Sonny Venkatrathnam

Sonny Venkatrathnam
Sonny Venkatrathnam
Born	27 July 1935; Durban, Natal
Died	15 March 2019 (aged 83); Durban, Natal
Occupation	Human rights activist

Sonny Venkatrathnam (27 July 1935 – 15 March 2019) was a South African

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare into the prison. The book was shared with many of the high-profile prisoners in the prison and was called the Robben Island Bible.^[2]

Early life

Venkatrathnam was born in Sea View in Durban in the province of Natal, on 27 July 1935, in a family with 12 siblings.^[2] His grandparents were bonded laborers who had come in from India. His parents were flower sellers in the Durban cemetery, and later farmers in Cliffdale near Pietermaritzburg.^[2] He grew up in the family with modest means, with no electricity or running water at home.^[2]

His schooling was interrupted during the

Natal University for a Bachelor of Arts degree, but, had to attend college in the evenings outside of campus because the college would not admit black students into the campus. The student study group there later became a student organization, The Durban Students Union.^[2]

Career and activism

Venkatrathnam was an anti-apartheid activist who was held a prisoner at the

Deepavali greeting cards.^[1]^[3] The book went on to be known as the Robben Island Bible.^[1]

Whilst serving two concurrent six-year terms at the prison, due to torture, he became deaf in one ear and suffered a burst hernia.[1]

He worked with Amnesty International after his ban was lifted in April 1983. As a human rights activist he organized the Human Rights Now! concerts in 1988 to spread awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 40th anniversary.^[1] The worldwide concert tour had featured singers including Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, and Youssou N'Dour.^[1]

Venkatrathnam lived in Durban for most of his life. He taught at the University of Durban-Westville through the 1990s.^[4]

Personal life

Venkatrathnam died on 15 March 2019. He was aged 84.^[1]

Books

Hahn, Matthew (2017). The Robben Island Shakespeare. John Kani, John Battersby. London.
OCLC 969969464.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
)

Ashwin., Desai (2014). Reading revolution : Shakespeare on Robben island. Haymarket Books.
OCLC 971189117
.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Tributes pour in for former Robben Island prisoner Sonny Venkatrathnam". www.iol.co.za. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Surinarayan 'Sonny' Kala Venkatrathnam | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
^ Desai, Ashwin (17 March 2019). "A TRIBUTE: Sonny Venkatrathnam (1935-2019): Robben Islander and Rebel Without a Pause". Daily Maverick. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
^ "Sonny Venkatrathnam, Anti-Apartheid Crusader With a Shakespearian 'Gita'". The Wire. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

Additional Reading

Sonny Venkatrathnam at the South African History Online

[:0-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Tributes pour in for former Robben Island prisoner Sonny Venkatrathnam". www.iol.co.za. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

[:1-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Surinarayan 'Sonny' Kala Venkatrathnam | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

[3] Desai, Ashwin (17 March 2019). "A TRIBUTE: Sonny Venkatrathnam (1935-2019): Robben Islander and Rebel Without a Pause". Daily Maverick. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

[4] "Sonny Venkatrathnam, Anti-Apartheid Crusader With a Shakespearian 'Gita'". The Wire. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.

[2]

[1]

[3]

[4]