Gora (Goparaju Ramachandra Rao) (1902–1975)

Gora was one of India’s most influential atheist thinkers and a significant figure in Gandhian social reform. Born in Andhra Pradesh, he rejected theism early in life and developed an explicitly atheist philosophy based on human welfare, ethical living, and rational inquiry. Gora founded the Atheist Centre in 1940, one of India’s most enduring institutions promoting secularism, inter-caste dining, and village reconstruction. While an atheist, he worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi, who welcomed him into the freedom struggle and admired his ethical commitment. Gora’s humanism emphasized social equality, anti-caste reform, and economic self-reliance, and he encouraged atheism based not on confrontation but constructive social work. He authored several books, including Positive Atheism, which articulated atheism as a moral and social philosophy. Gora and his wife Saraswathi Gora fought for women’s rights, eradication of untouchability, and relief work during disasters. His legacy lives on through the Atheist Centre, which remains active in human rights and social development.