--- title: "Foundations of Freethought: Documenting a South Asian humanist association" date: "2025-10-31T07:41:19+00:00" modified: "2025-10-31T07:48:51+00:00" url: "https://heritage.humanists.uk/exhibition/south-asia-humanist-foundation/" post_id: 13117 --- # Foundations of Freethought: Documenting a South Asian humanist association The South Asia Humanist Foundation was formed in 1975, supported by the Rationalist Press Association and spearheaded by Abraham Solomon, a prominent Indian secularist who had first proposed the idea three years earlier. The Foundation built on a tradition of scepticism spanning thousands of years, seeking to support humanist groups across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). - Bringing together a number of groups across South Asia, the Foundation was essentially a central fund, from which grants could be made each year to humanist and rationalist organisations. Along with individuals from across the UK and Europe, the Rationalist Press Association and the British Humanist Association (now Humanists UK) both made initial donations to the Foundation. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/Indian-Rationalists.png)Logo of the Indian Rationalist Association - The Foundation highlighted some of the major challenges faced in South Asia—including the caste system, resistance to family planning, the treatment of women, and the ‘parasitic lives of shamans, firewalkers and miracle workers’—and noted that for many of the humanist organisations already at work on the continent, their work was deeply practical. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/Abraham-Solomon.jpg)Abraham Solomon (right) pictured in front of the A. B. Shah Humanist Centre. - Key among these organisations were ---------------------------------- - The Indian Rationalist Association ---------------------------------- Formed in Madras in 1949 to campaign for a rational attitude to life, the Association ran a bureau to aid marriages across caste and religious divisions, a secular school, and a free hostel for orphan students, free from religious influences. It had affiliates in Poona, Bombay, Trichy, and Coimbatore, and published the journal *Freethought.* - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/freethoughtOct78-Kovoor.jpg)1978 issue of Freethought, published by the Indian Rationalist Association - The Indian Humanist Union ------------------------- Established in northern India in 1960 by Narsingh Narain, the Indian Humanist Union sought ‘to break down communal, caste and religious differences in the hope of reducing irrational antagonism’. It campaigned for moral education and human rights, and published *The Humanist Outlook,* a quarterly journal. - The Radical Humanist Association -------------------------------- Rooted in the ideas of [M. N. Roy](https://heritage.humanists.uk/m-n-roy/), the Radical Humanist Association’s headquarters were in New Delhi. The Association’s emphasis was on the development of democracy, through education, the spread of humanist values, and the organisation of ‘people’s committees’ for increasing engagement in political issues. - The Indian Secular Society -------------------------- With headquarters in Bombay, the Indian Secular Society published books, pamphlets, and the bi-monthly *Secularist* magazine, as well as campaigning against religious restrictions on human rights. Alongside its affiliated organisation, the Satya Shodhak Mandal, it led a public campaign for the reform of Muslim personal law, and in defence of the rights of women. - The Atheist Centre ------------------ Founded in 1940 by [Goparaju Ramachandra Rao](https://heritage.humanists.uk/gora-1902-1975/) and Saraswathi Gora, the Atheist Centre in India’s Andhra Pradesh focused on ‘intellectual conversion and social action’, challenging superstition and social taboo. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/02/Saraswathi-and-Gora.jpg)Saraswathi and Gora - The Ceylon Rationalist Association ---------------------------------- Based in Colombo, the Ceylon Rationalist Association aimed to spread a rational and scientific outlook, particularly by challenging the claims of ‘miracle’ workers and occultists. Its President was [Dr Abraham Kavoor](https://heritage.humanists.uk/abraham-kovoor/). - The Bangladesh Humanist Association ----------------------------------- Headquartered in Dacca, the Bangladesh Humanist Association promoted humanist and rationalist ideas and ideals. In a predominantly Muslim region with a large Hindu minority, the Association particularly sought to break down prejudices between these communities, through discussion and the spread of a more rational outlook. - Bringing together a number of groups across South Asia, the Foundation was essentially a central fund, from which grants could be made each year to humanist and rationalist organisations. Along with individuals from across the UK and Europe, the Rationalist Press Association and the British Humanist Association (now Humanists UK) both made initial donations to the Foundation. