Praising the medicinal properties of ‘gomutra’ has landed Indian Institute of Technology–Madras (IIT-M) director Prof V Kamakoti in a controversy as he happens to be the latest to join the list of those endorsing cow urine.

A video clip of Prof Kamakoti claiming ‘gomutra’ as having anti-fungal and anti-bacterial as well as digestive properties has gone viral on social media, inviting ridicule and condemnation. He had made these remarks while participating in the go puja at a goshala in Mambalam in Chennai on January 15, the day of Mattu Pongal (Pongal for the bovines).

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Narrating a personal anecdote, he said after consuming ‘gomutra’ as advised by a sanyasi his father was cured of high fever. “Once a monk came to our house. At that time my father was suffering from high fever and was asked whether he could be taken to a doctor for treatment. But the monk said it was not necessary and instead asked to drink gomutra. It was brought and after gulping it, his fever miraculously subsided within the next 15 minutes,” he told the gathering. Then, the IIT director went on to claim that cow urine, endowed with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, is a very good cure for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It also possesses digestive qualities, he added while being very emphatic in making those claims.

This claim, coming from Kamakoti, a professor of Computer Science with research interests in computer architecture and engaged in organic farming, has baffled many with netizens making him a butt of ridicule for endorsing ‘pseudo-science’. Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK veteran K Ponmudy said such claims from the director of the country’s premier institution is highly regrettable. “Let him drink first. It appears that he is drinking it. It has been scientifically proven that cow urine is injurious to health. The IIT director seems to have become like the Governor (RN Ravi) and people are watching,” he told the media. “The people of Tamil Nadu, who are known to have scientific temper and think rationally, will not accept these claims just because the IIT director had made them,” he added.

Going a step further, DMK leader TKS Elangovan termed the claims of Prof Kamakoti as ‘nonsense’ and called for his removal from the IIT-M. Congress Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram slammed the remarks on X, saying, “Peddling pseudo-science by @iitmadras Director is most unbecoming.”