Ram Puniyani

Name	Ram Puniyani
Birth date	August 25, 1945
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	writer, social activist, teacher, public speaker

Ram Puniyani was born on 25th August 1945. He was a professor in biomedical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and took voluntary retirement in December 2004 to work full time for communal harmony in India. He is involved with human rights activities from last two decades. He is working for communal harmony and initiatives to oppose the rising tide of Fundamentalism-Fascism in India. He is associated with various secular and democratic initiatives like All India Secular Forum, Center for Study of Society and Secularism and ANHAD.

Activism

He has been spreading the message of peace and amity through lectures, publications, workshops and meetings and by travelling extensively to different parts of the country disseminating messages of secularism, pluralism and communal harmony. His lectures focus on the need for national integration and communal harmony. He is also the Course Director of ‘Peace and Conflict Resolution’ Workshop, being conducted by Center for Study of Society and Secularism. Is associated with various secular initiatives and has been part of various investigation reports on violation of human rights of minorities. Has been part of people's tribunal which investigated the violation of rights of minorities in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

He is known for his articles and essays which regularly appears in Indian magazines and newspapers. He also runs a fortnightly e-bulletin ‘Issues in secular politics’.

Awards

Maharashtra Foundation (US) award for Social awareness about threat of Communal Politics-2002

Association For Communal Harmony in Asia-ACHA Star Award for Peace and Communal Harmony-2004

Fr. Machio Memorial Foundation Humanitarian Award 2005

Indira Gandhi National Integration Award 2006

National Communal Harmony Award 2007

Books

Indian Democracy, Pluralism and Minorities

Communalism: India's Nemesis?

Communalism: What is False: What is True

Communalism: Illustrated Primer

Communal Politics: Facts Versus Myths

Terrorism: Facts versus Myths

Second Assassination of Gandhi

Religion Power and Violence: Expression Of Politics In Contemporary Times

Contours of Hindu Rashtra: Hindutva, Sangh Parivar And Contemporary Politics

Contemporary India: Overcoming Sectarianism: Terrorism

Hindutva Strategies And Dalit Movement

Hindu Extreme Right-Wing Groups : Ideology and Consequences

Mumbai Post 26/11(Edited along with Shabnam Hashmi)

References

http://www.pluralindia.com/drPuniyani.htm

http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.bme/1145105/RR_Puniyani

Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:Bioengineers Category:Indian writers Category:Indian activists Category:Indian Institute of Technology Bombay faculty