Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu and the Kerala unit of the Congress clashed on X after the party criticized IIT Madras director V. Kamakoti’s selection for the Padma Shri, prompting a sharp response from Vembu.
Kamakoti, who has served as IIT Madras director since 2022, was honoured for his contributions to education and research. He said, “The Padma Shri award means only one thing to me: I will put my best efforts towards Viksit Bharat 2047. This award is not achieved individually; it is a collective effort.”
The Kerala Congress responded with a sarcastic post: “Congratulations to V. Kamakoti on receiving the honour. The nation recognises your bleeding-edge research on cow urine at IIT Madras, taking Gomutra to the world stage.” This referred to Kamakoti’s remarks last year claiming cow urine has “anti-bacterial” and “anti-fungal” properties and could treat illnesses like IBS—statements that drew widespread criticism. Kamakoti defended his position, saying the properties of cow urine had been scientifically demonstrated.
Vembu defended the IIT Madras director, tweeting: “Professor Kamakoti works in deep tech, specifically microprocessor design. He is the Director of IIT-Madras, India’s top technological institution, and serves on the NSAB. He richly deserves this honour.” He added that he would continue to defend Kamakoti on scientific grounds, arguing that cow dung and urine have valuable microbiomes that merit study. “It is the slavish colonial mindset that dismisses these as unscientific. One day, when Harvard or MIT publish studies on this, such minds will worship it as gospel truth,” Vembu said.
The Congress Kerala unit fired back, questioning the research outcomes. “Research is not about quoting random Western papers. What is the result of all this cow dung and urine research? Why limit it only to cows? What about buffaloes, goats, or humans?”
They cited a Madhya Pradesh government project using Panchagavya—a traditional mix of cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd, and ghee—for cancer treatment. An investigation revealed that Rs 1.92 crore was spent on cow dung and urine alone, despite their actual cost being Rs 15–20 lakh. The rest of the Rs 3.5 crore project budget was allegedly spent on cars, fuel, and travel to Goa and Bangalore. The Congress asked, “What is the outcome of this research?” and warned that further investigations might reveal more such scandals.
The party added: “Cancer research is important, but why insist it must be cow dung or urine? During COVID, fraudsters tried using cow dung and Gomutra against the virus—what was the result?” They then challenged Vembu: “If you believe in the healing powers of cow urine, why doesn’t your company fund proper research? If it can help treat cancer, it would be a monumental contribution. Put your money where your mouth is.”
