V Kamakoti, director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, recently faced criticism for a claim that has been a subject of Indian curiosity for several decades. Speaking at the Maatu Pongal festival on January 15, Kamakoti suggested that cow urine, or ‘gomutra’, has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and digestive properties that could help treat conditions like fever and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Can.
During his speech, Kamakoti shared a story about a monk who was reportedly cured of high fever after consuming cow urine. He emphasized that scientific studies as well as peer-reviewed papers such as, Peptide profiling in cow urine reveals molecular signatures of physiology-driven pathways and in-silico predicted bioactive properties. Published by Rohit Kumar et al Nature, Cow urine has demonstrated anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. “The antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of cow urine have been scientifically demonstrated…top journals in the United States have published scientific evidence,” Kamakoti said.
The IIT-Madras director also pointed out that his comments were made in the context of his advocacy of organic farming and conservation of indigenous cattle breeds. He took it a step further by mentioning his personal use of Panchakavyam, a combination of five cow products – milk, cow urine, cow dung, ghee and curd – during festivals, and said, “We consume it on certain occasions. I have consumed Panchakavyam.” However, Kamakoti’s comments quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism on social media, with critics accusing him of promoting “pseudoscience”.
One user wrote, “IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti claimed that cow urine has “anti-bacterial” and “anti-fungal” properties and can also cure IBS. This guy has a PhD in computer science but spends his time promoting pseudoscientific nonsense. Taxpayer-funded education went down the drain. Another comment reads, “Kamakoti says cow urine has properties – anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. He avoids speaking on what he preached in the past: A monk drank cow urine and his fever was cured. It is dangerous to drink untreated cow urine.”
The controversy surrounding his comments highlights the ongoing debate over the scientific validity of traditional treatments. Furthermore, when asked if IIT-Madras researchers would study the topic, Kamakoti clarified that any interested researcher is welcome, but stressed, “We do not allow anyone to do research on a specific topic. Can’t force.”
