SANAL EDAMARUKU
SANAL
EDAMARUKU
Sanal Edamaruku is an Indian born author, rationalist and free speech activist, now living in Helsinki, Finland.
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​He was born in Thodupuzha, in Kerala state in 1955 and spent his childhood in Kottayam where his father Joseph Edamaruku, a famous author and journalist, worked in Malayala Manorama, the largest circulated newspaper in Kerala. Both his parents Joseph and Soley came from two different religions - Christianity and Hinduism. They both were writers and pioneers of the rationalist movement in Kerala.
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Sanal Edamaruku was brought up naturally without any religious indoctrination. He was the first student in India who joined a school without any religion or caste in school records.
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Sanal has a first-class post-graduate degree in Political Science from the University of Kerala (Trivandrum) and M.Phil from the School of International Studies of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi. He also has a postgraduate diploma in Journalism. During his research for Ph.D. in JNU, Sanal joined the International diplomatic mission of Afro-Asian Rural Reconstruction Organisation (AARRO) and served in India and Japan. He also edited its journal Rural Reconstruction. By the end of 1983, he resigned from the diplomatic job to focus his attention on the rationalist movement and to publish books. Indian Atheist Publishers, started by Sanal is Asia's largest freethought publishing house now.
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Sanal Edamaruku served Indian Rationalist Association as its General Secretary from 1984 to 2005 and as its president since then. He founded the Rationalist International in 1995 during the 1st International Rationalist Conference held in New Delhi. He also edited the English journal Modern freethinker and Malayalam journal Therali.
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Sanal Edamaruku is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (USA), an Honorary Associate of the Rationalist Association of the UK; Honorary Associate of Rationalist and Humanist Association of New Zealand; and the President of Rationalist International.
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As a journalist, Sanal Edamaruku wrote regular columns in Kerala Sabdam and occasional columns in The Times of India (Mumbai) and The Guardian (London).
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Sanal Edamaruku's books and articles deal mainly with rationalist thoughts and they are critical of superstition, especially in India. His writings are translated into many Indian languages and English, French, German, Spanish, Polish, and Finnish. He has traveled and lectured in many countries and spoken in International Conferences.
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Edamaruku organised 9 International Rationalist Conference, in 1995, 2000, 2022, 2005, 2005, 2016, 2017, 2019, and in 2024.
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Sanal Edamaruku describes his program as “bringing about a social and intellectual climate-change by strengthening reason, scientific attitude, the pursuit for knowledge, personal confidence and reducing the influence of superstition, irrational fear, and blind obedience.”
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His campaigns attracted wide international attention and he was featured on TV channels like Discovery, BBC, Channel IV, and CNN, and in the international print media including New York Times, Washington Post, The Independent, The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Time, Newsweek, and Asia Week.
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During 1994-95 Sanal Edamaruku led an all India campaign of 18 months, traveling through hundreds of Indian villages to promote scientific attitude and to educate the public against superstitions. The famous three-episode British documentary Gurubusters is based on this campaign. (Watch a clip from Gurubusters)
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As an active TV personality, Sanal Edamaruku has appeared in hundreds of TV programs and he has spoken in all major Indian TV channels defending science and rationalism. In one TV discussion in 2008, when a Guru claimed to have the power to kill anyone by mantra chanting and tantra rituals, he challenged the Guru to kill him to prove the claim. This became a landmark TV program in the history of Indian television. (Watch The Great Tantra Challenge).
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As a rationalist, skeptic, freethinker, humanist, and atheist, he advocates fulness of life by enriching and enjoying civilization, art and culture - not by faith and prayers.
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Sanal Edamaruku is closely associated with art and culture. He is a trained Kathakali dancer and directed Kathakali plays. He also performs the traditional Kerala percussion instrument Edakka. While in Delhi, he served as the President of the International Centre for Kathakali. He was also the president of the Kerala School in Delhi Canning Road, and a Resource Person of National Science Centre (New Delhi) when he left for Finland in 2012 following a controversial miracle exposure on TV. (Watch the CNN report on the Mumbai miracle)
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Since he found that the source of the "miraculous" water dripping crucifix in a Mumbai church 2012 was leaky toilet drainage line, and explained that on TV, there were threats to his life and safety. The Mumbai archbishop and the President of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) demanded his apology for stopping the blasphemy cases against him and the threats to his life. He refused to apologize and moved to Helsinki for his safety and continues his activities at a global level from there. (Read a BBC report on the controversial Mumbai miracle and Sanal Edamaruku's life).
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Sanal Edamaruku continues his work from Finland, traveling across the world and speaking at various events/conferences. He also organizes International Rationalist Conferences every year - the last one at the University of Cambridge in the UK in 2019.
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Sanal Edamaruku's blogs in English
Sanal Edamaruku's blogs in Malayalam


James Randi : "Sanal Edamaruku is My Hero."
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An Interview with Sanal Edamaruku during TAM 2013 conference by "Friendly Atheist".
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Flying Fakirs and Starving Saints - Sanal Edamaruku's speech in Las Vegas (USA) during TAM conference by James Randi Education Foundation


Richard Dawkins : "Sanal Edamaruku, a True Rationalist Hero."
Interview with Sanal Edamaruku by Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - 1
Interview with Sanal Edamaruku by Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science - 2


