Basava Premanand
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Basava Premanand was born around 1930. A devotee of Indian guru Satya Saibaba for several years, he lost a major part of his property given to a Sai Baba Trust which he wished to manage. Disillusioned, around 1975 he turned against Sai Baba and now is a full time Indian skeptic from Tamil Nadu, publisher of the magazine the Indian Skeptic and chairman of the Indian CSICOP. He toured around in the villages of India to educate people by debunking gurus and fakirs whom he considers frauds or self deceived.
He is an amateur magician and used these skills to give a natural explanation of the alleged miracles of gurus and god men. His most frequent and famous target is the Indian guru Sathya Sai Baba whom he tried to sue.
The BBC desribed him as India's leading guru buster.
External links
- Indian Skeptic official Website (http://www.indian-skeptic.org/html/)
- More about Premanand (http://www.indian-skeptic.org/html/svm1.htm)
- BBC radio documentary about Premanand (in RealAudio format) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/itsmystory_280803.shtml)
- BBC News World service article by reporter Tany Datta Sai Baba: God-man or con man? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/3813469.stm)