Joseph Edamaruku
From Philosopedia
Edamaruku, Joseph (7 September 1934 - 29 June 2006)
Edamaruku, who was born in the southern Indian state of Kerala, was a rationalist, scholar, and author of 168 books and more than two thousand articles in the Malayalam language.
Since 1977 he had lived in Delhi and represented the Kerala Sabdam group of newspapers. He 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 represented an era of Indian rationalism.
He was the president of Indian Rationalist Association from 1995 to 2005. Born into a traditional Syrian Christian family that contributed bishops and priests to the church, he had a close experience with the church and Bible education, becoming 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 was imprisoned 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. He also wrote 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). In addition he wrote a series of 36 books on world religions (1984-1987).
Joseph Edamaruku's son, Sanal Edamaruku, is President of the Indian Rationalist Association and Rationalist International.
Edamaruku died in his sleep. His eyes were donated to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, the anatomy department of which received his body for use by medical students.
At the Indian Rationalist Association’s international conference held in New Delhi in 1995, Edamaruku gave a history of the association.