BBC: "Sanal Edamaruku - India's top 'Miracle-Buster."
Miracle Buster Stuck in Finland - Read BBC Report
India's Top Miracle Buster - BBC World Radio report
Books authored by Sanal Edamaruku
In English
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Modernisation of Kerala Tribes - A Case Study of Kanikkar Tribe, Master of Arts (MA) Dissertation, Trivandrum, Kerala, India, 1978
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India-Pakistan Relations and Foreign Policy - The Bhutto Era, Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Dissertation, New Delhi, 1982
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“Bhagwan” Rajneesh and the Dilemma of his religion (co-authored with Fritz Eric Hoevels and Peter Priskil), Freethought International, New Delhi, and Ahriman Verlag, Germany1993
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The Key to the Future of Rationalism, RI Books, New Delhi, 2000
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Liberation from the Dark Dungeons of Blind Belief in “Skeptical Odysseys” ed. Paul Kurtz, Prometheus Books, New York, 2000
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Reincarnation claims in India - scientific investigative studies, New Delhi, 2001
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In Malayalam
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​Indo China and Burma (Indochina and Burma, In the series World Nations), Kottayam, 197
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Vedas - A critical evaluation (Vedangal Oru Vimarshana Patanam), New Delhi, 1982
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Freedom, Democracy, and Self Sufficiency), New Delhi, 1984
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Neelakkoduveli (novel), New Delhi, 1984
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Torture methods Through Centuries (Peedana Murakal Noottandukaliloode), New Delhi, 1985
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Sacrificial Rituals (Puthrkameshti), New Delhi,1992
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Mantras, Tantras and Godmen (Manthrangal, Thanthrangal, Manushya Daivangal), collection of essays, New Delhi, 1993
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Neelakkoduveli (novel), New Delhi, 1994
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The politics of Ganesha (Ganapathi Rashtreeyam), New Delhi, 1994
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Life-after Death and Past Life Memories, (Maranananthara Jeevitham Mithya), New Delhi, 1995
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Appropriate Technology in Rural Life (Natan Sankethika Vidya), Trivandrum, Kerala,1995
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Divyadbhuthangal Noottandukaliloode (Miracles Through Ages), New Delhi, 1995
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The importance of Scientific Attitude (Shastreeya Sameepanathinte Pradhanyam), New Delhi, 1997
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Sanmarganishtante Ikkilikal, novel, New Delhi, 1997
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Epidemics, Vaccines, and Evidence Based Medicines (Pakarcha Vyadhikal, Vaccine, Thelivu Thedunna Chikitsayum), New Delhi, 1998
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The Ganesh Politics (Ganapathi Rashtreeyam), New Delhi, 1998
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Common Superstitions and the Scientific Attitude (Andhavishvasangalum Shasthreeya Sameepanavum), New Delhi, 1999
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Kanjikkode Rani and Saraswathi’s Incarnation Kanjikkod Raniyum Saraswathiyude Avatharavum), New Delhi, 2000
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Pranayapoorvam Vadhasthambhathilekk (To gallows with Love), New Delhi, 2001
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Gandhi and Godese (Gandhiyum Godeyum), a book on Freedom on Expression, New Delhi,2003
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Jesus Christ and Poltergeist (Yesukristhuvum Kuttichathanum), New Delhi, 2003
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Science vs. Superstitions, (Shasthravum Andhavishvasangalum), 2005
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Science and Miracles (Shasthravum Divyadbhuthangalum), New Delhi, 2006
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Conflicts and Challenges (Sangharshangal, Velluvilikal), New Delhi, 2007
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Changing Faces of Europe (4 parts),travelogues, (Europpinte Marunna Mughangal), New Delhi, 2010
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Guru Who Tried to Kill me With Black Magic (Manthram Kondu Kollan Shramicha Guruvinu Munnil), New Delhi 2010
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Arabian Spring (Arabian Vasantham), New Delhi, 2011
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Science Behind Miracles (Divyadbhuthangalum Shasthravum), New Delhi, 2014
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Translations from English to Malayalam
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Christianity and Sexual Morality by Joseph Lewis (A section of his book “Ten Commandments”), New Delhi 1980
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The Libery of Man Woman and Children by Robert green Ingersoll (Purushanteyum Streeyudeyum Kunjinteyum Swathnthryam), New Delhi, 1982.
Editor of Translations Into Malayalam language
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The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (Jeevi vargangalude Utbhavam), editor Sanal Edamaruku, translator Sivarama Panicker, New Delhi, 1985
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Christianity and Sexual Morality by Joseph Lewis (kristhumathavum Limgika Manasasthravum), New Delhi, 1988
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Martyrdom of Man by William Winwood Read (Manushyante Rakthasakshithvam), editor Sanal Edamaruku, translator G. Jayan, 1990
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Ancient Society by Lewis Henry Morgan (Pracheena Manushya Samooham), editor Sanal Edamaruku, translator G. Jayan, 1993
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Selected essays of Robert Green Ingersoll (Ingersolinte Thiranjedutha Kruthikal), editor Sanal Edamatuku, translated by different authors, New Delhi, 1995
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The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud (Swapnangalude Apagradhanam) editor Sanal Edamaruku, translator G.Jayan, New Delhi, 1997
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Forbidden Fruit by Paul Kurtz (in four parts), (Vilakkeppetta Kani), editor Sanal Edamaruku, 1999
In the editorial board of Encyclopeadias
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World Nations (Loka Rashtrangal), Kottayam, 1980
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Encyclopaedia of Unbelief, Prometheus Books, New Yoork 2000