In yet another instance of platforming controversial self-proclaimed ‘author’ Kannabiran Ravishankar, the MK-Stalin led DMK government has appointed the abusive Dravidian Stockist as a member of the Advisory Committee for Tamil Virtual Academy.
The Tamil Virtual Academy has been envisioned to provide Tamil education through internet for the Tamil Diaspora and to promote Tamil Computing.
The Tamil Nadu government had released an executive order dated 19 October 2022 announcing the members part of the advisory committee for the Tamil Virtual Academy.
In the order released, Kannabiran Ravishankar has been mentioned as a member of the primary committee.
தமிழ்நாடு அரசின்
தமிழ் இணையக் கல்விக்கழகத்திற்கான ஆலோசனைக்குழு மாற்றியமைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.. pic.twitter.com/aZDv7AZbWI— Aravindakshan (@RealAravind36) October 20, 2022
Kannabiran was listed as a member of the advisory committee in the order dated February 23, 2022 along with Badri Seshadri of Kizhakku Pathippagam publishing house and 5 others.
But Badri Seshadri was dropped from the committee allegedly for a social media post about DMK founder CN Annadurai.
இதுதான் அண்ணாவின் வெற்றியா? 🙂 https://t.co/OcElewTpS1
— Badri Seshadri (@bseshadri) October 20, 2022
Kannabiran Ravishankar (KRS) is a rabid anti-Hindu troll known for his viscious social media posts targeting Hindus particularly the Tamil Brahmin community.
He claims to be a full-time investment banker and an ‘Adjunct Professor’ in Comparative Literature (Tamil) part-time, He is also listed as the Editor-in-Chief of Dravida Pozhil, which according to its website is “a quarterly, bi-lingual, academic research journal with focus on Dravidian studies”.
Kannabiran has been accused of faking his educational qualifications claiming to have a doctoral degree from University of California, Berkeley.
UC Berkeley has confirmed that Kannabiran Ravishankar did not attend or receive any degree from any of the institution’s department.
Kannabiran is known for distorting Hindu scriptures and fomenting hatred against Tamil Brahmin community with vile casteist abuses. He has made several derogatroy and vulgar remarks against Hindu Gods. Many of his tweets have foul language objectifying Tamil Brahmin women. He had even used private photos of Tamil brahmin families including that of children to spew the Dravidian ‘anti-Brahmin’ vitriol. Read more about KRS and his anti-Hindu, anti-Brahmin tweets here.
Kannabiran has been platformed and promoted for long by the top brass of the DMK.
In October 2021, Kannabiran Ravishankar called on CM Stalin and gifted a book on the late DMK patriarch Karunanidhi. In the picture shared he is identified as a professor of Paris University, another claim which also has been disputed.
He has been regularly featured in Dravidian Professionals Forum, an organization founded and headed by DMK MLA and current Tamil Nadu Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan and shares close ties with him.
People ask why I am so persistent. The Dravidian intensity of hate reaches into the highest reaches. That is really disconcerting to Tamizh Brahmins. I want to put it out.
Eg @DravidianForum promoted a guy who does such criminal work put using children pictures. pic.twitter.com/jksRkZYYLN
— Reality Check India (@realitycheckind) August 26, 2022
In September 2021, DMK MP from Dharmapuri Dr. Senthilkumar had shared on his Twitter about his meeting with KRS. In his tweet, the DMK MP said “Met Kannabiran Ravishankar this evening and talked for a long time like friends for several days. Forgot to talk about his and my favorite actress ‘Silk’ Smita.”
முதன்முறையாக தோழர் @kryes
Kannabiran Ravishankarஅவர்களை இன்று மாலை சந்தித்து பல நாட்கள் நண்பர்கள் போல் நீண்ட நேரம் பேசினோம்😍பேச மறந்தது அவருக்கும் எனக்கும் பிடித்த நடிகை சிலுக் ஸ்மிதா வை பற்றி.☹️
Itz ok, There's alwayz a next time.😉 pic.twitter.com/hpZJDFOEod
— Dr.Senthilkumar.S (@DrSenthil_MDRD) September 3, 2021
On 20 August 2022, Periyar Maniammai Institute Of Science And Technology had held its 30th convocation with Dravida Kazhagam (DK) President K. Veeramani presiding over the function in which KRS was awarded the “Degree of Doctorate of Letters”.