Fighting for Independence as a Boy and Uplifting Tribals as a Man! – G. Lavanam
In the year 2009, the late MrLavanam was honoured with the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in the category of ‘Constructive Work’.
Jamnalal Bajaj Awards
The Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation established in 1977, instituted four Awards, to globally propagate the ideals of Jamnalal Bajaj. The annual awards are the Foundation’s gratifying felicitation to those women and men involved at the grassroots level, who are committed to inclusive development, working in line with Mahatma Gandhi’s constructive work program and who have taken a vow to selflessly serve the people, their community and nation, at large. Jamnalal Bajaj Awards are categorized into three National and one International Award.
The late Mr. Lavanam was honoured with the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in the category of ‘Constructive Work’.
Mr.Lavanam was a dynamic social activist, interested in social work since he was 12. His earliest work was as a young volunteer in the Independence movement, when he acted as a courier, clandestinely passing messages to leaders.
The son of Mrs. Gora, who was an atheist and received Gandhiji’s recognition and respect, he was born to Brahmin parentage but married Hemalata, a Dalit girl, at a time when untouchability was highly prevalent.
He did not seek a bread-winning job and accepted voluntary poverty along with his parents.
Hemlata was also actively involved in the welfare of women and has established and managed schools for underprivileged girls.
MrLavanam extended the legacy of Vinobaji and began his work with tribes termed “criminal” in Andhra Pradesh.
The Yerukala tribe was declared as a ‘criminal tribe’ by the British Government.
They indulged in crimes ranging from petty pilfering to large-scale stealing and robbery. The residents of the area were under constant threat. Lavanam decided to approach the tribe and tried to change the status quo.
The reforms and rehabilitation were carried out in five stages
In the first stage, Mr.Lavanam and his team took the tribals in confidence and began counselling. They were a total of about 350 families. This was a period of suspicion and stiff resistance.
The second stage was a period of gaining the confidence of the criminal tribals and organising linkages with concerned government departments.
Through persuasion of Mr.Lavanam and his team, the tribes slowly surrendered to legal authorities.
He was also able to bring about an attitudinal change among them. At the same time, he made the Government take a positive approach.
In the third stage, the process of rehabilitation by the Government began through his efforts. It was at this stage that Mr.Lavanam registered an organisation named as “Samskar”.
The fourth stage dealt with the backlash while also working for women empowerment and children’s rights through developmental intervention. This was the period when an international agency HANU entered the scene. It was also a period of providing alternate sources of livelihood.
In the fifth stage, which is ongoing, the focus is on using education as a tool of social integration and working towards strengthening women empowerment.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh, after knowing their success in criminal tribe reforms, invited Mr.Lavanam, his wife and Samskar to deal with this problem. An initial survey conducted by Samskar estimated the number of Joginis in Nizamabad district at around 2200 and in Medak district at around 400.
MrLavanam and his team shouldered the responsibility of reforming and bringing Joginis into the mainstream in both the districts.
It was such a deep-rooted practice that it seemed to be an impossible task to be accomplished. But with the help and support from the Government, international donor agencies and local civil society, they succeeded in totally eradicating the Jogini tradition by the year 2000.
What is still more credible is that Mr.Lavanam and his team were able to get the reformed Jogini women and girls married and leading normal lives.
For example, in parts of Telangana, people believed that an evil spirit by the name Banamati often invaded homes, possessed individuals and caused havoc in their family life. It was a herculean task for Mr.Lavanam and his associates to convince the people that there were no evil spirits and what they experienced was only a paranoia.
The late Mr. Lavanam was honoured with the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in the category of ‘Constructive Work’.
Mr.Lavanam was a dynamic social activist, interested in social work since he was 12. His earliest work was as a young volunteer in the Independence movement, when he acted as a courier, clandestinely passing messages to leaders.
The son of Mrs. Gora, who was an atheist and received Gandhiji’s recognition and respect, he was born to Brahmin parentage but married Hemalata, a Dalit girl, at a time when untouchability was highly prevalent.
He did not seek a bread-winning job and accepted voluntary poverty along with his parents.
Hemlata was also actively involved in the welfare of women and has established and managed schools for underprivileged girls.
MrLavanam extended the legacy of Vinobaji and began his work with tribes termed “criminal” in Andhra Pradesh.
The Yerukala tribe was declared as a ‘criminal tribe’ by the British Government.
They indulged in crimes ranging from petty pilfering to large-scale stealing and robbery. The residents of the area were under constant threat. Lavanam decided to approach the tribe and tried to change the status quo.
The reforms and rehabilitation were carried out in five stages
In the first stage, Mr.Lavanam and his team took the tribals in confidence and began counselling. They were a total of about 350 families. This was a period of suspicion and stiff resistance.
The second stage was a period of gaining the confidence of the criminal tribals and organising linkages with concerned government departments.
Through persuasion of Mr.Lavanam and his team, the tribes slowly surrendered to legal authorities.
He was also able to bring about an attitudinal change among them. At the same time, he made the Government take a positive approach.
In the third stage, the process of rehabilitation by the Government began through his efforts. It was at this stage that Mr.Lavanam registered an organisation named as “Samskar”.
The fourth stage dealt with the backlash while also working for women empowerment and children’s rights through developmental intervention. This was the period when an international agency HANU entered the scene. It was also a period of providing alternate sources of livelihood.
In the fifth stage, which is ongoing, the focus is on using education as a tool of social integration and working towards strengthening women empowerment.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh, after knowing their success in criminal tribe reforms, invited Mr.Lavanam, his wife and Samskar to deal with this problem. An initial survey conducted by Samskar estimated the number of Joginis in Nizamabad district at around 2200 and in Medak district at around 400.
MrLavanam and his team shouldered the responsibility of reforming and bringing Joginis into the mainstream in both the districts.
It was such a deep-rooted practice that it seemed to be an impossible task to be accomplished. But with the help and support from the Government, international donor agencies and local civil society, they succeeded in totally eradicating the Jogini tradition by the year 2000.
What is still more credible is that Mr.Lavanam and his team were able to get the reformed Jogini women and girls married and leading normal lives.
For example, in parts of Telangana, people believed that an evil spirit by the name Banamati often invaded homes, possessed individuals and caused havoc in their family life. It was a herculean task for Mr.Lavanam and his associates to convince the people that there were no evil spirits and what they experienced was only a paranoia.
