Editing Basava Premanand

{{Short description|Indian skeptic and rationalist (1930–2009)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name        = Basava Premanand
| image       = Basava_Premanand.JPG
| caption     = Basava Premanand in June 2008
| birth_name  =
| birth_date  = 17 February 1930
| birth_place = [[Kozhikode]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]
| death_date  = 4 October 2009
(aged 79)
| death_place = [[Podanur]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| occupation  = Rationalist, skeptic, owner-writer-publisher of the monthly magazine ''The Indian Skeptic''
| networth    =
| spouse      =
| website     =
}}

'''Basava Premanand''' (17 February 1930 – 4 October 2009) was an Indian [[skeptic]] and [[rationalist]] from [[Kerala]], [[India]]. He organised many tours around rural India for the promotion of [[scientific thinking]], exposing alleged [[miracle]]s and scams carried out by various charlatans and [[Godman (India)|godmen]] while spreading awareness of dangerous [[superstition]]s. Premanand was the founder of the [[Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations]], the convener of [[Indian CSICOP]], and the owner-publisher-editor of the monthly magazine ''The Indian Skeptic'', which investigates [[Paranormal Activity|paranormal]] claims in India.

==Early life==
In the 1940s, Premanand quit school to take part in the [[Quit India Movement]]. With that his traditional schooling ended. His next seven years were spent in the newly started Sri-Steila Gurukula, where the [[Santiniketan|Shantiniketan-Wardha]] brand of education was imparted.<ref name="NIC">{{cite news|url=http://www.vichar.nic.in/allinthegame/individual_30.asp |title=National Awardees for Science Popularisation |publisher=NIC |accessdate=2008-05-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410063512/http://vichar.nic.in/Allinthegame/individual_30.asp |archivedate=10 April 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref>  He was strongly influenced by [[Helena Blavatsky]] in his early years and in 1976 met the [[Sri Lanka]]n skeptic [[Abraham Kovoor]] during his Miracle Exposure lecture tour in India. Since then, Premanand became a [[Critics of Theosophy|critic of Theosophy]], and succeeded Kovoor after he died in 1978.<ref name=Outlook>{{cite web|title=The Spell Breaker|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262445|publisher=Outlook|accessdate=25 June 2013|author=Rahul Singh|date=2 November 2009}}</ref>

==Activism==
Around 1975 Premanand started publicly denouncing the Indian [[Godman (Hindu ascetic)|godman]] [[Sathya Sai Baba]], and devoted his life to exposing godmen and [[paranormal]] phenomena.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/3813469.stm | title=Sai Baba: God-man or con man? |work=BBC | date= 2004-06-17 | first=Tanya | last=Datta | accessdate = 2007-02-24}}</ref> He was arrested in 1986 by the police for marching, with 500 volunteers, towards [[Puttaparthi]], the town where the guru's main [[ashram]] is located; in the same year he sued Sathya Sai Baba for [[Materialization (parapsychology)|materializing]] gold objects in violation of the [[Gold Control Act]]. The case was dismissed, whereupon Premanand put in an appeal on the ground that spiritual power is not a defence recognised in law, which was also unsuccessful.<ref name="BBC" /> In 1993, he published his book ''Murders in Sai Baba's Bedroom,'' about the killing of six inmates at Sathya Sai Baba's [[ashram]], which he claimed was overlooked by the authorities.<ref name=Outlook /> His allegations against Sai Baba further include sexual and economic offences. Premanand claimed that he survived four [[murder attempt]]s and bore [[injuries]] from beatings for his activism,<ref name=BBC /> and was known as one of Sathya Sai Baba's most vocal critics.<ref name=TOI>{{cite web|title=His harshest critics died with a wish unfulfilled|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-25/india/29470884_1_sathya-sai-baba-whitefield-ashram-miracles|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928203813/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-25/india/29470884_1_sathya-sai-baba-whitefield-ashram-miracles|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 September 2013|accessdate=27 June 2013|author=Sushil Rao|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=25 April 2011}}</ref>

