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History
Atheist Centre is a social change
institution founded by Gora (1902- 75) and Saraswathi Gora (1912
- 2006) in the year 1940 at Mudunur Village in Krishna District, Andhra
Pradesh, India. On the eve of Independence to the country, Atheist Centre was
shifted to Vijayawada in 1947 and since then it has been the hub of activity
for promotion of atheism, humanism and social change.
Atheist Centre carries on its
multifarious activities with the cooperation and good will of the people. Since
the demise of Gora, in 1975, Atheist Centre activities are undertaken under the
able guidance of Mrs. Saraswathi Gora, the cofounder of the Centre. She is
assisted by a dedicated team of people who are engaged in the promotion of
atheism as a way of life. Atheist Centre is also actively engaged in
Secular Social Work activities for comprehensive rural development and
rendering assistance to the people to develop an alternate way of life on
secular and humanist lines.
The founders of the Centre were
associated with Mahatma Gandhi and the nationalist movement. They participated
in the freedom struggle. Gora had long discussions with Mahatma Gandhi on
atheism and social change and they were published in the form of a book
entitled An Atheist with Gandhi, published by the Navajivan, the
official publishers of Gandhian literature. Even in the post-Gandhian period,
Atheist Centre is also closely associated with the Bhoodan movement of Vinoba
Bhave and other Gandhian activities all over the country. Atheist Centre is in
the mainstream of national life, maintaining its distinctive position with its
non- religious, humanist and atheist approach.
Right from its inception Atheist
Centre adopted a comprehensive approach for sustainable development. It viewed
life as an integrated whole and is striving to build an alternate way of life.
Atheist Centre’s active association with the freedom struggle and its
grassroots level work for the eradication of untouchability, caste and other
parochial considerations, brought it in closer touch with the realities of the
village scene, in addition to its activities on a wider plane.
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