Ravi Madasamy

Ravi Madasamy (b. 1969), commonly known as M. Ravi, is a human rights lawyer and activist. He is also known for his advocacy of LGBTQ+ rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Singapore.

Ravi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology from the National University of Singapore, followed by a Bachelor of Laws degree from Cardiff University. He was called to the Singapore Bar in 1996. Six years into his career, Ravi was approached to take on a capital case, which sparked his interest and subsequent specialisation in public interest and constitutional law. In 2019, he founded his own law firm, M Ravi Law.

Ravi has represented defendants in many human rights and constitutional law cases in Singapore, particularly in areas such as religious freedom, voting rights, and the constitutionality of the mandatory death penalty. He has been involved in advisory legal work and has provided pro bono services as an advisor to various non-governmental organisations and international legal bodies. In recent years, he has expanded his areas of practice to include business and human rights, sustainability, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues.

For his advocacy and pro bono work, Ravi has been recognised by international organisations, including Amnesty International, the International Bar Association (IBA), and Human Rights Watch. He was conferred the IBA Human Rights Award in 2023. However, he has also been a controversial public figure. He has run afoul of the law several times and has been debarred, sentenced to fines, and imprisoned.

Ravi wrote an autobiography, Kampong Boy, which was shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize in 2014. 



For more information
M. Ravi. Kampong Boy. Singapore: Ethos Books, 2013.
M Ravi Law. Accessed 1 August 2025. https://mravilaw.org/team/m-ravi/. 
Lai, Linette. “Lawyer M. Ravi files constitutional challenge over TOC criminal defamation case.” The Straits Times, 12 December 2019. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/lawyer-m-ravi-files-constitutional-challenge-over-toc-criminal-defamation-case. 
“M. Ravi.” Wikipedia. Accessed 1 August 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M_Ravi. 
Lum, Selina. “Lawyer M. Ravi suspended for 5 years over ‘baseless’ allegations against Attorney-General, Law Society.” The Straits Times, 21 March 2023. https://str.sg/iZNP. 

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.