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.[3][4][5] 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.[6]
Early life and family
Prabir Ghosh was born in 1945 at the Faridpur (Now in Bangladesh).[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] He used to imitate the street magicians in those days.[10] 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.[8]
Death
Ghosh died at his home in Dum Dum on 7 April 2023, at the age of 78.[11][12]
Similar to James Randi's One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge, Ghosh offered a prize of ₹5 million[13] (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.[14][15][16]
Major works
Aloukik Noy, Loukik (in Bengali) (English title: "Natural, not Supernatural" in five volumes)'[17]
