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{{Short description|Indian social activist (1902–1975)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gora
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Goparaju Ramachandra Rao
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|11|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Chhatrapur]], [[Odisha]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1975|07|26|1902|11|15|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh]], India
| spouse = [[Saraswathi Gora]]
| children = 9
| other_names = Gora
| occupation =
| known_for = Social reforms, atheist activism
}}
'''Goparaju Ramachandra Rao''' ([[nickname]]: '''Gora''')<ref name="Disenchanting India"/> (15 November 1902 – 26 July 1975) was an Indian [[social reformer]], [[atheist]] activist and a participant in the [[Indian independence movement]]. He authored many books on [[atheism]] and proposed atheism as self-confidence. He propagated [[positive atheism]] by his articles, speeches, books and his social work. He is the founder of [[Atheist Centre]] along with his wife [[Saraswathi Gora]] and a few volunteers.

==Early days==

Gora was born on 15 November 1902, into an orthodox [[Telugu Brahmin]] family in [[Chhatrapur, Odisha]], India. He pursued a botany degree, eventually earning his Master's in [[botany]] at [[Presidency College, Chennai|Presidency College]] in [[Madras]]. He married [[Saraswathi Gora]] in 1922, when she was only 10. He taught botany at various institutes at [[Madurai]], [[Coimbatore]], [[Colombo]] and [[Kakinada]], for fifteen years.<ref name=AtheistMovement>{{cite web|title=Atheist Movement in Andhra Pradesh|url=http://www.atheistcentre.in/pdfs/AtheistMovementInAndhraPradeshIndia.pdf|publisher=[[Atheist Centre]]|access-date=14 August 2013|author=Dr. G. Vijayam}}</ref>

==Life and work==

[[File:Stamp of India - 2002 - Colnect 158264 - Social Reformers - Gora.jpeg|thumb|left|alt=Commemorating his Birth Centenary in 2002, the Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp on Gora|Government of India issued commemorative postage stamp on Gora]]
Gora started his activism against superstition in the 1920s. He and his wife publicly viewed [[solar eclipse]]s, as there was a superstitious belief that pregnant women should not do so. They stayed in [[haunted house]]s to dispel the myths about such places.<ref name="Atheism and Secularity">{{cite book|author=Phil Zuckerman|title=Atheism and Secularity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z1hbaAHsAlUC&pg=RA1-PA144|access-date=13 August 2013|date=21 December 2009|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-35182-2|pages=144}}</ref><ref name="Women's Movement">{{cite book|author=B. Suguna|title=Women's Movement|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mhC2IQ53uQ8C&pg=PA145|access-date=13 August 2013|date=1 January 2009|publisher=Discovery Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8356-425-0|page=145}}</ref>

Gora used to run a monthly programme called "cosmopolitan dinners" every full moon night, where people of all castes and religions gathered together.<ref name="Voices of Unbelief">{{cite book|author=Dale McGowan Ph.D.|title=Voices of Unbelief: Documents from Atheists and Agnostics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UzfMJ1Eq_eAC&pg=PT246|access-date=13 August 2013|date=7 September 2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-59884-979-0|page=246}}</ref><ref name="Atheism For Dummies">{{cite book|author=Dale McGowan|title=Atheism For Dummies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GJJk_Cjv44UC&pg=PA121|access-date=12 August 2013|date=25 February 2013|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-118-50921-0|pages=132–134}}</ref> Gora insisted on staying in a [[Harijan]] locality whenever he was invited to address a village. He also conducted several inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. One of his own sons and daughters married spouses from untouchable castes.<ref name="Atheism and Secularity"/>

In 1933, he was dismissed from the [[PR Government College Kakinada|PR College]] in Kakinada for his atheist views. In 1939, he was dismissed from the [[Sri Venkateswara Hindu College of Engineering, Machilipatnam|Hindu College]] in [[Machilipatnam]] for the same reason.<ref name=AtheistMovement/>

===Atheist Centre===
{{Main article|Atheist Centre}}
In 1940, after his dismissal, he and his wife founded the [[Atheist Centre]], in a small village called Mudunur in the [[Krishna district]].<ref name="Disenchanting India"/><ref name="Good Atheist"/> The Atheist Centre was (and is) heavily involved in social reforms.<ref name="Good Atheist">{{cite book|author=Nick Harding|title=How to Be a Good Atheist|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ujyOk0col-oC&pg=PT44|access-date=13 August 2013|date=3 February 2012|publisher=Oldcastle Books Ltd|isbn=978-1-84243-685-1|page=44}}</ref> On the eve of Independence in 1947, they moved the Atheist centre to [[Vijayawada]].<ref name="Disenchanting India"/> In 1941, he published his first book on atheism in Telugu, ''Atheism: There is no god'' ([[Telugu language|Telugu]]: ''Nasthikatvamu: Devudu ledu'').<ref name=AtheistMovement/>

