Prabir Ghosh
{{Short description|Indian science writer (1945–2023)}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Cleanup|reason=spelling, capitalization, spacing in the Bibliography section|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Prabir Ghosh
| native_name = প্রবীর ঘোষ
| image = Prabir Ghosh 01.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Ghosh in 2019
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|03|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Faridpur, Bengal Province, British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|04|07|1945|03|01}}
| death_place = Dum Dum, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| nationality = Indian
| occupation = Social activist,{{cite news | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/mm-kalburgi-shot-dead-how-many-deaths-will-it-take-till-we-know-that-too-many-rationalists-have-died/articleshow/48839457.cms | title=MM Kalburgi shot dead: How many deaths will it take till we know that too many rationalists have died? | date=6 September 2015 | newspaper=The Economic Times | first1=Suman | last1=Layak | first2=Indulekha | last2=Aravind | accessdate=21 January 2019 }} author{{cite news |title=Some legislators are close to Satyananda |url=http://www.the-week.com/25apr17/currentevents_article1.htm#1 |work=The Week |publisher=Malayala Manorama Group |date=17 April 2005 |accessdate=19 December 2006 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20061231210249/http://www.the-week.com/25apr17/currentevents_article1.htm#1 |archivedate = 31 December 2006}}
| partner = Sima Ghosh
| children = Pinaki Ghosh
| website =
}}
Prabir Ghosh (1 March 1945 – 7 April 2023) was the founder and president of Bharatiya Bigyan O Yuktibadi Samiti, a science and rationalists' association based in Kolkata, India.{{Cite web |date=20 September 2015 |title='I exposed 700 godmen, 7,000 fled' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/i-exposed-700-godmen-7000-fled/ |access-date=7 April 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1050713/asp/calcutta/story_4982299.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903000255/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050713/asp/calcutta/story_4982299.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 September 2014|title=The Telegraph – Calcutta : Metro|website=www.TelegraphIndia.com|access-date=20 January 2018}}{{Cite book |last=Quack |first=Johannes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=55wFpydSZ8oC&dq=%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0+%E0%A6%98%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B7+%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%80+%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF&pg=PA168 |title=Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India |date=2012 |publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |isbn=978-0-19-981260-8 |language=en}} He was the author of a number of books in Bengali disputing supernatural claims and was well known for his book series titled Aloukik Noy, Loukik.{{Cite web |date=7 April 2023 |title=প্রয়াত প্রবীর ঘোষ, আজীবন লড়েছেন কুসংস্কারের বিরুদ্ধে, ৭৮ বছরে থামল লড়াই |url=https://bangla.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/prabir-ghosh-founder-of-biggyan-o-juktibadi-samiti-died-at-78-in-dumdum-31680870989082.html |access-date=8 April 2023 |website=Hindustantimes Bangla |language=bn}}
Early life and family
Prabir Ghosh was born in 1945 at the Faridpur (Now in Bangladesh).From book 'Aamar Chelebela'-byPrabir Ghosh His parents were Mr. Prabhat Chandra Ghosh and Smt. Suhasini Ghosh. His father moved to Adra, Purulia when he was six months old. He spent his early childhood in Adra. Young Prabir came to railway town Kharagpur in 1955.{{Cite web |title=Book Reader - Wikimedia |url=https://bookreader.toolforge.org/bn/%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0%20%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%98%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B7%20-%20%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0%20%E0%A6%98%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B7.pdf#page/90/mode/2up |access-date=7 April 2023 |website=bookreader.toolforge.org}} He completed his secondary education from Kharagpur. Later his father settled in Dum Dum, Kolkata, in 1960. Ghosh completed graduation from Dum Dum Motijheel College.Book 'Jouboner Bojronirghos' by Prabir Ghosh He used to imitate the street magicians in those days.Book from 'Aamar Chelebela' by Prabir Ghosh On 1 March 1985, Ghosh along with other Kolkata based Bengali rationalists founded the Bharatiya Bigyan O Yuktibadi Samiti. He organised a long-term campaign against people with so-called supernatural powers. Once he got involved in a controversy over his psychology degree. In 1999, Prabir Ghosh quit his job of State Bank of India.
