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 Source/Author: |  Posted on: October 4th, 2009
 Basva Premanand, the doyen of Indian rationalist movement, is no more. He breathed his last on 04.10.2009 at 2.20 pm at Podannur, Tamil Nadu. He was 79. According to his wishes, his body has been donated to the local medical college.
Born on 17 February 1930 in Kozhikode (Kerala), Premanand was a keen observer of paranormal phenomena even in his childhood. In his teenage, he approached assorted swamis and gurus to gain spiritual insights but soon fell out with each one of them when he realized that they were all fakes. In 1969 he met the ace Sri Lankan skeptic Dr Abraham Kovoor who was in India for his “Miracle Exposure” lecture tour. That was a watershed in the life of Premanand, who immediately plunged headlong into the business of debunking spiritual tricksters. After Dr Abraham Kovoor’s death in 1978, Premanand continued Kovoor’s famous challenge of offering One Lakh Rupees to anyone who could demonstrate psychic abilities under fraud-proof conditions. Admittedly, there have been few takers. During his tumultuous campaign spanning over three exhilarating decades, Premanand visited almost every village and town in India exposing godmen and their miracles, conducting science workshops for the educated and the laypersons, giving public lectures and demonstrations. He visited about 49 countries with his mission to spread skepticism and critical thinking. He was given a Fellowship by National Council for Science and Technology Communication of Government of India for his efforts to spread scientific awareness.
Premanand’s most famous target has of course been Puttaparthi Sai Baba, the number one spiritual fraudster in India for decades. Once he famously filed a Civil Writ Petition in Andhra Pradesh High Court against Sai Baba under Indian Gold Control Act! He wanted the government to proceed against Sai Baba for materializing gold from thin air because it was violative of Section 11 of the Gold Control Act, which mandated the permission of the Gold Control Administrator for manufacturing gold! Given the clout godmen have among all strata of Indian society, it is not at all surprising that the case was dismissed by the court. Premanand has compiled a massive collection of records on the infamous murder of six individuals in Sai Baba’s ashram on 6 June 1993 and has brought it out as a book (Murders in Sai Baba’s Bedroom) running into more than 800 pages. This book is a “collector’s item” for those who want to know the truth behind the shady dealings in the ashram.
For more than two decades, Premanand published Indian Skeptic, a monthly magazine, dedicated to spreading rationalism and scientific temper. The magazine was an invaluable link between various rationalist groups and individuals in our overwhelmingly religious country. Through his Skeptic Book Club, he has brought out a number of books exposing godmen and their antics. His most popular book, Science versus Miracles, gives natural explanation of about 150 “miracles” including those commonly performed by the godmen in India.
In November 2006, Premanand was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent a major surgery. But this did not prevent him from continuing with his mission. Barely a couple of weeks after he underwent the surgery, Premanand attended a meeting of rationalists in Bangalore in January 2007, when BangaloreVicharavadi Sangha (Bangalore Rationalist Association) was founded. He attended the 6th national conference of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA), of which he was the founder-convener, held in Pune in April 2007 and accepted an award (for his contribution to rationalist movement in India) presented to him by Maharashtra Andhrashraddha Nirmoolan Samithi. He attended the 25th state conference of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangam (Kerala Rationalist Association) held in December 2007 in Thiruvananthapuram. Premanand continued to bring out Indian Skeptic every month, without missing even a single issue until late 2008 and published a number of book on rationalism through his Skeptic Book Club. Despite his failing health, he completed and opened to public his long-cherished project on 5 March 2009, a permanent exhibition on the Method of Science at Podannur, Tamil Nadu.
His deathbed testimonial made barely a couple of weeks back, on 20th September 2009, re-affirmed his commitment to atheism and other rationalist convictions with which he lived by. This document has since been published in a number of rationalist/science websites (http://nirmukta.com/2009/09/22/premanand-in-abhirami-hospital-coimbatore/ and http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/09/basava_premanand_is_dying.php) and will continue to be an inspiring document.
Source/Author: | Posted on: October 3rd, 2009
More Americans believe in angels than in evolution—and Richard Dawkins isn’t going to take it anymore.
By Richard Dawkins | NEWSWEEK
Creationists are deeply enamored of the fossil record, because they have been taught (by each other) to repeat, over and over, the mantra that it is full of “gaps”: “Show me your ‘intermediates!’ ” They fondly (very fondly) imagine that these “gaps” are an embarrassment to evolutionists. Actually, we are lucky to have any fossils at all, let alone the massive numbers that we now do have to document evolutionary history—large numbers of which, by any standards, constitute beautiful “intermediates.” We don’t need fossils in order to demonstrate that evolution is a fact. The evidence for evolution would be entirely secure even if not a single corpse had ever fossilized. It is a bonus that we do actually have rich seams of fossils to mine, and more are discovered every day. The fossil evidence for evolution in many major animal groups is wonderfully strong. Nevertheless there are, of course, gaps, and creationists love them obsessively.
