Several people across the scientific community have come out to publicly defend the Padma Shri awarded to IIT Madras director V Kamakoti for his contribution to the field of science. While Professor Kamakoti was announced as a recipient of Padma Shri for his collective contributions to national development through technology, Congress alleged that the award was for his previous remarks on cow urine benefits. Congress said that he received the honour for taking ‘Goumutra’ to the global stage.
Congress’sremarks triggered a wider row which involved Mohandas Pai and Sridhar Vembu. “These are Morons who cannot even appreciate the high achievements of a great academic. What a shame these folks are. @Jairam_Ramesh this is outrageous. Is this what @INCIndia is all about- a rag tag bunch of abusive people with no pretext to decency? Cry, my beloved country!” ex-Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai posted on X.
Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu backed Prof Kamakoti and praised his accomplishments as a deep tech researcher. He argued that dismissing traditional Indian knowledge without scientific inquiry is a sign of a “slavish colonial mindset”.
“I have defended him on scientific grounds and I will do so again: cow dung and cow urine have excellent microbiomes that could be valuable for humans. It is the slavish colonial mindset that thinks these are not scientific propositions worthy of investigation,” he posted on X.
Vembu also suggested that many people online are quick to label Indian traditions as “superstition” while accepting Western research without question. “Some day, when Harvard or MIT publish a study on this, these enslaved minds would worship that as the gospel truth,” he added.
Dear @svembu,
Research is not about quoting random Western research papers out of context. What is the outcome of all this research on cow dung and urine? And why are we limited only to cow dung? What about the excreta of buffaloes, goats, or even humans?
Recently, the outcome… https://t.co/H8ajPud4SI
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) January 26, 2026
Congress responds to Vembu’s post
Kerala Congress didn’t take well to the remarks of Vembu and responded sharply hours later. “Research is not about quoting random Western research papers out of context. What is the outcome of all this research on cow dung and urine? And why are we limited only to cow dung? What about the excreta of buffaloes, goats, or even humans?” the state Congress posted on X.
The party also questioned why Vembu was not investing in cow urine research himself if he believes in the benefits. “Since you are a billionaire who believes in the magical benefits of cow urine, why doesn’t your company invest in proper cow urine and cow dung research? If cow urine can help in healing cancer, that would be one of our greatest contributions to the world. Why don’t you take up this challenge and put the money where your mouth is?” the post further read.
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What Prof Kamakoti said about cow urine in the past?
The scientific community’s defence was prompted by a recent controversy where Kamakoti’s claims of digestive benefits of cow urine at an event had caused quite a stir online.
During an event for Mattu Pongal at a cow shelter in Chennai on January 15, Kamakoti citing research had said that cow urine possesses “anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and digestive properties” and can be a remedy for chronic conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
This statement led to many labelling the IIT Madras professor’s claims as pseudo-science and debated whether Kamakot even deserved a Padma Shri under the BJP government. Multiple political parties were also quick to join in on this trend.
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V Kamakot on receiving Padma Shri
A renowned computer scientist known for his work on the SHAKTI microprocessor (India’s first indigenous chip), Professor V. Kamakoti was announced as a recipient of Padma Shri on Sunday (January 25) for his collective contributions to technology and national development.
“The Padma Shri award means only one thing to me, that I will put all the best efforts towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047, this award is not possible as an individual, it’s a collective effort, I dedicate this award to all who contributed… It is because of them I am getting this award,” V. Kamakoti had told PTI on being announced as a recipient of the award
While he does not primarily conduct biological research, V Kamakoti recently came under public scrutiny for his remarks on cow excreta. After reviving five scientific research papers that explore the properties of cow urine, Kamakoti had said that cow urine possesses anti-bacterial and digestive properties. |
