Raghu learnt his first lessons of cooperation, sharing and inclusion from his grandmother, Lakshmi patti, who received people with respect, dignity, and her filter coffee.

Hailing from a humble home in a small town called Pudukottai, Raghu belongs to a God-fearing Brahmin family of grandparents, parents and three young boys. One of his early memories is of farmers coming into the village to visit weekly markets and sell their produce, walking into his house and spending the night in their backyard, resting their bulls outside. It was a regular weekly occurrence for the family who would receive villagers as easily as we receive our friends.  Imagine what a young child growing up in this environment would grow up to be.

A singular conversation with Raghu, makes a deep impression because of the simplicity and contentment he exudes. His grandmother would explain to the children how all five fingers of our hand are not of the same size, but it takes all five to make a fist.  And a fist would be powerless without all five fingers.  It takes many different people to make a strong society together and society couldn’t be complete without different people.  A beautiful lesson from a beautiful soul.    

Raghu’s father was a post-graduate in math and deeply conscious of the privilege his education had gifted him with.  Fondly known as ‘Ji’ or Kodiyathu Narayanan or Cornerhouse Narayanan, he made himself available to any facilitation, help, assistance needed by anyone around him and was widely loved by everyone. 

Deeply influenced by Periyar’s principles of rationalism and eradication of caste, Raghu’s curiosity helped him study the origin and construct of the caste system and understand the context behind reservations for OBCs and Dalits.  He was only in standard 7 then.  The more he understood, the more he was hurt but determined not to follow structures that subjugate people.