Shyam Manav Age, Children, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Profession(s)	• Social Reformer • Philosopher • Journalist • Author • Personality Development Mentor
Famous For	Being an anti-superstition activist
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)	5' 10" (178 cm)
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper (Semi-Bald)
Career
Awards	Savarkar Award by the Swatantra Veer Savarkar Memorial Superstition Eradication Committee (2014)
Personal Life
Date of Birth	9 September 1951 (Sunday)
Age (as of 2024)	73 Years
Birthplace	Deoli, Wardha, Maharashtra
Zodiac sign	Virgo
Nationality	Indian
College/University	Nagpur University (now Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University)
Educational Qualification	M.A. in English Literature
Food Habit	Non-vegetarian
Address	Flat-14, Premvarsha Apartments, Bibwewadi Gaothan, Pune, Maharashtra - 411037
Controversies	• Alleged that the former home minister was forced to overthrow the government In July 2024, Shyam Manav made allegations that the former home minister of Maharashtra, Anil Deshmukh, was forced to make false allegations against ministers, including Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya Thackeray, Ajit Pawar, and Anil Parab to overthrow the government and avoid facing ED (Enforcement Directorate). The allegations were later confirmed by Anil Deshmukh.
Social Media	• Instagram • Facebook • YouTube • Twitter
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Children	Son- 1
Parents	Father- Dnyandev (Farmer, Social Reformer) Mother- Kamal (Teacher)
Siblings	Brother- 1 Sister(s)- 2

Some Lesser Known Facts About Shyam Manav

• He regularly conducts workshops on memory-study techniques, family relations, and parenting.

• His father was an assistant to the Indian philosopher and human rights activist, Vinoba Bhave.

• During his childhood, he would often stay at Paunar Ashram in Wardha, Maharashtra, which was founded by Vinoba Bhave.

• The ashram was surrounded by several Gandhians who heavily influenced Shyam Manav.

• He was brought up in a conservative environment as a result of which he believed in various superstitions.

• In an interview, he said that he avoided walking barefoot as he believed that someone could use the soil he touched to make a black magic doll that could be used to harm him.

• While studying in college, he met several thinkers and discussed the philosophy of rationality with them. This helped him to get rid of his superstitious beliefs.

• During college, he became a member of ‘Tarun Shanti Sena,’ an organisation for youths that believed in creating a social system of equality, free from any exploitation.

• He was also a member of Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Wahini, a youth organisation which was led by India’s freedom fighter, Jayaprakash Narayan.

• In 1975-76, he was imprisoned for 9 months for protesting against the ‘Emergency’ declared by the former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).

• After completing his college education, he became a lecturer of English Literature.

• He has worked as a journalist, publishing articles in newspapers and magazines such as Nagpur Patrika and Lokmat.

• In 1981, while working as a columnist for the Kirloskar magazine in Pune, he met rationalist B. Premanand who offered him science-based answers to his questions.

• Later, he accompanied B. Premanand on his tour of Maharashtra and served as a speaker against superstitions and blind faith.

• He founded Akhil Bharatiya Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS), an organisation to fight against superstitions, in 1982.

• He conducts classes on personality development through self-hypnosis.

• He has a YouTube channel, where he discusses the issues related to rationality, superstitions, and personality development.

• Some of the influences on Shyam Manav include rationalist philosophers such as Sant Gadge Baba of Maharashtra and Dr. Abraham Kovoor of Kerala.

• In 2002, he put burning camphor in his mouth to prove it did not cause any harm.
  

  Shyam Manav with burning camphor in his mouth

• He helped develop and draft the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act for Maharashtra in 2013 after the murder of famous rationalist and fellow anti-superstition activist, Narendra Dabholkar.

• He has served as the joint president of the ‘Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee’ (PIMC), a committee formed by the Maharashtra Government to spread awareness about the Anti-Black Magic Act.

• He often issues challenges to people who claim to have divine powers and take advantage of the innocence of people for money.

• In 2022, he challenged the religious guru, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, who was visiting Nagpur and stated that he would pay him Rs. 30 lakhs if he could prove his divine powers.

• Shyam Manav filed a case against Shastri after he moved out of Nagpur a couple of days before the challenged date.

• After filing the case, Shyam Manav and his son received death threats. After filing a complaint, security around his house was increased.

• In a YouTube video, he revealed that he changed his surname to ‘Manav’ to avoid getting identified by his caste as surnames in India reveal the caste of a person.

• He has authored several books, including ‘Rahasyabhed Bhanamaticha’ (2012), ‘Buvabaji Bali Striyancha’ (2015), and ‘Jyotishshtra nasheeb kiti khar kiti khot?’ (2015).
  

  Cover of the book, Buvabaji Bali Striyancha