Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations

Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) is an umbrella body of more than 50 [cite news | url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050512/aplus.htm | title=FIRA’s proposal | publisher=India Tribune | date=2005-05-12 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-03-18] rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist and science organisations in India. As an apex body of rationalist organisations, it is committed to the development of scientific temper and humanism in India.

The beginning

There are a number of rationalist, atheist, skeptic, and secularist groups active in various states and regions of India. It was to coordinate the activities of these organizations at the national level that as part of 10th Kerala State Conference of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham, a meeting of activists from various parts of India was convened at Trivandrum, Kerala. The meeting decided to launch a federation of all the rationalist and skeptic associations active in India. As a result, the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations was launched on February 7, 1997 at Palakkad, Kerala. Basava Premanand of Indian CSICOP, Tamil Nadu was the founder-convener of the Federation.

Prof Narendra Nayak of Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association, Karnataka is the current national president of the association. And U.Kalanathan of Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham its General Secretary.

Affiliation to IHEU

The Federation is affiliated to International Humanist and Ethical Union, and supports minimum statement on Humanism (as required by IHEU bylaw 5.1 [http://www.iheu.org/bylaws] ) and the Amsterdam Declaration 2002.

Minimum Statement

"Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality"."

Organizations associated with FIRA

#Akhil Bhartiya Anddashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti
#Ananthapur Rationalist Association, Ananthapur, Andhra Pradesh
#Arjak Sangh, Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh
#Atheist Center, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
#AT Kovoor Memorial Trust, Kozhikode, Kerala
#Vicharavadi Sangham, Bangalore, Karnataka
#Baratia Bigyan O Yuktibadi Samity
#Bihar Buddhiwadi Samaj, Patna, Bihar
#Bombay-Gujarat Rationalist Association, Ankaleshwar, Gujarat
#Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association, Mangalore, Karnataka
#Goa Science Forum
#Hyderabad Rationalist Forum, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
#Indian Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Paranormal, Podannur, Tamil Nadu
#Kerala Yukthivadi Sangham, Kerala
#Mandya Science Forum, Mandya, Karnataka
#Orissa Rationalist Association. Orissa
#Rationalists' Forum, Tamil Nadu
#Science for Society, Jharkhand
#Soshit Samaj, Jharkhand
#Tarksheel Society, Punjab

("The list is incomplete")

National Conferences

FIRA has so far convened six National conferences in various parts of India. They are:
# Palakkad, Kerala : February 7, 1997
# Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh: March 21 & 22, 1998
# Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu: December 7, 8 & 9, 2001
# Mangalore, Karnataka: May 10 & 11, 2003
# Bhatinda, Punjab: April 2,3 & 4, 2004
# Pune, Maharashtra: April 28 & 29, 2007

See also

*Prabir Ghosh, the legendary West Bengal rationalist and his $50,000 challenge against Godmen and astrologers
*Basava Premanand
*List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal
*Narendra Nayak
*Narendra Dabholkar

imilar organisations

*Indian Humanist Association
*Indian Rationalist Association
*Indian Secular Society
*Radical Humanist association of India
*Science and Rationalists Association of India

References

External links

* [http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/yw/2003/05/31/stories/2003053100110300.htm Report on Fourth National Conference of FIRA in "The Hindu"]
* [http://www.iheu.org/node/1329 Fighting for Separation of Religion and State in India] : IHEU report on the demonstration organized by "FIRA" in support of Secularism on Parliament Street in New Delhi.
* [http://www.iheu.org/node/552 Humanism in India today] IHEU report
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050512/aplus.htm FIRA's Proposal] : A brief report in "The Tribune", Chandigarh, on the demonstration organized by "FIRA" in support of Secularism on Parliament Street in New Delhi
* [http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=233548 Rationalists target yoga, spirituality, Art of Living] : Report in Indian Express on the 6th National Conference of FIRA (Accessed on 2 May, 2007)