Premanand used his skills as an amateur [[Magic (illusion)|magician]] to try to give a natural explanation for some of the alleged [[miracle]]s of gurus and godmen. ''Guru Busters'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eagletv.co.uk/projects/guru-busters.html|title=Guru Busters}}</ref> the documentary by the British filmmaker Robert Eagle,<ref>https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1010180/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=July 2022}}</ref> features Premanand displaying and teaching his own interpretation and explanation for many supposedly supernatural stunts, such as [[Levitation (physics)|levitation]], flesh-piercing and live burials.<ref>{{cite web|title=An Indian Skeptic's explanation of miracles|url=http://mukto-mona.net/Articles/yuktibaadi.htm|publisher=Mukto Mona|accessdate=15 May 2013}}</ref> He took an active part in the ''Vigyan Yatra'' ("Rally for Science") organised by Maharashtra Lok Vidnyan in 1982 to [[Public awareness of science|popularise science and scientific thinking]], as well as in the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha held in 1987 espousing the same cause.<ref name="NIC" /> He is also credited with the formation of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANiS) in 1989.<ref name="Quack2011">{{cite book|author=Johannes Quack|title=Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNbxUwhS5RUC&pg=PA101|accessdate=27 June 2013|date=22 November 2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-981260-8|pages=98, 99, 101}}</ref>

On 7 February 1997, Premanand founded the [[Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations]],<ref name=Quack2011 /> which tours Indian villages to spread his natural explanations of gurus and [[fakir]]s whom he considered [[fraud]]s or [[self-deceived]].<ref name="BBC" /> He was the convener of [[Indian CSICOP]], a [[Tamil Nadu]]-based skeptic group which is an affiliate of [[CSICOP]]. He was the owner-publisher-editor of the monthly magazine ''The Indian Skeptic'', which "publishes articles on the scientific investigation of apparently paranormal occurrences with a special emphasis on cases from India".

Once referred to in a [[BBC]] anti-guru show as India's leading guru-buster,<ref name="BBC" /> Premanand was "honoured by the government with its highest award for the promotion of scientific values among the public."<ref>''The Telegraph'', Calcutta: Sunday, 21 November 2004</ref>

==The paranormal challenge==
In 1963, [[Abraham Kovoor]] offered an [[Abraham Kovoor's challenge|award of INR100,000]] to anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under foolproof and fraud-proof conditions. After Kovoor's death in 1978, Premanand continued his challenge by offering INR100,000 to any person who could demonstrate psychic, supernatural of paranormal ability of any kind under satisfactorily observed conditions. This challenge has not been contested and won.<ref name=Outlook />

==Death==
Premanand was diagnosed with [[cancer]] in 2006 and underwent major surgery. He died on 4 October 2009 at [[Podanur]], [[Tamil Nadu]] and, according to his wishes,<ref>[http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/727-sad-but-expected-news.html James Randi Educational Foundation Obituary]</ref> his body was donated to a local medical college. He was succeeded by [[Narendra Nayak]] and his property, assets and the copyright of his 26 books were given to The Federation for Indian Rationalists Association.<ref name=Outlook />

==Books and pamphlets==
{{Unreferenced section|date= April 2022}}

===In English===

# ''Science versus Miracles''
# ''Lure of Miracles''
# ''Divine Octopus''
# ''The Storm of Godmen, God and Diamond Smuggling''
# ''Satya Sai Greed''
# ''Satya Sai Baba & Gold Control Act''
# ''Satya Sai Baba & Kerala Land Reforms Act''
# ''Investigate Balayogi''
# ''United Front - FIRA 2nd National Conference''
# ''Murders in Sai Baba's Bedroom''
# ''A. T. Kovoor Octogenary Souvenir''

===In Malayalam===

# ''Saibabayude Kalikal''
# ''Saidasikal Devadasikal''
# ''Pinthirippanmarude Masterplan''

== See also ==
* [[List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal]]
* [[Prabir Ghosh]]
* [[Sanal Edamaruku]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.indiansceptic.in/ Indian Skeptic official website]
** [http://www.indian-skeptic.org/html/svm1.htm More about Premanand ]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/itsmystory_280803.shtml BBC radio documentary about Premanand (in RealAudio format)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050812081438/http://www.csicop.org/si/2003-01/dont-try-this.html ''Skeptical Inquirer'' article on B. Premanand]
* [http://www.eagletv.co.uk/projects/guru-busters.html Guru Busters documentary]

{{Skeptic Organizations}}
{{Sathya Sai Baba}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Premanand, Basava}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:2009 deaths]]
[[Category:Critics of Sathya Sai Baba]]
[[Category:Critics of Theosophy]]
[[Category:Former Theosophists]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in India]]
[[Category:Indian atheism activists]]
[[Category:Indian sceptics]]
[[Category:Indian rationalists]]
[[Category:Indian science communicators]]
[[Category:People from Kozhikode]]
[[Category:Prizes for proof of paranormal phenomena]]