Rajith Kumar

Rajith Kumar R. is a controversial Indian public speaker, lecturer, educational counselor, writer, and philanthropist from Kerala. He is infamous for misogynistic and unscientific claims. He works as a lecturer in the Botany department of Sree Sankara College, Kalady. He has authored more than ten books, related to self-improvement and religious texts. Rajith is an active humanitarian worker, he founded the "Dr. Rajith Charitable Services" and is a life-member of Indian Red Cross Society.

Rajith Kumar
Rajith in 2016
Born
Rajith Kumar R.

Attingal, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Other namesDr. Rajith Kumar, DRK,Rejith Ser
Occupation
  • Public speaker
  • Lecturer
  • Educational counselor
  • Writer
  • Philanthropist
Years active1996 – present (Lecturing)

The minister of Health and Social Justice of Kerala KK Shailaja has barred him from attending government programs.

Rajith holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in microbiology and Master of Philosophy (M. Phil) in cytogenetics. He has received several awards and honours, including the Samoohya Saksharatha Prathibha award from Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority, Government of Kerala. In 2020, Rajith contested in the second season of Malayalam reality TV show Bigg Boss.

Early life

Rajith Kumar hails from Kizhuvilam, Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, India. His father died before he was born, his mother was a last grade government employee in the health department. He had his schooling from Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Attingal. Rajith was adjudged Best Student while studying at Mar Ivanios College in Thiruvananthapuram, from where he graduated with a bachelor's degree (B.Sc) in botany and had his master's degree (M.Sc) from N. S. S. College, Pandalam with first rank.[1] He then took a Master of Philosophy (M. Phil) in cytogenetics and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in microbiology (passed with gold medal[2]). He also went on to take a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree in natural science, a bachelor's degree in library and information science (BLIS), a master's degree (M.S) in psychotherapy, and a diploma in Vedanta.[3][4] He has also passed the UGC NET examination.[2]

Work

In 1996, he joined as a lecturer in Botany department at Sree Sankara College, Kalady and continued there until 2003. Since his mother refused to leave his hometown Attingal to stay with him, he took a transfer to Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Attingal (where he studied) to a lower position as a teacher even after receiving a doctorate. But later he was transferred back to Sree Sankara College and visited mother at weekends. In 2009, the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat nominated and selected him as a member of its Working Group. In September 2009, the Chirayinkeezhu panchayat and Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority honoured him with Samoohya Saksharatha Prathibha award.[1] He convened "Keralagramam", an Indian Science Congress Association programme held in Thiruvananthapuram in 2010.[2]

Rajith is an active humanitarian worker, he founded the Dr. Rajith Charitable Services and is a life-member of Indian Red Cross Society. From 2000s, he has been offering free coaching classes, counselling sessions, uniforms, textbooks, medicine, food among other things to economically backward students, funded from his own salary. By 2009, number of such students he gave assistance surpassed 25,000. Rajith has taken part in training programmes conducted by NCERT and SCERT in adolescent education.[2] He is also known for his public awareness speeches. He has authored more than ten books in Malayalam, related to religion and personal motivation.

He appeared in the children's feature film Manalchithrangal (2015). In 2018, he appeared in the short film Daivathinte Naadu, and in a music video, Amma, in the following year. In 2020, he entered the Bigg Boss house as a contestant in the reality television show Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 2) on Asianet.[5] When he was ousted from the show, his supporters organized a public gathering to welcome him at Cochin International Airport. The gathering was organized despite the government's cautionary measures against the coronavirus pandemic. Rajith and 79 other people involved in the gathering were booked by the police for flouting government advisory.[6][7] He was released on bail after questioning.[8]

Claims and Controversies
  • In 2018, in a counselling session held in Kasaragod he reportedly stated that women who wear jeans can give birth to transgender children and the children born to rebel men and women are found to be autistic, claiming to have scientific backing. He received rebuke, with media and public calling it ill-informed, unscientific, and offensive. Kumar defended it saying that there are efforts to put him in bad light and only a certain portion from his 4-hour long speech was taken and is used to create misunderstanding among people. He reiterated and defended his statements again in the show Njangalkum Parayanund in Mathrubhumi News.[11][12] Following that, health minister K. K. Shailaja released a press note barring Kumar from speaking in government programmes, citing that he spreads superstition and social discord.[13][14]
  • He has claimed that if girls jump, their uterus gets displaced and they cannot get pregnant.[15]
  • He has claimed that the parents of children who are not of good character become autistic and will suffer from cerebral palsy.[15]
  • Although his statements has received criticism, he has also found support from a section of public.[16] Following the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kerala, he said that he had a 'pure heart' and therefore he cannot be infected with coronavirus.[17]

Responses

The government of Kerala denounced Rajith Kumar for his “misogynist and gender insensitive” messages to society. Minister for Health and Social Welfare K.K. Shylaja said the State would initiate legal action against him and keep him away from government programmes[18].

