Open letter slams Priyanka Gandhi's ‘gaumutra expert’ remark for IIT Madras director: ‘Among top tech brains of India’

An open letter, signed by over 200 academicians, has slammed Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi for her recent remarks against IIT Madras director V Kamakoti, whom she called “gaumutra (cow urine) expert”.The letter comes after the Wayanad MP criticised the inclusion of the director of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'task force' for exam reforms. (File)“To dismiss a scholar through a label rather than engage with the substance of his views risks undermining the very scientific temper that our Constitution calls upon every citizen to develop,” reads the open letter accessed by HT.The letter comes after the Wayanad MP criticised the inclusion of the director of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's task force for exam reforms.The task force is among many measures announced after protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister over the NEET-UG paper leak and other exam irregularities.The task force will be headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and includes former ISRO chairman S Somnath, former IB director Tapan Deka, IIT-Madras director V Kamakoti, former education secretary Anita Karwal, and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena.What does the letter say?The letter, signed by 214 academicians, says to Priyanka Gandhi: “We write to express our disappointment over your reported remark describing IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti as a 'gaumutra expert'. Whether intended as sarcasm or political rhetoric, such a characterization raises concerns that go far beyond one individual.”The signatories go on to refer to Professor Kamakoti as one of the top tech brains in the country. “History reminds us that many ideas once considered implausible eventually found scientific validation, while many widely accepted beliefs were later discarded,” the letter added.The signatories include former director general of the National Informatics Center (NIC) Dr CSR Prabhu; Dr. Appa Rao Podille Former Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad; Dr. Santishri Dhulipudi Pandit Vice Chancellor, Jawahar Lal Nehru University, Delhi; Dr. R.D. Kulkarni Vice Chancellor, University of Mumbai, Mumbai; Dr. V.R. Desai Director of IIT Dharwar; Dr. Alok K. Rai, Director for IIM Calcutta and many others.What did Priyanka Gandhi say?During the discourse on the anti-paper leak bill in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned Professor Kamakoti's role in the task force.“In this new committee, there is one ex-IB chief, one IT company owner, and one gaumutra expert!” Gandhi said, smiling, while addressing the house.Also Read | Who is V Kamakoti? IIT-Madras director and exam task force member Priyanka Gandhi called a ‘gaumutra’ expertHer remarks were met with a strong rebuttal from the BJP, with Anurag Thakur stating that he was saddened by her remarks targeting one of India's foremost scientists and professors. “The way she makes an innocent face, misleads people, smiles subtly, and even asks the Speaker to smile, she does this while speaking on serious issues. She tries to cover up the wrongdoings and failures of her own government's past,” Thakur said.Priyanka Gandhi's remarks for the IIT-M director came as Kamakoti has claimed that cow urine has medical properties. “The anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties of cow urine have been scientifically demonstrated... top journals in the United States have published scientific evidence,” he told NDTV in 2025 while defending his remarks.