When Govenders get crabby!

WORLD OF WRITING

- RAVI GOVENDER

MY NAME is Govender ... Ravi Govender!

One of the things I am most proud of is that I am a writer and a published author. Why you may ask? Well, many of you may be tired of hearing about my school life and my love of all things books. My enchantment with Dickens, Shakespeare and Rider Haggard.

I started reading the written word at the age of 3, thanks to my older brother, Rajin, who taught me to read and write even before I embarked on my school voyage. It was a titanic adventure, but at the end of it, I am privileged and honoured to now have people reading my writings. I am infused with hubris, but minus the arrogance, although my late mom would disagree with that statement.

Nevertheless, before she passed on, she attended my first two book launches. To say she beamed with pride throughout the functions would be putting it mildly. Even more momentous for her was that she appeared on the cover of my second book, alongside my late father. I was pleased to know that South Africa has birthed quite a few penmen and women with the surname Govender. Let me introduce them to you: arguably, the most famous writer Govender was a larger-than-life man named Sathiseelan Gurulingam Govender. Who? You may know him better as the celebrated playwright, theatre director and activist, Ronnie Govender.

I was blessed to be in his company numerous times. Those were momentous times and memories. If you were fortunate to be in his circle of associates, each meetup would be indelible in your memory. You look, listen and learn from this legend. In conversation, he pulled no punches, which was the same in his writings. His speech was always well punctuated and peppered with choice expletives, which he could do dexterously in a variety of languages.