Ram Puniyani (born 25 August 1945) is a former professor of

biomedical engineering Biomedical engineering (BME) or medical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes (e.g., diagnostic or therapeutic). BME is also traditionally logical sciences ...

and former senior medical officer affiliated with the

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay or IITB) is a public research university and technical institute in Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is considered as one of the best engineering universities in India and is top rank ...

. He began his medical career in 1973 and served IIT in various capacities for 27 years, beginning 1977. He has been involved with human rights activities and initiatives to oppose

Hindu fundamentalism Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that is characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, along with a strong belief in the importance of distinguishing ...

in India and is currently the President of the Executive Council of the Centre for Study of Society and

Secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on secular, naturalistic considerations. Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state, and may be broadened to a si ...

(CSSS).

Activism

He is associated with various secular initiatives and has been part of various investigation reports on violation of human rights of minorities. He has also served as part of an

Indian People's Tribunal The Indian People's Tribunal (IPT), also called the Indian People's Tribunal on Environmental and Human Rights or Independent People's Tribunal, was a People's Tribunal set up by the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) on 5 June 1993. The IPT is an ...

that investigated the violation of rights of minorities in the states of

Orissa Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of S ...

and

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the second ...

. He regularly conducts seminars and workshops on topics related to the threat of communal politics, human rights, values of secularism, the Uniform Civil Code debate, the partition tragedy, Kashmir Imbroglio and others. He is known for his articles and essays which regularly appear in Indian magazines and newspapers. He also runs a fortnightly e-bulletin ''Issues in Secular Politics''.. He had been vocal for stopping the death sentence of

Afzal Guru Mohammad Afzal Guru (June 1969 – 9 February 2013) was a Kashmiri separatist, who was convicted for his role in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. He received a death sentence for his involvement, which was upheld by the Indian Supreme Co ...

, a convict of the 2001 Indian Parliament Attacks, alleging that at worst

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

was facilitator in the crime and not a part of directly perpetrating the crime. On the other hand he advocates for investigation of 'Hindutva terror'. In March 2019, men in plain clothes claiming to be from

CID CID may refer to: Film * ''C.I.D.'' (1955 film), an Indian Malayalam film * ''C.I.D.'' (1956 film), an Indian Hindi film * ''C. I. D.'' (1965 film), an Indian Telugu film * ''C.I.D.'' (1990 film), an Indian Hindi film Television * ''CID'' ( ...

, asked about the whereabouts of his children. In early June 2019, he claimed that he received threatening phone calls from unknown persons who demanded that he stop his "anti-Hindu" activities and leave the country. Puniyani filed a report with the

Mumbai Police The Mumbai Police ( Marathi: मुंबई पोलीस, IAST: ''Mumbaī Pulīs'', formerly ''Bombay Police'') is the police department of the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a part of Maharashtra Police and has the primary responsibilit ...

Awards

* Maharashtra Foundation (US) award for Social awareness about threat of Communal Politics 2002 * National Communal Harmony Award 2007 * NCHRO's Mukundan C.Menon award 2015

Works

* ''Clinical Hemorheology: New Horizons'' (New Age International, 1996), * ''Applied Clinical Hemorheology'' (with Hideyuki Nimi, Quest Publications, 1998), * ''The Other Cheek: Minorities under Threat'' (Media House, 2000), * ''Second Assassination of Gandhi'' (University of Leicester, 2002), * ''Communalism: What is False: What is True'' (with Khalid Azam, Bombay Sarvoda Friendship Center, 2002) * ''Communal Politics: Facts Versus Myths'' (2003), * ''Communalism: Illustrated Primer'' (Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust and J&P Publications, 2004), * ''Hindu Extreme Right-Wing Groups : Ideology and Consequences'' (Media House, 2004), * ''Fascism of Sangh Parivar'' (Media House, 2004), * ''Religion, Power and Violence: Expression Of Politics In Contemporary Times'', (SAGE, 2005), * ''Contours of Hindu Rashtra: Hindutva, Sangh Parivar And Contemporary Politics'' (Kalpaz, 2006), * ''Indian Democracy, Pluralism and Minorities'' (Global Media, 2006), * ''The Politics behind Anti-Christian Violence'' (compilation of investigation committee reports, Media House, 2006), * ''Terrorism: Facts versus Myths'' (Pharos Media, 2007), * ''Fundamentalism: Threat to Secular Democracy'' (eBook, IdeaIndia.com, 2007), ASIN B005D7FCYY * ''Contemporary India: Overcoming Sectarianism: Terrorism'' (Hope India, 2008), * ''Communalism: India's Nemesis?'' (eBook, IdeaIndia.com, 2009), ASIN B005INISXU * ''Dalit and Social Justice'' (Mythri Books, 2009) * ''Mumbai" Post 26/11 - An Alternative Perspective'' (with Shabnam Hashmi, SAGE, 2010), * ''Deconstructing Communalism in India: Striving for Harmony'' (All India Secular Forum, 2010) * ''Samajik Nyaya Ek Sachitra Parichay'' (in Hindi, Vani Prakashan, 2010), 9789350001479 * ''Communal Threat to Secular Democracy'' (Kalpaz, 2010), * ''Malegaon to Ajmer: The Trail of Terror'' (edited, All-India Secular Forum, 2010) * ''Communalism Explained! A Graphic Account'' (with Sharad Sharma, Vani Prakashan, 2011) * ''Making Sense of Ayodhya Verdict'' (co-edited with

Asghar Ali Engineer Asghar Ali Engineer (10 March 1939 – 14 May 2013) was an Indian reformist writer and social activist. Internationally known for his work on liberation theology in Islam, he led the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra movement. The focus of his work was ...

, Vitasta Publishing, 2011), . * ''God Politics'' (Vitasta Pub, 2012), * ''Sectarianism, Politics and Development'' (with Uday Mehta, Rawat, 2012), * ''Muslims in Indian Democracy'' (Kalpaz, 2013), * ''Quest for Social Justice: An Illustrated Primer'' (Arth Prakashan, 2013), ASIN B00J6AN412 * ''Tribute Volume For Asghar Ali Engineer, Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer Striving For Peace And Harmony'' (Bhashya Prakashan 2014), * ''Caste and Communalism'' (Mythri Books 2011), ASIN: B00HR1PB04 * ''Communalism & Anti Christian Violence'' (Mythri Books 2011), ASIN: B00HWWISMG * ''Osama, America and Terrorism'' (Mythri Books 2012), ASIN: B00HWWIUP6 * ''Religion and Politics'' (Mythri Books 2009), ASIN: B00HWWMF7U * ''Making of a Nation'' (Mythri Books 2012), ASIN: B00HWWMHWI * ''Saampradaayiktaa (''2011), * ''Aatankvaad Explained- A Graphics Account'' (Arth Prakashan 2013), * ''Mathaveri'' (Uyirmmai Pathippagam 2009)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puniyani, Ram 1945 births Living people Indian bioengineers Writers from Nagpur IIT Bombay faculty Indian secularists Scientists from Nagpur Indian religious writers Indian political writers 20th-century Indian biologists 20th-century Indian non-fiction writers Activists from Maharashtra