26 Facts About Sanal Edamaruku

Sanal Edamaruku was born on 26 May 1955 and is an Indian author and rationalist.

Sanal Edamaruku is the founder-president and editor of Rationalist International, the president of the Indian Rationalist Association and the author of 36 books and other articles.

Sanal Edamaruku became a rationalist-atheist activist at the age of 15, after seeing a neighbourhood athlete's death when her family refused medical treatment because they believed in faith healing.

Sanal Edamaruku has been active in the Indian Rationalist Association from the age of 15.

In February 2011, Sanal Edamaruku was elected as a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

Sanal Edamaruku conducted investigation and campaigns in Indian villages, targeting mystics, god men and practices he deems superstitious.

Sanal Edamaruku has helped in building Indian Atheist Publishers, which is Asia's largest atheist publishing house.

Sanal Edamaruku convened nine International Rationalist Conferences held in 1995,2000,2002,2005,2016,2017,2019, and 2024.

In December 2013, Sanal Edamaruku launched a new quarterly English language magazine The Rationalist on his blog.

On 3 March 2008, while appearing on a panel TV show, Sanal Edamaruku challenged a tantrik to demonstrate his powers by killing him using only magic.

In March 2012, Sanal Edamaruku investigated a report that a crucifix at Our Lady of Velankanni church in Mumbai was dripping water from the feet.

Sanal Edamaruku was invited to investigate by TV9 of Mumbai with the consent of the church authorities.

Sanal Edamaruku went with an engineer to the site where the alleged miracle had happened, and traced the source of the drip to the rear side.

Sanal Edamaruku found that the water was seeping through the feet because of capillary action and faulty plumbing.

Sanal Edamaruku refused and on 31 July 2012 moved to Finland.

Sanal Edamaruku is a frequent critic of Hindu astrology and other practices he deems superstititious.

Sanal Edamaruku has accused Indian Godmen of mostly being charlatans amassing wealth and property from supposed miracles.

Sanal Edamaruku has been a critic of Mother Teresa, publicly attacking her legacy in Kolkata.

Sanal Edamaruku has spoken out against the Catholic Church's veneration of Mother Teresa and the miracle cure of Monica Besra, who was reportedly cured after a medallion was placed on her by nuns.

Sanal Edamaruku said that her cure could be reasonably ascribed to the treatment she received in a government hospital in Balurghat and the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.

Sanal Edamaruku considers the Indian rationalist movement an "inspiring example for many western rationalists to awaken, activate and rejuvenate their own organisations", with India's rationalists being "on the frontline of the battle between science and superstition".

Sanal Edamaruku has been critical of India's blasphemy laws, describing them as "relics of colonial legislation" which have been abused to "hound and silence" intellectuals and artists who question religious beliefs.

Sanal Edamaruku argues that the real danger here is less the verdict and more the "pre-trial punishment".

In 2020, Indian authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice for Sanal Edamaruku, residing in Finland.

The Red Notice, a request to locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or prosecution, was sought by the Central Bureau of Investigation after Sanal Edamaruku was accused of defrauding a government employee, Prameela Devi, of 15 lakhs.

Devi, a rationalist, alleged that Sanal Edamaruku had promised her a visa, job, and residence permit in Finland in exchange for the money, even pressuring her for a bank loan to acquire the sum.