Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu Slams Congress Over “Sarcastic” Dig at IIT-Madras Director

CHENNAI / NEW DELHI — A sharp political and scientific row has erupted following the announcement of the Padma Shri for Professor Kamakoti Veezhinathan, Director of IIT-Madras. The debate was sparked by a sarcastic congratulatory post from the Congress Kerala unit, which was met with a stinging rebuttal from Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu.

Professor Kamakoti, a renowned expert in microprocessor design, was among the 131 distinguished citizens named for the Padma awards on the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day.

1. The Political Flashpoint

The controversy began when the official X handle of Congress Kerala posted a video of the Director pledging his efforts toward “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).

• The Dig: Congress captioned the video: “Congratulations to V Kamakoti… The nation recognises your bleeding edge research on Cow Urine at IIT Madras, taking Gomutra to world stage.”
• The Context: The post referred to the Professor’s 2024 remarks regarding the “anti-bacterial” properties of cow urine and its potential to treat ailments like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

2. Sridhar Vembu’s Counter-Attack

Sridhar Vembu, an outspoken advocate for indigenous innovation, took to X to defend the academician’s credentials and the validity of exploring traditional Indian science.

• Deep Tech Credentials: Vembu reminded critics that Kamakoti works in VLSI design and high-performance computing, leading India’s premier tech institute. “He richly deserves the honour,” Vembu stated.
• On “Colonial Mindsets”: Addressing the mockery of cow urine research, Vembu argued: “It is the slavish colonial mindset that thinks these are not scientific propositions worthy of investigation.”
• Scientific Defense: He added that cow dung and urine contain microbiomes valuable to humans, predicting that “enslaved minds” would only accept the science once published by Harvard or MIT.

3. The Science Behind the Claim

The debate stems from a June 2021 study published in Nature, which Professor Kamakoti has previously cited.

• Peptide Profiling: Scientists used “peptide profiling” to discover thousands of endogenous peptides in cow urine.
• Antimicrobial Activity: The researchers provided evidence of activity against bacteria like E. coli and S. aureus, though they noted more experiments are needed to validate broader medical bioactivities.
• Kamakoti’s Stance: The Director maintains that traditional knowledge should be subjected to modern scientific rigor rather than being dismissed out of hand.

Profile: Professor Kamakoti Veezhinathan