Throughout the 1940s, he worked in the [[Indian independence movement]]. In 1942, Gora along with his wife and eldest son were arrested during the [[Quit India Movement]]. Their 18-month son had to accompany his mother to the Royavellor jail.<ref name="Women's Movement"/>

Gora and [[Gandhi]] had several discussions, some of which have been recorded in the book ''An Atheist With Gandhi''.<ref name=AtheistMovement/> When Gandhi asked him to differentiate between atheism and godlessness Gora replied, {{Cquote|text=Godlessness is negative. It merely denies the existence of god. Atheism is positive. It asserts the condition that results from the denial of god. Atheism bears a positive significance in the practice of life.<ref>{{cite web|title=‘Gora’ Shri Goparaju Ramachandra Rao (aka Gora) (1902-1975)|url=https://humanism.org.uk/humanism/the-humanist-tradition/20th-century-humanism/gora/|website=British Humanist Association|access-date=7 March 2017}}</ref>}} Gandhi supported Gora's anti-[[untouchability]] reform movement, and remarked that he wished Gora would succeed in producing a [[Tuskegee]] in India.<ref name="Colored Cosmopolitanism">{{cite book|author=Nico Slate|title=Colored Cosmopolitanism: The Shared Struggle for Freedom in the United States and India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ZPQsQ7akTIC&pg=PA120|access-date=12 August 2013|date=15 January 2012|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-05967-2|page=120}}</ref> Tuskegee in [[Alabama]], United States, is an important site in Africa American history where [[Booker T. Washington]] established the [[Tuskegee University]].

In 1952, he contested in the parliamentary elections to propagate his idea of party-less democracy. In 1967, he also contested in the assembly polls.<ref name="Women's Movement"/>

===World Atheist Conference===
Gora visited several nations in 1970 and 1974.<ref name=AtheistMovement/> He was in touch with the American atheist, [[Madalyn Murray O'Hair]].<ref name="Atheism and Secularity"/> On 5 October 1970, O'Hair mentioned Gora and his Atheist Center on her radio show. In 1970, when Gora stopped in United States during his tour, he met O'Hair. They decided that a World Atheist Conference should be held every three years. Gora offered to host the first one in 1972. O'Hair was not able to attend as her visa was not approved in time.<ref name="O'Hair">{{cite book|author=Bryan F. Le Beau|title=The Atheist: Madalyn Murray O'Hair|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PitAMz7VfKAC&pg=PA167|access-date=13 August 2013|date=1 March 2005|publisher=NYU Press|isbn=978-0-8147-5172-5|page=167}}</ref> The first World Atheist Conference was held on 1972. After the event, Gora published a book in English called ''Positive Atheism''.<ref name=AtheistMovement/>

===Beef and Pork Party===
Gora first organized Beef and Pork Friendship party in Vijayawada on 15 August 1972, the Silver Jubilee of Indian Independence, there was big commotion and opposition. True to his principles, Gora urged for voluntary participation. Puri Shakaracharya and some orthodox people violently opposed and threatened to disrupt the function. When the matter went up to the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, The government reacted positively and provided police protection. Thousands of people gathered, to witness the beef and pork party. Gora and Saraswathi Gora, who headed the programme, made it clear that it was meant to bring social cohesion. Participants were asked to sign in a register. Among the hundreds of gatherers, 138 people came forward and ate beef and pork together. They included atheists, and even orthodox Hindus, Muslims and Christians. When similar programme was held at Coimbatore, Periyar EV Ramaswami and Gora participated. In various places including Visakhapatnam, Gudivada and Suryapet, Beef and Pork programmes were held.<ref name=AtheistMovement/><ref name="Atheism and Secularity"/>

==Family==

Gora had nine children. Gora got his eldest daughter, Manorama, married to Arjuna Rao, who belonged to the [[Dalit]] community In 1949.<ref name="Women's Movement"/> The marriage was held in [[Sevagram]], in presence of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]. The marriage of his eldest son, Lavanam, with Hemalata, the daughter of [[Gurram Jashuva]], was also held in Sevagram In 1960.<ref name=AtheistMovement/><ref>{{cite news|title=Atheist varsity, research centre to open in Vijayawada|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2487992.ece|access-date=12 August 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 September 2011|author=Ramesh Susarla}}</ref> His eldest son was an atheist and Gandhian [[Lavanam]], daughter Mythri and another son Vijayam, continued to organise the World Atheist Conference. Mythri chairperson of Atheist Centre and Vijayam is the current executive director of the Atheist Centre. The physician [[Samaram Goparaju]] is his son.<ref name="Disenchanting India">{{cite book|author=Johannes Quack|title=Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNbxUwhS5RUC&pg=PA338|access-date=12 August 2013|date=22 November 2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-981260-8|pages=89, 338}}</ref>

