Dr.H. Narasimhaiah (6 June 1920 — 31 January 2005) was a physicist, educator and rationalist from Bangalore.

Career

He received his Master's degree in Physics from Central College, Bangalore, and his degree in Nuclear physics from Ohio State University. He joined National College, Bangalore as a lecturer in physics and later become the Principal of the College. He was a Visiting Professor at Southern Illinois University. In 1962, he founded the Bangalore Science Forum, which conducts a weekly series of public lectures on science topics.

Rationality

From 1972-1977, he was the Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore University . During his tenure in this post, he constituted and chaired The Committee to Investigate Miracles and Other Verifiable Superstitions, to scientifically investigate claims of miracles and paranormal phenomena. The committee challenged the claims of Sathya Sai Baba, one of the most prominent godmen of India, who said that he could materialize holy ash and gold chain from nothing. A public controversy ensued, causing some of the godman's followers to desert him. The committee was also involved in a controversy with Sai Krisha of Pandavapura (a tiny village near Mysore), a mini-avatar and an alleged protégé of Sathya Sai Baba.

A Hindu by birth, Narasimhaiah often refused to follow religious beliefs blindly. He refused to tonsure his head when his father died and more famously, ate food during a solar eclipse to show it does not cause indigestion, a reason for which some hindus go on fasting.

Awards

Narasimhaiah was conferred the Padmabushana , one of the top civilian awards instituted by Government of India for his services in the field of education. He received the Tamrapatra award for his participation in the Indian Freedom Struggle.

References

• Haraldsson, Erlendur Ph.D. Miracles are my visiting cards ISBN 81-86822-32-1, published by Sai Towers, Prashanthi Nilayam (1997) chapter 21 The Critics
• Narasimhaiah, Dr. H. (Editor) Science, Nonscience and Paranormal, Bangalore Science Forum (1987)

External links

• tereda mana - Written by H Narasimhaiah, in Kannada.
• vicharamantapa.net - Rationalistic Literature in Kannada.
• Champion of pure sciences in an IT hub by A. Narayana Article in the newspaper The Hindu April 4, 2004
• Biography at Rationalist International
• Tributes to H.Narasimhaiah
• H.Narasimhaiah passes into history
• Past & Present Rationalist and nationalist article by Ramachandra Guha in The Hindu February 27, 2005