Priyanka Gandhi gave a speech in Parliament on July 28 in the Lok Sabha – File photo
A group of 215 serving and former Vice-Chancellors and academicians from across the country has written an open letter to Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, objecting to her remarks about Professor V Kamakoti.
The signatories said public comments about academics should be guided by facts and made with dignity.
They noted that Professor Kamakoti has had a distinguished academic career and made significant contributions to higher education, earning recognition both in India and internationally.
Prof. Kamakoti is currently the Director of IIT Madras.
Five key points raised in the letter
- Parliament has always been a forum for debating ideas, where differences of opinion should be expressed with dignity. Individuals should be judged by the strength of their arguments, not through ridicule.
- The signatories said they were disappointed by Priyanka Gandhi’s remark describing IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti as a “cow urine expert”. Whether intended as sarcasm or political rhetoric, they argued, the comment carries far-reaching consequences.
- The letter noted that Professor Kamakoti heads one of India’s premier scientific and technological institutions. Like any academic, he has the right to explore hypotheses, discuss traditional knowledge and engage in scientific discourse. Labelling a scholar instead of debating the substance of their ideas, it said, undermines the spirit of scientific inquiry.
- It added that history is full of ideas once dismissed as implausible that were later validated through scientific research, while many accepted beliefs were eventually disproved and abandoned.
- The signatories also expressed concern about the message such remarks send to India’s academic and research community. They said scholars’ arguments and evidence should be challenged where necessary, but their scholarship and research should not be belittled.
Priyanka Gandhi: New committee includes a cow urine expert, what do they know about education?’
Priyanka Gandhi took part in the Lok Sabha debate on the Anti-Paper Leak Bill on 28 July. During her speech, the Wayanad MP said:
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should change his advisers. Forming new committees will achieve nothing. The newly constituted committee even includes a cow urine expert. What do they know about the education system?”
He criticised her remarks about IIT Madras professor V. Kamakoti, a former chairman of the Artificial Intelligence Task Force. Thakur said there was nothing wrong with being associated with the RSS and added that Priyanka should join it to “learn some values” and start thinking about the country.
Who is Professor V Kamakoti?
Professor V Kamakoti holds an MS and a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Madras. He has authored more than 150 research papers and has been associated with over 50 research and development projects.
He has received several honours, including the DRDO Academic Excellence Award and the Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Association’s Techno Visionary Award.
Professor Kamakoti also played a key role in the development of India’s first industry-grade microprocessor and is regarded as one of the country’s leading technology experts.
Kamakoti’s 2025 remarks on cow urine sparked controversy
In 2025, a video of IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti went viral in which he claimed that cow urine possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties and could help treat several ailments, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Responding to the criticism, Kamakoti said, “The antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of cow urine have been scientifically demonstrated. Leading journals in the United States have published scientific evidence supporting this. The popular belief that there is no concrete experimental or scientific evidence for the medicinal properties of cow urine is incorrect.”
Professor Kamakoti cited a 2021 nature journal study
To support his claim, Professor Kamakoti referred to a study published in the journal Nature in June 2021. The research was conducted by scientists from the Animal Biotechnology Centre and the Cell Biology and Proteomics Laboratory at the National Dairy Research Institute.
According to the study, researchers developed a method to identify thousands of naturally occurring peptides in cow urine, which may contribute to its reported biological activities.
The researchers also reported evidence of peptide-mediated antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). However, they noted that further studies are required to validate other potential biological effects.
