Anywhere, except this corrupt world

Md A Basith / TNN / Jun 2, 2006, 01:37 IST

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P S Ravi hung himself because he was extremely upset with this corrupt world and he could not bear to live in such a wicked social system.

HYDERABAD: The writing is firm, the words are well formed, indicating that the hands that penned the letter didn't shake even a wee bit.
What is more, the lines and the signature slope upwards. Experts say that a person whose writing slants upwards is ambitious and optimistic.
But this letter was a suicide note written by a man who hung himself shortly afterwards.
P S Ravi hung himself because he was "extremely upset with this corrupt world" and he could not bear to "live in such a wicked social system".

Ironically, Ravi was also a counsellor of sorts, offering succour to despondent folks.
It was clearly a case of affirmative action, an action most others would not dare to commit. But 39-year-old Ravi was different, he did not clearly belong to this world of today.
Ravi's first brush with the ways of this world came some fifteen years ago. His father retired from a leading company which was once well managed but had become like a government establishment.

Ravi was to get a job there but the babus sought a bribe to let him in. The man protested, he would give nothing. So he didn't get a job.
Somewhere down the line he must have got employment, because the youngest of four brothers and two sisters, got married.
While his wife Krishna Kumari is an administrative officer in a trust run by Hindustan Latex Ltd, Ravi left his job and with the Masters in English started a coaching class to teach English to whoever wanted to learn.
At one point Ravi sought a bank loan to expand his coaching class business. He did not get it: the babus wanted a bribe and Ravi would not yield.
"He was a bookish man fond of reading. He used to talk little. But whenever he spoke, he expressed himself strongly against corruption and other malaises afflicting the country and society at large," said one of his students whom TOI met at Ravi's home in Amberpet on the morrow of his death.
"We do not know whether he saw Rang De Basanti, but he probably would have disapproved off the ending. He eschewed violence and spoke against killings. He was a man of non-violence. It is very sad that he took his life by violence," said another of his students.
A large number of students had collected at the residence to pay homage to Ravi, who, in his short note, "declared his love for his wife and family members".
Apologising to his wife for his act, Ravi wrote "any useful part of my body can be donated to anyone." The Ravis are childless.

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