Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu ignited the debate over India’s traditional knowledge systems, saying that dismissing them outright reflects arrogance, not scientific rigor.

In a post on social media, Vembu said, “The left-liberal crowd in our country likes to lash out at Bharat’s traditional knowledge systems, with slogans like ‘trust science’ replacing critical thinking” .

He called for humility in the scientific community and urged a reexamination of traditional practices through a modern lens.

The remarks came after Vembu defended IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, who claimed that cow urine (gomutra) has medicinal benefits, including antibacterial and digestive properties.

Kamakoti’s remarks, made during an event on January 15, drew sharp criticism, with many dismissing them as pseudoscience.

One of the harshest criticisms came from liver specialist and Cyriac Dr. Abby Philips, popularly known as “The Liver Doctor.” On social media, Philips wrote: “Oi scientific illiterate boomer uncle, your so-called traditional Indian medicine, Siddha, also promotes faecal transplants. How long are you going to keep putting your foot in your mouth, misinforming your followers and making a fool of myself?”

Philips went further and urged Vembu to focus on disseminating reliable scientific information rather than promoting what he called “old nonsense”. He noted that his own work in pioneering fecal transplants for severe alcohol-related hepatitis demonstrates how traditional practices can be validated by modern research, contrasting this with the promotion of unverified claims.

Vembu defended Kamakoti’s remarks by highlighting the global interest in practices such as faecal transplants, which are derived from traditional knowledge.

He argued that dismissing ideas like the medicinal value of cow urine without research is against the true spirit of science. “Science does not mix well with arrogance. What we need is humility in the scientific establishment,” Vembu said.