Vayalar Ravi, an Indian politician is presently serving as the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs. He has also taken over as the Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises after the death of Vilasrao Deshmukh. He is a member of Rajya Sabha. He represents the Indian National Congress.

Early life of Vayalar Ravi
Vayalar Ravi was born on 1937 to father Shri M.K. Krishnan and mother Shrimati Devaky Krishnan at Vayalar, Distt. Alappuzha (Kerala) in a middle class family. His father was a veteran freedom fighter, a social activist who fought against untouchability and served as Secretary of SNDP Taluka Committee for a long period. His mother was a prominent political congress leader of Kerala. She was the President of Kerala State Mahila Congress. She contested elections in the citadel of communists since 1960. He studied at S.D. College, Alappuzha, Maharajas College, Ernakulam and Law College, Ernakulam and gained B.A., M.A., and B.L degrees.

Positions Held by Vayalar Ravi
Vayalar Ravi is a member of Indian National Congress. The positions that he held throughout his political life are:

* 1971-77 Member, Fifth Lok Sabha
* 1977-79 Member, Sixth Lok Sabha
* 1982 Home Minister, Kerala
* 1982-91 Member, Kerala Legislative Assembly
* July 1994 Elected to Rajya Sabha
* April 2003 Elected to Rajya Sabha
* June 2003-Feb. 2004 Member, Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture
* June 2003-July 2004 Member, Committee on Petitions
* Aug. 2003 - June 2006 Member, Rubber Board
* Aug. 2004 - Jan. 2006 Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development
* Oct. 2004 - Jan. 2006 Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Civil Aviation Member, General Purposes Committee
* 29 Jan. 2006 onwards Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs
* 6 April 2008-22 May 2009 Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
* April 2009 Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
* 19 Jan. 2011 onwards Minister of Civil Aviation

He has also been served as former President, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (I); prominent trade union leader; President, (i) Cochin Port Staff Association, (ii) Cochin Thuramukha Thozhilali Union and (iii) Cochin Port Wharf Staff Association (C.P.W.S.A.); Founder Leader, Kerala Students` Union, the pioneer student movement in 1957; was in charge, Students Wing of All India Congress Committee (A.I.C.C.) and organized National Students` Union of India (N.S.U.I.); was Convener, State Youth Congress in 1965; was General Secretary, Indian Youth Congress; Member, (i) A.I.C.C. since 1967, (ii) Congress Working Committee in 1972 and (iii) Indian delegations to U.N.; General Secretary, A.I.C.C.

He was appointed as the Union Cabinet Minister for Overseas Affairs on January 30, 2006. He was given the responsibility of Ministry of Civil Aviation on January 19, 2011. Now he has resigned from the post as Ajit Singh Chaudhary has been appointed as the new Aviation Minister.

Personal Life of Vayalar Ravi He was married on 9th June 1969 to Shrimati Mercy Ravi. The couple has two daughters and one son. Mercy Ravi died on September 5, 2009 as she was suffering from a kidney failure.