The Indian Rationalist: State Committee

President

Ismail Pillai

Vice President

Soly Edamaruku

General Secretary

Kalliyoor Prasannaraj

Secretaries

Mohandas Aluva

R.Nagesh

B. Manojlal

State Committee Members

Dr.Renny Antony

P.A.Rajiv

K.Krishnankutty

A.C.George

Gopalji Manjummel

Shanti Sivan
Aby George
G.S.Babu
T.A.Sivan

INDIAN RATIONALIST ASSOCIATION

India's largest rationalist organisation. Founded in 1949. Fights for scientific temper, secularism, freedom of thought and expression. Defends reason and science. Exposes superstition, blind belief, obscurantism, paranormal claims caste-based social divisions and guru-politics nexus. Strives for a post-religious society.

NationalPresident

Sanal Edamaruku

Kerala State

President:Ismail Pillai

Secretary:

Kalliyoor Prasannaraj

Ernakulam District

President: Shanti Sivan

Secreatary: Mohandas Aluva

EDAMARUKU

Joseph Edamaruku, born on 7 September 1934 in the southern Indian state Kerala, is an eminent rationalist, scholar and author of 168 books and more than two thousand articles in Malayalam language. Since 1977 he lives in Delhi and represents Kerala Sabdam group of newspapers. Joseph Edamaruku edited daily newspapers and mass circulated magazines, published rationalist journals, addressed numerous meetings and influenced the way of thinking of a whole generation in Kerala. An indefatigable campaigner against obscurantism, superstitions and blind belief, Edamaruku represents a colorful era of Indian rationalism. He was the president of Indian Rationalist Association from 1995 to 2005. Hailing from a traditional Syrian Christian family that contributed bishops and priests to the church, close experience with the church and Bible education made him a rationalist while still in his teens. He became an activist, married Soley from a Hindu family and challenged caste marriages. He was instrumental in building up the strong rationalist movement in Kerala. He spent two spells in prison, in 1970 and in 1975 during the National Emergency. In 1979 he received International Atheist Award from American Atheists. His autobiography, The Times that Raised the Tempest won award from the Kerala Literary Academy as the best autobiography in Malayalam. Important books: Cultural History of Kerala (1977), Christ and Krishna never lived (1981), Quran - a Critical Study (1982), Bhagavad Gita - a Critical Study (1982), Rationalist State (1983) and Upanishads - a critical Study (2004) and a series of 36 books on world religions (1984-1987).

M.C.Joseph

Mookencheril Cherian Joseph, (born 6 January 1887 - 26 October 1981) popularly known as Yukthivadi M. C. Joseph was an eminent rationalist from Kerala, India. M. C. Joseph was born on January 6, 1887 at Thripunithura in Kerala. His father was Mookencheril Kuncheria and mother Maria. After his education, he took up his career as a lawyer. He was one of the founders of Yukthivadi, the first ever rationalist/atheist magazine in Malayalam along with Ramavarma Thampan, C. Krishnan, C. V. Kunjiraman, and Sahodaran Ayyappan. The first issue of the Yukthivadi was brought out on August, 1929. Sahodaran Ayyappan was the first editor of the magazine. Two years later M. C. Joseph took over the editorship and successfully continued its publication without any interruption for the next 45 years. His famous column Kurippukal (Notes) carried scathing criticism of all organized religions, superstitions, and undemocratic and authoritarian political systems. During his tenure as its editor, the magazine got so identified with its editor that he came to be known as Yukthivadi M. C. Joseph. In July 1974, at the age of 87, he handed over the magazine to Unni Kakkanand. M. C. Joseph died on October 26, 1981 at the age of 94. As per his wishes, the body was handed over to Calicut Medical College.

Periyar E V Ramaswamy

Periyar E. V. Ramasamy (September 17, 1879 - December 24, 1973), also known as Ramaswami, EVR, Thanthai Periyar, or Periyar, was a Dravidian social reformer and politician from India, who founded the Self-Respect Movement and Dravidar Kazhagam. He is considered an icon of rationalism. and is most famous for his Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu. Periyars primary principles of focus was on rationalism, self-respect, social reform, eradication of caste, and women’s rights. To his followers and admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of humanity and the preservation of Dravidian cultures. He was a man who indicted Indo-Aryan India in the harshest terms for its exploitation, imposition, and marginalization of the indigenous Dravidian peoples who were non-Brahmin. Those who had a dislike for Periyar accused him of attacking Hinduism and the Brahmin community. But his was targeted against Brahminism and not Brahmins, and the manipulation of Hinduism and not Hinduism as a faith. He has been listed amongst the top 100 most influential people amongst Tamil society of the 20th century.

Sahodaran Ayyappan

Sahodaran Ayyappan was born into a traditional Ezhava family of Cherai in Ernakulam district as the son of Kumabalathuparambil Kochavu Vaidyar and Unnuli on 21 August 1889. He lost his father at an early age and was brought up under the guidance of his elder brother Achuthan Vaidyar. After having his school education primarily in Cherai and North Paravoor, Ayyappan did his pre-university course at the Malabar Christian College, Kozhikode. He had to discontinue his further education for the time being while at Madras due to ill health.

The Indian Rationalist

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State Committee

INDIAN RATIONALIST ASSOCIATION

EDAMARUKU

M.C.Joseph

A.T.KOVOOR

Periyar E V Ramaswamy

Sahodaran Ayyappan

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