Death
Ghosh died at his home in Dum Dum on 7 April 2023, at the age of 78.{{Cite web |date=7 April 2023 |title=Prabir Ghosh: বুজরুকদের আতঙ্ক যুক্তিবাদী প্রবীর ঘোষ প্রয়াত {{!}} Kolkata 24x7-Latset Bengali News |url=https://kolkata24x7.in/west-bengal/prabir-ghosh-rationalist-leader-and-activist-dies-at-72/ |access-date=7 April 2023 |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=8 April 2023 |title=Rationalist Prabir Ghosh passes away |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/rationalist-prabir-ghosh-passes-away/articleshow/99330178.cms |access-date=8 April 2023 |issn=0971-8257}}
[[Indian rupee|₹]]5,000,000 miracle challenge
Similar to James Randi's One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, Ghosh offered a prize of ₹5 million{{cite web|url=http://salamduniya.in/index.php/epaper/m/85280/5a52619dc84b2|title=page 03 – Kolkata Edition – salam duniya epaper kolkata – salam duniya epaper kolkata|website=SalamDuniya.in|access-date=20 January 2018}} (US$ 78,600 approx) to anyone who can demonstrate supernatural power of any kind without resorting to any trick, although he admitted that he personally does not possess such an amount of money.{{cite web |url=http://www.srai.org/sra.htm#challenge |title=The challenge by Prabir Ghosh |accessdate=19 December 2006 |publisher=Science and Rationalists’ Association of India |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070427130309/http://www.srai.org/sra.htm#challenge |archivedate = 27 April 2007}}{{Cite web|date=20 September 2015|title='I exposed 700 godmen, 7,000 fled'|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/i-exposed-700-godmen-7000-fled/|access-date=4 August 2020|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}{{Cite web |date=7 April 2023 |title=Prabir Ghosh: যদি ধাপ্পাবাজি ধরা পড়ে, যেওনা তার কাছে! প্রবীর ঘোষের ৫০ লক্ষ টাকার চ্যালেঞ্জ 'কেউ নেয়নি ভয়ে' {{!}} Kolkata 24x7-Latset Bengali News |url=https://kolkata24x7.in/offbeat-news/remembering-prabir-ghosh-the-late-bengali-rationalist-and-activist/ |access-date=7 April 2023 |language=en-US}}
Major works
- Aloukik Noy, Loukik (in Bengali) (English title: "Natural, not Supernatural" in five volumes)'{{Cite web |title=প্রবীর ঘোষ - উইকিসংকলন একটি মুক্ত পাঠাগার |url=https://bn.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%95:%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%98%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B7 |access-date=29 August 2022 |website=bn.wikisource.org |language=bn}}
- Uncovering Mother Teresa's miracle power.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/the-vatican-believes-mother-teresa-cured-this-woman-but-was-it-a-miracle/2016/09/01/83664464-6e12-11e6-993f-73c693a89820_story.html|title=The Vatican believes Mother Teresa cured this woman. But was it a miracle?|first=Annie|last=Gowen|date=2 September 2016|publisher=|access-date=20 January 2018|via=www.WashingtonPost.com}}
Bibliography
Books in Bengali
- Sanskriti: songhorso o nirman (1994)
- Aloukik noi loukik (1 to 5 vol)
- Rajnititr management o aro kichu (2008)
- Kasmire ajadir lorai ekti itihasik dalil (2010)
- Yuktibadir chokhe gita ramayan mahavarat (2016)
- Prabad sanskar o kusanskar: (1999)
- Prem bibaho o onnyanya: (2017)
- Piknaki o Olukik Rohosya samagra (2015)
- Alukik Rohosya Sondhane Pinki: (2015)
- Aparadh Bigyan (2017)
- Memory man o moblibe baba (2008)
- Baree barre ghure firre tumi
- Amar chelebela (Early days biography of Prabir Ghosh)
- Juoboner Bojronirghos (Biogryphy ) (2013)
- Yuktibadir Challengerrra (Part-1 and 2)
- Goltablee saf Jabab
- Sommohoner A to Z
- Gerila juddher A to Z theke Azadi
- Moner Niyantran Yog o meditation
- Jotisher koffine ses perek
- Ami keno Isware Biswas korina
- Yuktibadir chokhe nari mukti
- Dhormo seba o sommohon
- Prosonya santras ebong
- Alukik rohoyajale pinki
- Alukik Dhristi Rohosya
Books in English
- Paranormal Exposed!
- The Mystery of Mother Teresa and Sainthood
- Why I Do Not Believe in God
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Prabir Ghosh}}
- [http://nirmukta.com/2008/09/04/know-your-gurus/#more-207 Ghosh's essay on Baba Ramdev]
- [http://www.srai.org/ The Freethinker] – A website run by Ghosh
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghosh, Prabir}}
Category:Bengali-language writers