Rajith Kumar
Born
Attingal, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Occupations
  • Activist
  • public speaker
  • lecturer
  • actor

Rajith Kumar R. is an Indian lecturer, public speaker and actor from Kerala who worked at the Department of Botany, Sree Sankara College, Kalady.[1] He was one of the contestants of the Bigg Boss(Malayalam season 2).

In 2013, he gained attention for his making misogynistic comments during a speech at the Government Women's College, Thiruvananthapuram. This incident led to a backlash against him as well as the college authorities who had invited him. He has since made multiple comments that were criticized for being sexist, transphobic, unscientific and insensitive to people with disabilities which include claiming that women who wear jeans give birth to transgender children and that rebellious parents would have autistic children.[2][3]

Life and career

Born in Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, Rajith Kumar graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) in Botany from Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram and a Masters of Science (MSc.) in Botany from N. S. S. College, Pandalam (with first rank). He then completed a Master of Philosophy (M. Phil) in cytogenetics and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in microbiology (with gold medal).[4][5] He also has a Bachelor of Education (BEd) 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.[6] He has also passed the UGC NET examination.[4]

He was a former teacher at Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Attingal and now works as a Junior Lecturer at the Department of Botany at Sree Sankara College, Kalady.[1] He has authored several books and was awarded the Samoohya Saksharatha Prathibha Award by Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority, Government of Kerala.[4]

Controversies

In 2013, while speaking at Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram at the "moral education" campaign organised by the Department of General and Higher Education, he criticised women's current dressing style. It received media attention after a student protested by booing and boycotting the speech. Shobhana George complained against his statement in the Kerala State Human Rights Commission which asked the Collegiate Education Department to enquire into the matter. Deputy Director Girija Devi who conducted the enquiry reported that Kumar's speech was "a piece of art and the opposition by a graduate student to the speech was an immature response".[7]

In 2018, in a counselling session held in Kasaragod he reportedly made the unscientific and misogynistic statement that women who wear jeans can give birth to transgender children and the children born to rebel men and women will be autistic, claiming to have scientific backing. He received rebuke, and it was pointed out in media that it was 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.[8] 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.[9] Although his statements has received criticism, he has also found support from a section of public.[10] Following the 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Kerala, he said that he had a 'pure heart' and therefore he cannot be infected with coronavirus.[11]

Bigg Boss

In 2020, he entered the Bigg Boss house as a contestant in the reality television show Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 2) on Asianet.[12] He was ousted from the show after he rubbed chilli paste on fellow contestant Reshma Nair's eyes.[13] Reshma later revealed that she would file a police complaint against Rajith Kumar. Reshma claimed that she suffered corneal injury in one eye and her eyesight suffered.

When he was ousted from the show, his army 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.[14] Rajith and 79 other people involved in the gathering were booked by the police for flouting government advisory on violating Covid Pandemic Regulations.[15][16]

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992MaanyanmarHospital Staff
1998ManthrikumaranBank EmployeeMalayalam Movie
2015ManalchithrangalActorFeature film
2021Anti Christ
SwapnasundariZachariah Punnoose[17]
2022EeshoRaveendranReleased on SonyLIV
Autorickshawkarante BharyaTraveller in auto

Short films

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018Daivathinte NaaduHimselfMalayalam Short film
2019AmmaThe sonMusical video

Television

YearTitleRoleChannelNotes
2018Njangalkum ParayanundGuestMathrubhumi News
2019Janakeiya KodathiInterviewee24 NewsEpisode 13
2020Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 2)ContestantAsianet
Veendum Chila VeetuviseshangalHostAsianet
2020–2021Life is Beautiful Season 2Alexy & FernandezAsianettv serial
2021Parayam NedamParticipantAmritha TV
Star MagicParticipantFlowers TV channel
2023Bigg Boss (Malayalam season 5)challengerAsianet[18]
2023ManimuthuDoctorMazhavil Manoramatv serial

Awards

  • 2009: Samoohya Saksharatha Prathibha from Chirayinkeezhu panchayat and Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority.[5]
  • 2010: Rashtra Sevana Prathibha Puraskar from Global Confederation of Pravasee Malayalees[19]
  • 2017: Dr. Ambedkar Excellency Service National Award from Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi[20]
  • 2017: Samoohya Sevana Rathnam from Kerala Urban Development Council[21]
  • 2018: Gem of Kerala (Keralaratnam) from Global Confederation of Pravasee Malayalees[22]
  • 2018: Gurushreshta Puraskaram from Vanitha Congress (M)
  • 2019: Shri. Vedavyasa Puraskaram from Bharatiya Dalit Sahitya Akademi

References

  1. 1 2 "Sree Sankara College Kalady". Sree Sankara College Kalady. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Kerala Govt Mulls Legal Action Against Professor Who Said ' Woman Wearing Jeans Give Birth To Trans Kids'". www.outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "'Wearing jeans leads to birth of trans kids': Kerala prof slammed for offensive remark". The News Minute. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Prakash, Asha (8 December 2009). "The power of one". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 Pradeep, K. (5 November 2009). "Teaching from the heart". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  6. ↑ Web desk (5 January 2020). "അതെ ഇത് രജിത് കുമാര്‍ തന്നെ! ബിഗ് ബോസിലേക്ക് എത്തുന്നത് വന്‍ മേക്കോവറില്‍". Asianet News (in Malayalam). Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "Now, Rajith Kumar's misogyny becomes 'art'". The Times of India. 15 June 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ Special correspondent (2 April 2018). "State to initiate action against counsellor". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ "Rajith Kumar fans' airport gathering exposes Kerala's coronavirus preventive system". OnManorama. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  12. ↑ "Bigg Boss Malayalam 2 contestant Dr Rajith Kumar: Everything you need to know about the controversial public speaker". The Times of India. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  13. ↑ "Well-known misogynist Rajith puts chilli paste in woman's eyes on 'Bigg Boss' Malayalam". The News Minute. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Amid coronavirus outbreak, fans flock to airport to give Rajith Kumar hero's welcome". The Indian Express. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  15. ↑ "Bigg Boss fame Rajith Kumar arrested". The Hindu. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "Coronavirus outbreak: 79 booked for organising mass reception for TV contestant at Kochi airport". The New Indian Express. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  17. ↑ Mathews, Anna (16 November 2020). "Bigg Boss star Rajith Kumar set to make big screen debut". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "റോബിനും, രജിത്ത് കുമാറും ബിഗ്ബോസിലേക്ക് വീണ്ടും; ഗംഭീര വീഡിയോ". Asianet News. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Rastra Sevana Prathibha Puraskar". 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "Dr. Ambedkar Excellency National Award for Dr. Rajith Kumar". 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  21. ↑ "Samoohya Sevana Puraskaram". 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  22. ↑ "Keralarathnam Puraskaram for Dr. Rajith Kumar". 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
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