Let’s use the analogy of a detective coming to the scene of a crime where there were no eyewitnesses. The baronet has been shot. Fingerprints, footprints, DNA from a sweat stain on the pistol, and a strong motive, all point toward the butler. It’s pretty much an open-and-shut case, and the jury and everybody in the court is convinced that the butler did it. But a last-minute piece of evidence is discovered, in the nick of time before the jury retires to consider what had seemed to be their inevitable verdict of guilty: somebody remembers that the baronet had installed spy cameras against burglars. With bated breath, the court watches the films. One of them shows the butler in the act of opening the drawer in his pantry, taking out a pistol, loading it, and creeping stealthily out of the room with a malevolent gleam in his eye. You might think that this solidifies the case against the butler even further. Mark the sequel, however. The butler’s defense lawyer astutely points out that there was no spy camera in the library where the murder took place, and no spy camera in the corridor leading from the butler’s pantry. “There’s a gap in the video record! We don’t know what happened after the butler left the pantry. There is clearly insufficient evidence to convict my client.”
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Source/Author: | Posted on: September 22nd, 2009
Premanand in Abhirami Hospital,Coimbatore
Narendra Nayak
 Premanand’s health has been failing since quite some time. The metastases from his carcinoma of the stomach had been growing for quite time and it was only a matter time before his health would get seriously affected. Last week that happened and he had to be hospitalized. All his vital organs have been affected and particularly the liver and kidneys. However, his brain and his ideology are still intact and we wanted the world to know about it and make a declaration on his behalf that it remains so.
So, Somu and I went to Podanur on the 20th September and then on to the Abirami hospital where he had been admitted. He was quite drowsy and not responding to queries until I told him that there was a rumour that he has started believing in god and supernatural powers. He opened his eyes and said who says that? And that was the clear indication that we however ill we may be continue to hold on to our convictions! He said that is nonsense. So, I told him that we should say so to the world and he agreed. The statement reproduced herein was put for his signature. But, his hands were weak and hence we had to take his thumb impression too. The declaration has been witnessed by Dr.Maya Prabhu his sister and Suneera one of his admirers who has been taking care of him.
Our movement is not based on individuals but, those who are in the forefront are ever in the public eye and particularly in sights of those who want to attack us. They would like to spread rumors that eminent rationalists have changed on their death bed, have gone back to god and spiritualism etc. We do not want to give any occasion for such rumors and hence though it may sound morbid I had to this task. I would like that to be done to me when I am on my death bed so that all can know that we hold on to our convictions what ever the circumstances may be.
This short report is a bulletin on the health of one of those who have inspired a whole generation and have done significant work to build up the movement. As and when news is received I shall make more such communications.
TO WHOMSOEVER IT MAY CONCERN
Declaration of attitude and temperament
 I, B. Premanand s/o late Sri Basava Prabhu, 80 years of age resident Chettipalayam Road, Podanur, sound of mind though suffering from physical complications caused by metastases in many organs caused by carcinoma of the stomach herein solemnly wish to place on record the following:
- I have been closely associated with the rationalist movement from 1975 onwards and have been a rationalist of full conviction since then and continue to be so.
- It is common for the purveyors of superstitions and such anti rational forces to start spreading rumors about rationalists turning to god and other supernatural forces at the end of their lives and becoming devotees of gods and god men of various types.
- It is also claimed that at times of crises that we staunch rationalists through the major part of our lives, turn to spiritualism and religion.
- I wish to clarify that as on today the twentieth of September,2009 I remain a staunch rationalist and wish to place on record the following:
- I continue to be a rationalist of full conviction.
- I do not believe in any supernatural power. All the powers that we encounter are in the realm of nature and nothing exists beyond that.
- I do not believe in the existence of the soul or rebirth.
- I have not turned to any religion, god or any sort of spiritual pursuits.
- When I pass away I shall be leaving only my body which is to be donated to a medical college and no spirit or soul to cause problems for the living.
 I want to convey to all that the struggle against the exploitation by god men and so called supernatural forces is a long and hard one but the ultimate victory will be ours.
My very survival has been a challenge to astrologers and their so called “science” of astrology, as they had all predicted that I would die soon after birth and refused to cast a horoscope for me.
I wish to convey to my colleagues of the rationalist movement to continue the work that I have been doing with renewed vigor and that will be the best of tributes for me.
Abhirami Hospital
Podanur
(B. Premanand)
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Basva Premanand, the doyen of Indian rationalist movement, is no more. He breathed his last on 04.10.2009 at 2.20 pm at Podannur, Tamil Nadu. He was 79. According to his wishes, his body has been donated to the local medical college.
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