Rajith Kumar had cast himself in the centre of a controversy after having allegedly opined on live television that women sporting ‘men’s wear’ risked giving birth to transgender children. He also allegedly linked autism and cerebral palsy in children to parents who were rebellious and nonconformist in dress code and social conduct.[19]

Bibliography
  • Thiricharivu: The Power of Discrimination[20]
  • Enne Vismayipicha Quran Sookthangal[21]
  • Srimad Bhagavad Gita Sandhesham
  • Ennil Karunaniracha Bible[22]
  • Unaru Unaru[23]
  • Jeevitha Vijayathileku 22 Padikal: Steps to Success[24]
  • Gita Mahathvam: Bhagavat Gitayile Shasthra Sathyangal[25]
  • Ramayanam[26]
  • Enne Njaniyakkunna Bhagavat Gita[27]
  • Shri Mahabhagavata Rahasyam[28]
  • Mahabharatacharitham: Ithihasa Rahasyangal[29]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1997 Manthrikumaran Actor Directed by Thulasidas
2013 News Hour Interviewee Asianet News
2014 Ente Daivam Interviewee ACV interview by Rahul Easwar
2015 Manalchithrangal Actor Feature film[30]
Selfie Participant Kairali TV moderated by Sreedhanya
Nammal Thammil Participant Asianet
2018 Njangalkum Parayanund Guest and subject Episode 252, Mathrubhumi News talk show[31]
2018 Daivathinte Naadu Actor Short film
2019 Janakeiya Kodathi Interviewee Episode 13, Twentyfour News interview by Arun Kumar
2019 Amma Actor Music video
2020 Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 2) Contestant Reality TV show on Asianet, 70 episodes
2020Veendum Chila VeetuviseshangalHostComedy Talk show

Awards
  • 2009: Samoohya Saksharatha Prathibha from Chirayinkeezhu panchayat and Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority.[1]
  • 2010: Rashtra Sevana Prathibha Puraskar from Global Confederation of Pravasee Malayalees[32]
  • 2017: Dr. Ambedkar Excellency Service National Award from Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi[33]
  • 2017: Samoohya Sevana Rathnam from Kerala Urban Development Council[34]
  • 2018: Gem of Kerala (Keralaratnam) from Global Confederation of Pravasee Malayalees[35]
  • 2018: Gurushreshta Puraskaram from Vanitha Congress (M)[36]
  • 2019: Shri. Vedavyasa Puraskaram from Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi[37]
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References
  1. Pradeep, K. (5 November 2009). "Teaching from the heart". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. Prakash, Asha (8 December 2009). "The power of one". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. Web desk (5 January 2020). "അതെ ഇത് രജിത് കുമാര്‍ തന്നെ! ബിഗ് ബോസിലേക്ക് എത്തുന്നത് വന്‍ മേക്കോവറില്‍". Asianet News (in Malayalam). Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  4. "Dr.Rajith Kumar in Janakeiya Kodathi | Dr.രജിത് കുമാർ ജനകീയ കോടതിയില്‍ | Ep# 13" (in Malayalam). 24 News. 3 March 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  5. "Bigg Boss Malayalam 2 contestant Dr Rajith Kumar: Everything you need to know about the controversial public speaker". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  6. "Coronavirus: 79 Booked for Organising Mass Reception for Bigg Boss Malayalam 2 Contestant Rajith Kumar". News18. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  7. "Rajith Kumar, 11 others taken into custody by Kerala police for flouting COVID-19 advisory". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  8. "Bigg Boss Malayalam 2's Rajith Kumar, arrested over unlawful assembly, granted bail". The Times of India. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  9. Varier, Megha (3 April 2013). "'Wearing jeans leads to birth of trans kids': Kerala Prof slammed for offensive remarks". The News Minute. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  10. "Now, Rajith Kumar's misogyny becomes 'art'". Times of India. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  11. Varier, Megha (3 April 2013). "'Wearing jeans leads to birth of trans kids': Kerala Prof slammed for offensive remarks". The News Minute. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  12. "Women who dress like men, wear jeans give birth to transgenders: Kerala professor". Deccan Chronicle. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  13. Special correspondent (2 April 2018). "State to initiate action against counsellor". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  14. "Women who dress like men, wear jeans give birth to transgenders: Kerala professor" (4 April 2018). Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  15. Raja, Vidya. "'Women in Jeans' Give Birth to Trans Kids. Really? and You Claim to Be a Botany Lecturer" (6 April 2018). thebetterIndia. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  16. Raja, Vidya (6 April 2018). "'Women in Jeans' Give Birth to Trans Kids. Really? and You Claim to Be a Botany Lecturer". The Better India. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  17. "Rajith Kumar fans' airport gathering exposes Kerala's coronavirus preventive system". OnManorama. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  18. "State to initiate action against counsellor". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 2 April 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 April 2018.CS1 maint: others (link)
  19. "State to initiate action against counsellor". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 2 April 2018. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 April 2018.CS1 maint: others (link)
  20. "Thiricharivu: The Power of Discrimination". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  21. "Enne Vismayipicha Quran Sookthangal". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  22. "Ennil Karunaniracha Bible". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  23. "Unaru Unaru". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  24. "Jeevitha Vijayathileku 22 Padikal: Steps to Success". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  25. "Gita Mahathvam: Bhagavat Gitayile Shasthra Sathyangal". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  26. "Ramayanam". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  27. "Enne Njaniyakkunna Bhagavat Gita". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  28. "Shri Mahabhagavata Rahasyam". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  29. "Mahabharatacharitham: Ithihasa Rahasyangal". Dr. Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  30. Kumar, Rajith. "Manalchithrangal". Facebook. Dr.Rajith Kumar. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  31. "Controversial Comment On Autism: Who Will Bell The Cat? Njangalkum Parayanund, Ep:252". YouTube (in Malayalam). Mathrubhumi News. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  32. "Rastra Sevana Prathibha Puraskar". 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  33. "Dr. Ambedkar Excellency National Award for Dr. Rajith Kumar". 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  34. "Samoohya Sevana Puraskaram". 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  35. "Keralarathnam Puraskaram for Dr. Rajith Kumar". 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  36. "Gurushreshta Puraskaram". 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  37. "Shri Vedavyasa Puraskaram". 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
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