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/Indian-Rationalists.png)Logo of the Indian Rationalist Association - The Foundation highlighted some of the major challenges faced in South Asia—including the caste system, resistance to family planning, the treatment of women, and the ‘parasitic lives of shamans, firewalkers and miracle workers’—and noted that for many of the humanist organisations already at work on the continent, their work was deeply practical. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/Abraham-Solomon.jpg)Abraham Solomon (right) pictured in front of the A. B. Shah Humanist Centre. - Key among these organisations were ---------------------------------- - The Indian Rationalist Association ---------------------------------- Formed in Madras in 1949 to campaign for a rational attitude to life, the Association ran a bureau to aid marriages across caste and religious divisions, a secular school, and a free hostel for orphan students, free from religious influences. It had affiliates in Poona, Bombay, Trichy, and Coimbatore, and published the journal *Freethought.* - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/07/freethoughtOct78-Kovoor.jpg)1978 issue of Freethought, published by the Indian Rationalist Association - The Indian Humanist Union ------------------------- Established in northern India in 1960 by Narsingh Narain, the Indian Humanist Union sought ‘to break down communal, caste and religious differences in the hope of reducing irrational antagonism’. It campaigned for moral education and human rights, and published *The Humanist Outlook,* a quarterly journal. - The Radical Humanist Association -------------------------------- Rooted in the ideas of [M. N. Roy](https://heritage.humanists.uk/m-n-roy/), the Radical Humanist Association’s headquarters were in New Delhi. The Association’s emphasis was on the development of democracy, through education, the spread of humanist values, and the organisation of ‘people’s committees’ for increasing engagement in political issues. - The Indian Secular Society -------------------------- With headquarters in Bombay, the Indian Secular Society published books, pamphlets, and the bi-monthly *Secularist* magazine, as well as campaigning against religious restrictions on human rights. Alongside its affiliated organisation, the Satya Shodhak Mandal, it led a public campaign for the reform of Muslim personal law, and in defence of the rights of women. - The Atheist Centre ------------------ Founded in 1940 by [Goparaju Ramachandra Rao](https://heritage.humanists.uk/gora-1902-1975/) and Saraswathi Gora, the Atheist Centre in India’s Andhra Pradesh focused on ‘intellectual conversion and social action’, challenging superstition and social taboo. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/02/Saraswathi-and-Gora.jpg)Saraswathi and Gora - The Ceylon Rationalist Association ---------------------------------- Based in Colombo, the Ceylon Rationalist Association aimed to spread a rational and scientific outlook, particularly by challenging the claims of ‘miracle’ workers and occultists. Its President was [Dr Abraham Kavoor](https://heritage.humanists.uk/abraham-kovoor/). - The Bangladesh Humanist Association ----------------------------------- Headquartered in Dacca, the Bangladesh Humanist Association promoted humanist and rationalist ideas and ideals. In a predominantly Muslim region with a large Hindu minority, the Association particularly sought to break down prejudices between these communities, through discussion and the spread of a more rational outlook. $(document).ready(function () { var interactiveslider = $('#interactive-slider').bxSlider({ pager: false, auto: false, pause: 4000, controls: false, mode: 'horizontal', touchEnabled: false, ticker: false, loop: false, infiniteLoop: false }); var bottomAdjust = 2000; // Update this to bring the rest of the content closer to the end of the scroll var scrollTopValue; var interactiveSliderContainer = $('.interactive-slider'); var sliderWidth = interactiveslider.width() - bottomAdjust; interactiveSliderContainer.height(sliderWidth); var viewportHeight = $(window).height(); var distance = $('.interactive-slider-container').offset().top, $window = $(window); let isScrolling; console.log(sliderWidth); window.addEventListener('scroll', () => { clearTimeout(isScrolling); isScrolling = setTimeout(() => { $window.scroll(function() { if ( $window.scrollTop() >= distance ) { $('.interactive-slider-container').addClass('in-view'); startScrollBehavior(); } else { $('.interactive-slider-container').removeClass('in-view') resetPosition(); // On exit, reset slider // scrollInfo(); // Debugging } }); }, 1); }); // // Observe the slider block // blockObserver.observe(document.querySelector('.interactive-slider')); function startScrollBehavior() { var scrollY = $(this).scrollTop(); // Calculate the horizontal scroll position based on the vertical scroll var scrollX = scrollY - distance ; // console.log('scrollY (scroll top): ' + scrollY + '; scrollX (scrolly - slider width): ' + scrollX + '; Slider width: ' + interactiveSliderContainer.width()) interactiveslider.css('transform', 'translate3d(' + -scrollX + 'px, 0px, 0)'); } function resetPosition() { interactiveslider.css('transform', 'translate3d(' + 0 + 'px, 0px, 0)'); } function scrollInfo() { var scrollY = $(this).scrollTop(); var scrollX = scrollY - interactiveSliderContainer.width() ; console.log('scrollY (scroll top): ' + scrollY + '; scrollX (scrolly - slider width): ' + scrollX + '; Slider width: ' + interactiveSliderContainer.width()) } }); It is the aim of the South Asia Humanist Foundation to assist these societies and groups in their endeavours and help them to strengthen the movement for the development of a free democratic and humanist society in their respective countries. In short, the South Asian Humanist Foundation provides an opportunity for the concrete expression of international humanist cooperation. Leaflet for the South Asia Humanist Foundation, 1975 - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/10/Proposal-scaled.png)1. July 1972 ------------ Proposal for the establishment of a Capital Fund entitled The South Asia Humanist Foundation, emphasising the historic role of the Rational Press Association’s publications in spreading humanist and rationalist ideas in South Asia. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/SAHM-03-Points-of-Information-scaled.png)2. July 1972 ------------ ‘Some points of information’ on the proposed association, which would link humanist groups in India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Bangladesh, and Pakistan. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/SAHM-05-Abe-letter-scaled.png)3. November 1973 ---------------- Letter from Abe Solomon to Christopher Macy, suggesting ‘Charvaka’ Foundation or Fund as potential names for the scheme – a reference to the continent’s ancient sceptical traditions. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/SAHM-04-Proofs-scaled.png)4. October 1973 --------------- Drafts of a document describing the South Asia Rationalist and Humanist Foundation, with edits. The Foundation would award grants to South Asian humanist groups. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/SAHM-07-New-Humanist-scaled.png)5. April 1974 ------------- Corrected copy of a page in *New Humanist* magazine, announcing the South Asian Humanist Foundation. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/SAHM-08-New-Humanist-cover-scaled.png)6. April 1974 ------------- Cover of the April 1974 issue of *New Humanist*, which contained articles by V. M. Tarkunde, Sushil Gupta, Sushanto Das, and A. B. Shah on topics including democracy, the caste system, the status of women, and challenges for rationalism. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/08/SAHM-09-SAHF-scaled.png)7. July 1975 ------------ Flyer for the South Asia Humanist Foundation, inviting donations. - ![](https://heritage.humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/10/Trust-Deed-SAHF-scaled.png)8. September 1977 ----------------- Trust deed signed by representatives of the Rationalist Press Association and Abraham Solomon, establishing the South Asia Humanist Foundation ‘for the purpose of assisting rationalist and humanist organisations outside the United Kingdom primarily in the Indian sub-continent’. $(document).ready(function () { var slider = $('#defaultslider ul').bxSlider({ pager: false, auto: false, pause: 4000, controls: true, mode: 'horizontal', touchEnabled: true, ticker: false, loop: true, infiniteLoop: true, nextText: '
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', }); }); The South Asia Humanist Foundation continued over the next decade to distribute humanist texts and funds, but struggled to achieve its grander aims, due in part to limited capacity and the RPA’s own lack of funds. It was formally wound up in 1989, its remaining money divided between the Indian Radical Humanist Association (Bombay), the Indian Secular Society (Pune), the Atheist Centre (Vijayawada), and the Indian Humanist Union (Lucknow). Humanist organisations in South Asia continued to work, and to be associated both with each other, and with the international humanist movement. Today, [Humanists International](https://heritage.humanists.uk/humanists-international/) has member groups in India and Pakistan.