A college dropout who makes a living by painting houses, Ravi Kumar says he's not giving up - he is preparing to appeal against the high court ruling and has also written to the Indian president seeking his help.
"The high court says there is no need for me to have a certificate, but there is," he insists. "When the government issues religion or caste certificates to people, I too have the right to have a certificate that identifies me as an atheist. I'm also a citizen of this country."