Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations
Basava Premanand, founder-convener of FIRA
The Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) is an umbrella body of 83 (as of 2012)[1]rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist and scientific organisations in India.
As an apex body of rationalist organisations, it is committed to the development of scientific temper and humanism in India, involved in promoting tolerance, critical thinking, women's rights, secularization, and freedom of expression, and fighting against the Caste system of Hinduism and its violence (especially towards Dalit population), superstition, pseudoscience, and child marriage.
Contents
1 History
2 Affiliation to IHEU
2.1 Minimum statement
3 FIRA member organisations
4 National conferences
5 See also
5.1 Similar organisations
5.2 Rationalism and science in ancient India
6 References
7 External links
History
A banner for the 8th National Conference of FIRA held in Nagpur
There are a number of rationalist, atheist, skeptic, and secularist groups active in the states and regions of India. It was to coordinate the activities of these organisations at the national level that as part of 10th Kerala State Conference of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham, a meeting of activists from around India was convened at Trivandrum, Kerala. The meeting decided to launch a federation of all the rationalist and skeptic associations active in India. As a result, the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations was launched on February 7, 1997 at Palakkad, Kerala.[2]Basava Premanand of Indian CSICOP, Tamil Nadu was the founder-convener of the federation. Since its foundation, the FIRA membership has increased to "nearly 50" organisations in 2005,[3] to "more than 75" in 2011[4] to 83 in 2012.[1]
Dr G Vijayam, Atheist Centre, Vijayawada, was elected as the patron of the association at the 8th National Conference held in Nagpur on 11 and 12 February 2012. The conference reelected Prof Narendra Nayak of Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association, Karnataka as the national president of the association and U.Kalanathan of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham as its general secretary.[4]
Affiliation to IHEU
FIRA is affiliated to International Humanist and Ethical Union and supports minimum statement on Humanism (as required by IHEU bylaw 5.1[5]) and the Amsterdam Declaration 2002.
Minimum statement
Dr Vilas Sapkal, vice chancellor, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, inaugurating the 8th National Conference of FIRA held in Nagpur by cutting a string of seven chilies and a lemon, a charm commonly used by Hindus to ward off evil
Delegates of 8th National Conference of FIRA held in Nagpur
"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality."
FIRA member organisations
A delegate exposing a so-called 'miracle' of eating fire at the 8th FIRA conference in Nagpur
| Name | Based in | Founded | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akhil Bhartiya Anddashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti | Nagpur, Maharashtra | 1982[6][4] | National organisation | ||||
| AMOFOI (Anti-caste Marriage & One-child Family Organization of India) | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | 1980[4] | Founding unit since 1997 | ||||
| Ananthapur Rationalist Association | Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| Andhra Pradesh Rationalist Association | Khammam, Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| ARIVU | Bellary, Karnataka | ||||||
| Arjak Sangh | Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh | ||||||
| Atheist Centre | Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh | 1940 | |||||
| Atheist Society of India | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | 13th February 1972 | |||||
| AT Kovoor Memorial Trust | Kozhikode, Kerala | ||||||
| Bihar Buddhiwadi Samaj | Patna, Bihar | 1985 | |||||
| Bombay-Gujarat Rationalist Association | Ankleshwar, Gujarat | ||||||
| Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association | Mangalore, Karnataka | 1976 | |||||
| Democratic Action Forum of Dalits, Women and Minorities | Kolkata, West Bengal | ||||||
| Ekasila Activity and Education Society | Itarsi/Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh | ||||||
| Federation of Karnataka Rationalist Associations | Karnataka | State umbrella | |||||
| Freethinkers Forum | Bangalore, Karnataka | ||||||
| Goa Science Forum | Goa | ||||||
| Hyderabad Rationalist Forum | Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| Indian Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Paranormal | Podanur, Tamil Nadu | 19?? | |||||
| Jana Vijnana Vedika | Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| Karnataka Federation of Rationalist Associations | Karnataka | State umbrella | |||||
| Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham | Kerala | 1935 | [7] | ||||
Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) | Pune, Maharashtra | 1989[8] | Maharashtra state branch | ||||
| Manava Vikasa Vedika | Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh | ||||||
| Manavatavadi Vishwa Sansthan | Rajghat, Kurukshetra, Haryana | ||||||
| Mandya Science Forum | Mandya, Karnataka | ||||||
| Orissa Rationalist Association | Odisha | ||||||
| Periyar Rationalists Forum | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | ||||||
| Rationalists' Forum | Tamil Nadu | ||||||
| Rationalist Society | Haryana | ||||||
| Satya Shodhak Sabha | Surat, Gujarat | ||||||
| Science and Rationalists' Association of India | Kolkata, West Bengal | 1985 | |||||
| Science for Society | Jharkhand | 2010 | Science for Society | Bihar | 2010 | ||
| Science Trust | Kozhikode, Kerala | ||||||
| Soshit Samaj | Jharkhand | ||||||
| Tarksheel Society | Punjab | 1984[9] | [10] | ||||
| TRUST | Bhubaneswar | ||||||
| Vicharavadi Sangham | Bangalore, Karnataka | [22 Pratigya Abhiyan...Vigyan-Satya-Nirishwarwad-BhagyaAtma Dahan Ka Abhiyan]
|
 | This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. (July 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |
^ ab Sankar (8 March 2012). "VIII – FIRA National Conference – V.Kumaresan". The Modern Rationalist. Retrieved 22 August 2014..mw-parser-output cite.citationfont-style:inherit.mw-parser-output .citation qquotes:"""""""'""'".mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registrationcolor:#555.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration spanborder-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon abackground:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center.mw-parser-output code.cs1-codecolor:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-errordisplay:none;font-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-errorfont-size:100%.mw-parser-output .cs1-maintdisplay:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-formatfont-size:95%.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-leftpadding-left:0.2em.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-rightpadding-right:0.2em
^ Quack, Johannes (2012). Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-19-981260-8. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
^ Varinder Walia (12 May 2005). "FIRA's proposal". India Tribune. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ abcd "Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) - 8th National Conference". Cārvāka 4 India. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ http://www.iheu.org/bylaws
^ "Pvt. Shyam Manav, founder of Ashbhaashraddha Nirmulan Samiti". www.abans.org.in. Akhilbhartiya Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti. 17 November 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2018.All India Superstition Nirmulan Samiti has been formed in 1982 from all over Maharashtra including Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan etc.
^ Kerala Yukthivadi website
^ Priyanka Kakodkar (21 August 2013). "He was not against God but fought exploitation". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
^ Nagar, Munish (May 8, 2006), "Man With a Mission: Indian teaches science to locals to overcome superstitions", OhmyNews, retrieved August 18, 2009
^ Tarksheel website
External links
- Report on 8th National Conference of FIRA held in Nagpur in February 2012
- Report on 7th National Conference of FIRA in The Modern Rationalist
- Report on Fourth National Conference of FIRA in The Hindu
Fighting for Separation of Religion and State in India : IHEU report on the demonstration organized by FIRA in support of Secularism on Parliament Street in New Delhi.
Humanism in India today IHEU report
FIRA's Proposal : A brief report in "The Tribune", Chandigarh, on the demonstration organized by FIRA in support of Secularism on Parliament Street in New Delhi
Rationalists target yoga, spirituality, Art of Living : Report in Indian Express on the 6th National Conference of FIRA (Accessed on 2 May 2007)- Carvaka4India.com
- RationalThoughts.org
