Dr. Abraham Kovoor exposes Dr. Bhagavantam & Sai Baba

 

Bubbles Vol.1.No.3.March  1986 Page 1

Exposing Sai Baba and his Gullible Scientist Accomplice

Dr. Kovoor’s Speech at the First  Divine Miracle Exposure Campaign

Thank you Jyoti, for that brief introduction. I am glad to see that a lot families with children are interested in Rationalism. Indian Rationalists truly deservc to celebrate their Silver Jubliee in such a grand scale. Again my congratulations to the organizers. Without further delay let me get to the main subject of my lecture.

A few months ago the editor of a popular malyalam weekly of India wrote me a letter saying that the Editorial Board of his weekly has decided to publish a symposium on “SATHYA SAI BABA – IS HE AN INCARNATION OF GOD OR A CHARLATAN?”, and wanted me to be the first contributor to the series.

My article was serialized in three issues.
It was then followed by two articles countering my thesis by Dr. S.Bhagavantham, M.Sc., D.Sc., Ph.D., a former scientific adviser to the Government of India.

Dr. Bhagavantham started his article by saying that in his youth he was a rationalist like me, but after witnessing some of the ‘miracles’ of Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba, he had to give up his rationalism.

He then continued to describe numerous ‘miracles’ said to have been performed by Sathya Sai Baba at various times in various places. There was absolutely no mention in the two articles of any one having conducted investigations to establish that they were all genuine miracles, and not conjurer’s tricks. The two articles appeared to be clear examples of how unscientific even a good scientist can become if he is a victim of religio-maniacal neurosis or just avaricious.

In the whole lot of the miracle stories mentioned by Dr. Bhagavantham, there was only one that was amenable to investigation.

Let me quote that part:
One of the Cock and Bull Stories Propagated By Saibaba’s Chief devotee

“After completing the Seiko series of watches he made the model of a more superior type, and kept it in his safe for further tests.

“While touring in India he paid a visit to Sathya Sai Baba’s abode just out of curiosity. On seeing the Japanese gentleman among the devotees Sathya Sai Baba materialized a small parcel from the air and gave him. On opening the parcel he was astonished to see the same watch that was kept in his safe. When he saw along with the watch the silk ribbon and the label with the new name of the watch and its price marked on it, all his doubts about the divine powers of Sathya Sai Baba simply melted away. He fell prostrate at Sathya Sai Baba’s feet and worshipped him. Since then he is an ardent devotee of the Bhagawan. “

“On his return to Japan, he was shocked to see that the watch he had kept in his safe was not there. What his Personal Secretary told him was still more startling. The Secretary said that a divine-looking person with bushy hair walked into the office one day, opened the safe and walked away with the watch.”

Does Dr. Bhagavantham, who is the holder of covetable qualifications in science, think that a thesis of this nature to prove the miraculous powers of a man, by any scientist, will be accepted by an academic body of scientists if it is not backed by scientific investigations and fool-proof evidence?

Although Dr. Bhagavantham is reluctant to test the veracity of his Godman’s miraculous powers, I decided to do it myself. With this aim in view I wrote the following letter to Dr. Bhagavantham:

“Tiruvalla”, Pamankada Lane,

Colombo-6, Sept. 11, 1973.

“Dear Dr. Bhagavantham,

I read your story about a Japanese watch manufacturer getting his own watch that was kept in a safe in Japan, materialized in India from air by Sathya Sai Baba.

My scientific attitude does not permit me to accept this fantastic story as true without verification. The reported statement of his personal Secretary enhances my doubt. The first reaction of a responsible Secretary when a stranger walks into the office and opens the safe would be to raise the alarm and to summon the police.

As I feel it is unscientific even for a scientist to believe this type of cock-and-bull story without verification, I request you to kindly let me know the name and address of this Japanese so that I may verify the truth about it.

Your failure to help me to conduct this investigation by withholding this information, will lead me to suspect your sincerity and honesty, and discard all what you have said about Sathya Sai Baba as utter falsehood deliberately propagated with ulterior motive and vested interest.

Yours in search of Truth,

Abraham T. Kovoor”

See also the major Indian Skeptic article Dr. S. Bhagavantam and Seiko Watch Miracle

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Information on the Public Petition for Official Investigations of Sathya Sai Baba and His Worldwide Organization
See also Devotee attacks on the Sai petition and petitioners