Rows erupt as 'Garbhavigyan', ‘gomutra’ mentions crop up at IITs

The elite Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) were once conceived to promote scientific and technological advancement in the country. However, at least two of these have hit the headlines recently for exactly the opposite reasons.

While the director of one has apparently praised the “medicinal value” of gomutra (cow urine), the campus of another hosted an event on “Garbhavigyan” (the science of producing good progeny).

“Qualities” of cow urine

In the first case, a viral video clip on social media purportedly shows IIT-Madras director V Kamakoti praising the “medicinal value” of gomutra. The speech was reportedly recorded during an event at a Go Samrakshana Shala (cow shelter) in Chennai on Maatu Pongal day (January 15).

The director reportedly endorsed the “anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and digestive properties” of gomutra and said it is useful for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. He reportedly made the comment while narrating an anecdote from the life of a sanyasi (holy man) who consumed gomutra when he had high fever.

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“Larger context”

According to news agency PTI, sources in IIT-Madras confirmed that the remarks were made by Kamatkoti. They claimed that since the IIT-M director is also an “organic farmer”, he spoke at the goshala event and his remarks had a “larger context”.

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram slammed the remark, saying, “Peddling pseudoscience by @iitmadras Director is most unbecoming @IMAIndiaOrg.”

“Science of the womb”

This comes close on the heels of the an IIT-Bombay group organising an event on “Garbhavigyan” on the campus of the elite institute. According to a Times of India report, those who subscribe to the campus events mailer received the notification about the talk on the subject by an Ayurveda expert from Sanskruti Arya Gurukulam on Saturday (January 18).

The mail reportedly also mentioned what the “science of the womb” would cover: factors that influence the inner and outer qualities of a child, how ancestors influence these qualities, health of the mother and foetus during pregnancy, preparation of the mind and body before pregnancy, and the consequences of carelessness during pregnancy, among other things.

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IIT-B’s explanation

Apparently, young adults, parents of young children, researchers, and educators were welcome to attend the talk.

While several students were miffed with the organisation of such a “pseudoscientific” event in an engineering institute, an IIT-B official told TOI that the seminar was organised by the institute’s Sanskrit Cell and would be conducted by an Ayurvedic expert and, therefore, it was not pseudoscience.

The official also told TOI that since the topic was not politically sensitive, it was not reviewed by the institute’s review committee. The official asserted that traditional Indian knowledge and science should also be open for discussion, adding that “Garbhavigyan” or the “systematic study of pregnancy” sheds light on healthy pregnancy practices from Ayurveda learned by experience.