In Memory of My Senior, DK Ravi

(22-year-old Neetha Raj M is a final year BSC Agri student from GKVK, Bangalore. DK Ravi was an alumni of the same university.)

“Hey, come on why are you studying so much, you bookworm? Enjoy life, have fun” –  these were the words thrown at my friend Pradayini when day and night made no difference to her for her IAS preparation. A voice in her heart always said “I want to become a dynamic IAS officer and shatter the walls of corruption and change this bloody system”. But now this energetic soul has lost everything. She is depressed and has not eaten or slept for the last few days. This is not the story of just one girl; injustice to Ravi anna has shattered dreams of many such souls all over India.

She says “This is India, no one can change it, this is the fate of honest officers in the land of Rama. They get slapped by uneducated, political leaders. Not just Ravi anna, but many officers in the country face the same fate”. But still thousands of people have joined the protest to get justice for an IAS officer who was brave and honest. This proves his popularity and art of living.

Untouchability is a curse for so many in our country…Ravi anna was not just a civil servant, but a social reformer. He took leaps and bounds to cast off the caste system for which he reached the houses of the scheduled caste and tribes. He ate with them, spent time with them. People could not even dream of such a down-to-earth officer. With his loving interaction he not just entered their huts, but also their hearts.

The feet of the poor were worn out by going around to government offices but Ravi anna brought the government offices itself to the doorstep of poor men. For the poor, desperate souls of Kolar, Ravi anna turned out to be a surprise gift.

“I have a brand called non-corrupt officer which I never want to give up and live it till my last breath”. These were the words uttered by him when, at lunch together recently, his friends Rohit and Madhu teased him

“When will you start making money like others?”

Becoming an IAS officer is the dream of a number of poor and middle class students but this dream stays just a dream because IAS coaching is not something everyone can get. But Ravi anna made it possible, keeping aside all his weekend fun and joining them, giving UPSC coaching classes. None of us felt that he was a Deputy Commissioner but he remained sweet Ravi anna always. He would eat with people, laugh with people, and dance with people without any barrier of his status.

His major challenge was to curb corruption and control the sand mafia. He fought to get back  government-encroached land and water tanks. He completed the works which had been pending for the past thirty years within just one year.

He was a son of Kunigal, he became the son of Kolar just in a year because of his love for the people. These people wanted him to be cremated in the womb of Kolar. On the other hand, the people of Kunigal wanted it to be done in his birth place. So, he was laid on the land of Kunigal and he was covered with the soil brought from Kolar.

He had only last week spoken to one of his closest friends and said that he wanted to go Harvard or Oxford for further studies. We can never believe he committed suicide.

We were proud of him as our senior, our University is proud of him as a brilliant student, his family is proud of him as a good son and husband, Kolar is proud of him as an eminent Deputy Commissioner, mother India is proud of him but the only one who is not is the government for which he lost his life.

Yes, not an end, the death of one Ravi will give birth to thousands of Ravis and for all those Ravi anna will be the model as always since his college days inspiring everyone around. Ravi anna’s presence will be with us for ever and ever…