Hemalatha Lavanam Biography 
Hemalatha Lavanam was a social worker, Gandhian and atheist from Andhra Pradesh. She was the daughter of Telugu poet Gurram Joshua and Mirayamma, who also worked against caste prejudices and social issues. She was married to Lavanam the son of noted social reformers and activists - Saraswathi Gora and Goparaju Ramachandra Rao, who founded and ran the Atheist Centre for many years. It was world’s first Atheist centre, which ran till the death of her mother-in-law in 2006. As a social worker and activist she campaigned against untouchability and the caste system, and other social issues, stood aside her husband Lavanam who also worked for the same goal. The couple founded the social organization Samskar. She received her doctorate in social work from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University in Hyderabad.
Hemalatha Lavanam was born on 26 February 1932 at Vinukonda in Madras Presidency of British India, now a part of Andhra Pradesh. She was born as the daughter of Telugu poet Gurram Joshua, often referred to as first Dalit poet of modern Telugu literature. Her father also remained a social activist, who expressed many of his ideas and thoughts through numerous works he authored. After her marriage into a family of social activists and atheists, she too got into the same field. Founded Samskar along with her husband, they worked for the upliftment and eradication of Joginis (devadasi) of backward villages of Nizamabad district. She helped to bring out many poverty-ridden women languishing in the centuries-old Jogini pratha, based on customs.
His sister-in-law Chennupati Vidya is a former MP from the Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency. Her brother-in-law brother Samaram is a physician, who authored several books on health awareness and sex education. She died of ovarian cancer in 2008 aged 76. She was cremated without any religious rites. Her autobiography was released in 2014. Her husband died in 2015.
Published: October 08, 2018
Updated: October 08, 2018
