Famous Atheists in Indian history

[Das ka das]

Hello all,

I am a big fan of the New Atheism movement with Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and the late Christopher Hitchens being the movement's iconic figures. In an Indian context I would like us to compile a list of famous persons of Indian history who could be classified as non-believers.

A few figures I can think of include:

Buddha
Charvaka
Kapila
Makkhali Goshala
Veer Savarkar

Input from all members is encouraged

@Singh @civfanatic @LurkerBaba @atheisthindu

 

[PredictablyMalicious]

How about Bhagat Singh?

 

[civfanatic]

Ajita Kesakambali
Bhagat Singh
Periyar
Jawaharlal Nehru
D.D. Kosambi
Kamal Haasan

 

[Razor]

EMS Namboothiripad

 

[Das ka das]

Ajita Kesakambali
Bhagat Singh
Periyar
Jawaharlal Nehru
D.D. Kosambi
Kamal Haasan

Was Kesakambali affiliated in anyway with Charvaka?

 

[civfanatic]

Was Kesakambali affiliated in anyway with Charvaka?

He's not mentioned as a Charvak in any of the sources that mention him. He's usually considered as a sort of "proto-Charvak".

 

[MAYURA]

The founder of RSS Hedgewar and Nathuram Godse both were atheists.

 

[LordOfTheUnderworlds]

all these people were atheists or agnostics? as per wikipedia, the indian word 'naastik' may not always mean atheist in strict sense. it can mean someone who does not believe in god, or it may mean a religion/sect who does not accept authority of vedas.

 

[IBSA]

I heard one time that hinduism had their own schools of atheistic thinking. Is it true??

If true who are the Indian atheists, skepticals, or unbelievers of Antiquity, before Europeans introduces the modern atheism in India???

 

[Razor]

I heard one time that hinduism had their own schools of atheistic thinking. Is it true??

If true who are the Indian atheists, skepticals, or unbelievers of Antiquity, before Europeans introduces the modern atheism in India???

Hinduism is more of a "way of life" than a religion.
Yes, there are schools of thought in Hinduism, which are atheistic in nature.

Some links:
Atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Atheism in Hinduism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cārvāka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mimāṃsā - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samkhya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Irreligion in India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Yusuf]

Karunanidhi is an Athiest too I think.

 

[pmaitra]

Hello all,

I am a big fan of the New Atheism movement with Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, and the late Christopher Hitchens being the movement's iconic figures. In an Indian context I would like us to compile a list of famous persons of Indian history who could be classified as non-believers.

A few figures I can think of include:

Buddha
Charvaka
Kapila
Makkhali Goshala
Veer Savarkar

Input from all members is encouraged

@Singh @civfanatic @LurkerBaba @atheisthindu

AFAIK, Buddha was silent on the existence of God. He cannot be called an atheist.

 

[IBSA]

Do Salman Rushdie is an atheist???

He is one of few Indian criticists of religion that I know, coz I read the Satanic Verses.

 

[warriorextreme]

Buddha was agnostic according to me.

When a disciple asked Buddha about God , Buddha chose to keep silent...

That answers it all..

 

[Iamanidiot]

Periyar for one ,all the Jain Tirthankaras are another

 

[Iamanidiot]

Ajitha Keshakambalin ,Then again there are the Ajeevikas

 

[civfanatic]

Hinduism is more of a "way of life" than a religion.
Yes, there are schools of thought in Hinduism, which are atheistic in nature.

Hinduism is definitely a religion, albeit a very diverse and decentralized one and one that doesn't have any strict definition. It is used as a catch-all phrase for the various orthodox sects/cults which exist in India. Some scholars prefer the term "Hindu religions", in the plural, rather than "Hinduism". Historically speaking, the latter view would be more accurate than viewing "Hinduism" as a single religion.

Some links:
Atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Atheism in Hinduism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cārvāka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mimāṃsā - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samkhya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Irreligion in India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mimamsa and Samkhya schools regard the Vedas as supernatural/divine in themselves. I am not sure if they can truly be called "atheistic".

Charvaka was definitely atheistic as well as materialistic, but its tenets have very little to do with "mainstream" Hindu philosophy. Well, it's more or less extinct anyway.

 

[Iamanidiot]

NT Rama Rao was quite Athiest so was Bal Thackeray

 

[civfanatic]

NT Rama Rao was quite Athiest so was Bal Thackeray

Kamal Haasan is also an atheist.

 

[AVERAGE INDIAN]

ADD me to the list :drunk: