Vayalar Ravi
Encyclopedia
Vayalar Ravi is a prominent Indian politician, currently the Union Cabinet Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs
and Minister of Civil Aviation. He is a member of the Rajya Sabha
.
, Cherthala
, Alappuzha District
, Kerala
. An Ezhava
, he was the Founder President of the Kerala Students Union
(KSU), the students' wing of Indian National Congress
in Kerala. Ravi was elected to the 5th Lok Sabha
in 1971 from Chirayinkil in Thiruvanathapuram district; he was re-elected to the 6th Lok Sabha
in 1977, serving until 1979. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly
in 1982, and he served as Home Minister of Kerala from 1982 to 1986 before resigning from that position due to a disagreement with Chief Minister K. Karunakaran. He was re-elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1987, serving until 1991. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in July 1994 and again in April 2003. He became Union Cabinet Minister for Overseas Affairs on January 30, 2006.
After the Congress reelection in 2009, Ravi was re-inducted to the Cabinet for the second UPA government and retained the portfolio of Overseas Indian Affairs. He was given the additional responsibility of Ministry of Civil Aviation on January 19, 2011.
and they married her after a brief courtship. Mercy Ravi died on September 5, 2009 following a kidney failure.
In February 2010, Vayalar Ravi along with Indian Ambassador Shamma Jain
were injured in a car accident in Monrovia
, Liberia
, while on an official visit to African countries.
Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is part of the government of India. The ministry, as of May 2008, is headed by Vayalar Ravi.Its website states:...
and Minister of Civil Aviation. He is a member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
.
Political Life
Ravi was born in VayalarVayalar
This article is about a place. For the poet, go to Vayalar RamavarmaVayalar is a village in Cherthala taluk, Alapuzha district, Kerala state, India.- Overview :...
, Cherthala
Cherthala
Cherthala is a town located in the district of Alappuzha, in the state of Kerala, India. It is located 30 km south of the city of Kochi and 22 km north of Alappuzha town, on the Kochi-Alappuzha streatch of both the National Highway 47 as well as the costal Rail-route.lt is 85 km from the...
, Alappuzha District
Alappuzha district
Alappuzha is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala in India. It was formed as Alleppey District on August 17, 1957. The name of the district was officially changed to Alappuzha in 1990. The district is a widely known tourist destination, and is well known for its coir factories. Most of...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. An Ezhava
Ezhava
The Ezhavas are a community with origins in the region presently known as Kerala. They are also known as Ilhava, Irava, Izhava and Erava in the south of the region; as Chovas, Chokons and Chogons in Central Travancore; and as Tiyyas, Thiyas and Theeyas in Malabar...
, he was the Founder President of the Kerala Students Union
Kerala Students Union
Kerala Students Union is the Kerala branch of the National Students Union of India, the student wing of the Indian National Congress. KSU was founded on May 30, 1957 in Alappuzha.-About KSU:...
(KSU), the students' wing of Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
in Kerala. Ravi was elected to the 5th Lok Sabha
5th Lok Sabha
List of Members of the 5th Lok Sabha, elected February-March 1971. The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India.- Important members :* Speaker:...
in 1971 from Chirayinkil in Thiruvanathapuram district; he was re-elected to the 6th Lok Sabha
6th Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha is the lower house in the Parliament of India. The 6th Lok Sabha, which ran from 23 March 1977 - 22 August 1979 was elected in February and March 1977.-Important members:* Speaker:...
in 1977, serving until 1979. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Kerala Legislative Assembly
The Kerala Legislative Assembly more popularly known as Niyamasabha , is the law making body of Kerala, one of the 28 States in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives and one nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community...
in 1982, and he served as Home Minister of Kerala from 1982 to 1986 before resigning from that position due to a disagreement with Chief Minister K. Karunakaran. He was re-elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1987, serving until 1991. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in July 1994 and again in April 2003. He became Union Cabinet Minister for Overseas Affairs on January 30, 2006.
After the Congress reelection in 2009, Ravi was re-inducted to the Cabinet for the second UPA government and retained the portfolio of Overseas Indian Affairs. He was given the additional responsibility of Ministry of Civil Aviation on January 19, 2011.
Personal life
Ravi met his wife Mercy, while they were both active in the Kerala Students UnionKerala Students Union
Kerala Students Union is the Kerala branch of the National Students Union of India, the student wing of the Indian National Congress. KSU was founded on May 30, 1957 in Alappuzha.-About KSU:...
and they married her after a brief courtship. Mercy Ravi died on September 5, 2009 following a kidney failure.
In February 2010, Vayalar Ravi along with Indian Ambassador Shamma Jain
Shamma Jain
Shamma Jain is the current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of India to the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire with concurrent accreditation to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea.- Early life and education :...
were injured in a car accident in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, while on an official visit to African countries.