives and status of women in society. The result is a powerful anthology featuring contributions from 41 authors, including myself.
It was a privilege to be part of this enriching project. The collection presents a diverse and compelling range of perspectives, celebrating both traditional and modern women.
A heartfelt thank you to Ravi ji, Lakshmi ji, and all the contributing authors for bringing this inspiring work to life.