Raavi Sastry's works had immense influence on me, says CJI NV Ramana

Visakhapatnam: Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry was a great writer but his Telugu background stood as a block for him to secure global recognition, said Chief Justice of India N V Ramana here on Sunday.

Participating as a chief guest in thebirth centenary celebrationsof Rachakonda Viswanatha Sastry, popularly known as Raavi Sastry, organised by Visakha Rasagna Vedika here, the CJI shared that although there was not much of an interaction with Raavi Sastry during his younger years, his writings, however, had an immense influence on him.

Most of Raavi Sastry's writings bring out the struggles of common man and people belonging to the lower and middle class. "Raavi Sastry used to say that though he did not study law much, he did study society to a great extent," recalled the CJI, adding that like Raavi Sastry, his focus was also more on societal issues. During his lectures delivered in other States, the CJI said that he tried to explain the intricacies of Raavi Sastry's quotes. However, he mentioned that he could not go beyond a few lines because the writer's quotes had immense depth and were tough to decipher in detail.

The Chief Justice of India appealed to the litterateurs to translate Raavi Sastry's works into English and Hindi as it would reach out to more number of readers. Also, the CJI said he would bear all the expenses related to the translation work.

Those who want to know about the judicial system and the lapses existing in it must read 'Aaru Saara Kathalu' written by Raavi Sastry, the CJI said. "Raavi Sastry had provided legal aid to thousands of people without charging any fee. It reflects his love for common people and the urge to reach out to them in the best possible manner," recalled the CJI.

Along with taking the Telugu writings to the next level, the CJI said, Raavi Sastry also focused on maintaining the dialect in his works. "People should respect their native language and encourage the next generation to read, write and speak in Telugu," the CJI said, recommending making Raavi Sastry's quotes more prominent in Visakhapatnam.

"Visakhapatnam is the place where great writers belonged. Being in the city itself is bliss. Endowed with natural scenic beauty and good people, any one would look forward to settling in Vizag," the CJI observed, adding that even Raavi Sastry fell in love with the City of Destiny. Later, the CJI read out some of the quotes of Raavi Sastry on stage.