His daughter, [[Chennupati Vidya]], is a social worker. She was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]], of the [[Parliament of India]], in 1980<ref name="Women 7th Lok Sabha">{{cite web|title=Women Members of Seventh Lok Sabha|url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok07/women/07women.htm|publisher=National Informatics Complex|access-date=12 August 2013}}</ref> and 1989.<ref name="Women 9th Lok Sabha">{{cite web|title=Members Of Ninth Lok Sabha|url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok09/alpha/09lsc.htm|publisher=National Informatics Complex|access-date=12 August 2013}}</ref>

==Political views and philosophy==
Gora supported partyless [[democracy]].<ref name="Atheism and Secularity"/><ref name="States Politics in India">{{cite book|author=Sadhna Sharma|title=States Politics in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i0HdDbdKa8UC&pg=PA503|access-date=12 August 2013|year=1995|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-619-4|page=503}}</ref>

Gora was a [[Gandhian]] and believed in [[Sarvodaya]] (progress of all). He rejected [[historical materialism]] and considered [[Marxism]] a 'fatalist philosophy'.<ref name="Kovoor">{{cite book|author=Dr. Abraham Kovoor|author-link=Abraham Kovoor|title=Gods, Demons & Spirits|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n5es1-ikfBwC&pg=PT7|access-date=12 August 2013|date=1 March 2000|publisher=Jaico Publishing House|isbn=978-81-7224-216-9|page=7}}</ref>

He believed that atheism allows a person to surpass the barriers of castes and religions. It allows a person to understand that his/her actions are directed by free will and not [[Karma]],<ref name="Voices of Unbelief"/><ref name="Quotable Atheist">{{cite book|author=Jack Huberman|title=Quotable Atheist: Ammunition for Nonbelievers, Political Junkies, Gadflies, and Those Generally Hell-Bound|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B5GGBuLZJoEC&pg=PA132|access-date=13 August 2013|date=3 March 2008|publisher=Basic Books|isbn=978-1-56858-419-5|page=132}}</ref> fate or divine will. This in turn would allow Harijans to be liberated, as they would no longer believe that they are fated to be untouchable.<ref name="Voices of Unbelief"/><ref name="Atheism For Dummies"/>

==Death==
Gora died on 26 July 1975 in Vijayawada. His autobiography, completed a few days before his death, was published in 1976.<ref name=AtheistMovement/> The Atheist Centre continued under the guidance of Saraswathi Gora, until her death in 2006 on 19 August.<ref name="WifeDeath">{{cite news|title=Saraswathi Gora passes away|url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/20/stories/2006082015870900.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021123416/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/20/stories/2006082015870900.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 October 2012|access-date=14 August 2013|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=20 August 2006}}</ref>

==Recognition==
In 2002, [[India Post]], the postal department of the [[Government of India]], released a [[postage stamp]] of five [[Indian Rupee|rupee]] denomination commemorating Gora's birth [[centenary]].<ref name="Disenchanting India"/>

==See also==
* [[Saraswathi Gora]]
* [[Lavanam Gora]]
* [[Abraham Kovoor]]
* [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]]

==Bibliography==

* ''Atheism: There is No God'' (1941)
* ''An Atheist With Gandhi'' (1951, 3rd ed. 1971)
* ''Partyless Democracy'' (1961, 2nd ed. 1983)
* ''We Become Atheists'' (1975)
* ''Positive Atheism'' (1972, 2nd ed. 1978)
* ''Atheism: Questions and Answers'' (1980)
* ''The Need of Atheism'' (1980)
* ''I Learn'' (1980)
* ''People and Progress'' (1981)
* ''An Atheist Around The World'' (1987)

==Further reading==
{{Wikiquote|Goparaju Ramachandra Rao|Gora}}
* {{cite book | last=Lindley | first=Mark |author-link=Mark Lindley | title=The Life and Times of Gora| publisher=Popular Prakashan | year=2009 | location=Mumbai|isbn=978-81-7991-457-1}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120326195644/http://www.bfg-muenchen.de/cms/home/informationen/content/gora-s-life.html Book excerpts])
* {{cite book | last=Shet | first=Sunanda | title=Gora: His Life Work | publisher=B. Premanand | year=2000 }}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://atheistcentre.in/ AtheistCentre.in] Official website of the [[Atheist Centre]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050601020718/http://www.positiveatheism.org/ PositiveAtheism.org] A website promoting ''Positive Atheism''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080513085527/http://www.positiveatheism.org/tocindia.htm#GORA Writings of Gora] at PositiveAtheism.org
* [http://www.mkgandhi.org/ebks/an_atheist.pdf An Atheist with Gandhi]
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gora, Ramachandra}}
[[Category:Indian sceptics]]
[[Category:Indian atheism activists]]
[[Category:Indian socialists]]
[[Category:Indian atheists]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:1902 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:People from Chhatrapur]]

Goparaju Ramachandra Rao - Revision history

UpdateBot at 06:04, 25 June 2022