Gaumutra Row: IIT Madras Director Defends 'Anti-Bacterial' And 'Anti-Fungal' Properties Of Cow Urine After DMK-Congress Criticism

A statement by V Kamakoti, the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, has sparked widespread reactions after he claimed that cow urine, or 'gaumutra', possesses medicinal properties.

Speaking at a Pongal celebration event on 15 January, Kamakoti asserted that cow urine has "anti-bacterial" and "anti-fungal" properties and could treat a range of illnesses, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

He shared an anecdote of a 'sanyasi' who cured his fever by drinking cow urine, declaring, "... we have to accept its medicinal value."

In response to criticism, Kamakoti defended his remarks, stating, "The anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties of cow urine have been scientifically demonstrated... top journals in the United States have published scientific evidence."

He also referred to a 2021 article in Nature, a respected weekly scientific journal, that discussed the antimicrobial activity of peptides in cow urine, but also acknowledged the need for further experiments to validate its bioactivities.

Kamakoti’s comments attracted sharp attacks from political leaders. Congress leader Karti Chidambaram took to X to condemn the remarks as "peddling pseudoscience" and called on the Indian Medical Association to address the issue.

Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has demanded Kamakoti’s transfer, with DMK leader TS Elangovan suggesting he be moved to a government medical college instead of IIT Madras.

However, K Annamalai, Tamil Nadu chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), defended Kamakoti, stating, "everybody has the right to practise his religion," and urged critics to respect the sanctity of his prodigy and the educational institution.

Kamakoti, whose research focuses on computational geometry, has also clarified that he was merely "sharing his own experiences" at the event.