Babu Gogineni

Babu Gogineni (born Rajaji Ramanadh in 1968[3]) is an Indian Humanist, rationalist, and human rights activist,[3] who served as Executive Director of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).[4]

Babu Gogineni
Born
Rajaji Ramanadh Babu Gogineni[1][2]

Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Alma materNizam College
Years active1988–present
MovementHumanism[1]

Gogineni is the founder of, South Asian Humanist Association[5] and Indian Humanists.[6] He is also the founder and owner of Skillguru, a training organization and private business.[7]

In his activism, Gogineni campaigns against established privilege and abuse of rights done in the name of religion.[8] During his time with the IHEU, he led IHEU's worldwide campaigns for the protection of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, bringing Pakistani freethinker Younus Shaikh to safety in Europe. In India, he successfully led the campaign for rehabilitation and protecting the rights of Sambhavi, a child who was claimed as a reincarnation of a Buddhist goddess.[9][10]

In 2003, Gogineni was one of the signatories to the Humanist Manifesto.[11] He also identifies himself as a Bright.[12] Gogineni writes in English, French and Telugu.[13] He was a columnist for Hyderabad-based daily newspaper Postnoon and wrote a column called "The Human Angle".[14] He has also hosted a multi-language TV series called The Big Question with Babu Gogineni offering a Humanist perspective on science and civilization.[15][5]

Gogineni travels domestically and internationally to spread humanism and awareness of social issues.[16][17] He speaks on television on superstition, science, Humanism and human rights.[8]

He appeared on the second season of the reality TV show Bigg Boss Telugu. He was eliminated from the show after 63 days on Aug 12, 2018.[18]

Early life and activism

Gogineni , the son of Aruna Kumari (née Vegunta) of Eluru, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh and Gurubabu of Tenali, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh was born in Hyderabad.[19] At the age of 18, he became the youngest certified French language teacher in Hyderabad.[1] He later graduated from Nizam College.[20]

He served as Joint secretary of Indian Radical Humanist Association, Bombay between 1988-1996; Vice-President of the Indian Rationalist Association, Hyderabad between 1993-1996; Secretary General of Rationalist Association India, Hyderabad between 1995-1996, and was part of South Asian Humanist Network, Bombay between 1995-1996, before moving to the United Kingdom in 1997, where he continued his activism work with the International Humanist and Ethical Union.[4]

IHEU career

Gogineni was appointed as Executive Director of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) in 1997. He was associated with IHEU till 2015.[4]

During his long association with IHEU, Gogineni implemented the IHEU's move to the United Kingdom, turned IHEU into a multi-lingual proactive campaigning organization, arranged IHEU's lobbying efforts at an international level by securing Special Consultative status at the United Nations, organized IHEU's first General Assembly (GA) in Africa, and conceptualized and founded the IHEU Centre for Bioethics at the UN in New York.[21] He also helped organize IHEU's Congresses in Mumbai (1999), Amsterdam (2002) and Paris (2005), and its first GA in Africa (2004).[21][4]

Positions held
  • Executive Director, IHEU, from 1997 until 2015.[4]

Keynotes, Lectures and Debates

In media

References
  1. Smith, Warren Allen (2000). Who's who in hell: a handbook and international directory for humanists, freethinkers, naturalists, rationalists, and non-theists. Barricade Books. ISBN 9781569801581.
  2. "Misimi - Monthly magazine". Misimi (in Telugu). 1 November 2000.
  3. "India's own Carl Sagan: Meet Babu Gogineni, the science populariser from Hyderabad".
  4. "End of an era: Babu Gogineni steps down as IHEU Director". IHEU Admin. 23 March 2015.
  5. "Schedule - The Human Angle Lecture Series by Babu Gogineni". SAHA. 2016.
  6. "Indian Humanists". Indian Humanists. 2017.
  7. "Learning foreign languages for better job opportunities". The Hindu. 4 May 2009.
  8. "Second World Conference on Untouchability Being Held Until Friday April 18". World Religion News. 15 April 2014.
  9. "Sambhavi Gudilona, Badilona? Story of a Humanist Campaign Against Religious Exploitation of a Child". Nirmukta. 10 December 2009.
  10. "'Child Goddess' Sambhavi has to go to School! Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission Orders". South Asia Citizens Web. 15 June 2010.
  11. "Humanism and Its Aspirations: Notable Signers". American Humanist Association. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  12. "Enthusiastic Brights". The Brights. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  13. "Preaching in a Godless world". Postnoon. 22 January 2012.
  14. "The Human Angle - Babu Gogineni". Postnoon. 2012.
  15. "The Big Question with Babu Gogineni". Saddahaq. 26 January 2015.
  16. "TEDx Hyderabad - Babu Gogineni". TEDx. 2015.
  17. "South Asian Humanist World Tour - The Human Angle Lecture Series by Babu Gogineni" (PDF). SAHA. 2016.
  18. Hooli, Shekhar H. "Bigg Boss Telugu 2 elimination live updates: Babu Gogineni evicted; humanist drops big bomb on Roll Rida".
  19. "Open Heart with RK: Gogineni Babu on His Family Background."
  20. "Secret of Success Interview - Babu Gogineni". INews. 10 December 2016.
  21. "Conway Hall - Babu Gogineni". Conway Hall. 29 September 2014.
  22. "Conference on Darwin, Humanism and Science - Report" (PDF). European Humanist Federation. 5 June 2009.
  23. "Championing the Light of Reason: Babu Gogineni: TEDxHyderabad". TEDx. 27 June 2016.
  24. "What is religion - The Big Question". BBC. 17 April 2004.
  25. "OU on the BBC: The Big Question - About the series". The Open University. 30 March 2004.
  26. "Superstition Kills: A Must-See Video". Patheos. 12 July 2009.
  27. "Promo : Open Heart with RK - Babu Gogineni". AP Today. 31 July 2015.
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