Contributions
Narasimhaiah had interactions with Mahatma Gandhi and translated Mahatma Gandhi’s Hindi speech into Kannada, when the latter visited the National High School.
He published a collection of essays entitled "Tereda Mana" (”ತೆರೆದ ಮನ’) (Open Mind) and an auto-biography named "Horaatada Haadi" (’ಹೋರಾಟದ ಹಾದಿ’), (The Path of Struggle) which were awarded sahitya academy book prizes.
“Do not accept anything without questioning” was his motto in life. Keeping with this, his office was adorned with a quotation of Albert Einstein on the wall “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” and a question mark-signifying a spirit of inquiry. He was an atheist. Prof.V.T.Srinivasan, the then Principal of Vijaya college, Bangalore was a staunch believer in God and both used to advocate their faith through letters in the Deccan Herald daily.In spite of this they were close friends.
After he returned to National College with his doctorate degree from the US, with the help of friends from NAL, IISc., and elsewhere he started The Bangalore Science Forum. This non-profit organisation has already conducted more than 1,800 popular science lectures by eminent scientists and over 525 popular science films so far.
During his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, he constituted and chaired The Committee to Investigate Miracles and Other Verifiable Superstitions, to scientifically investigate claims of miracles and paranormal phenomena. The committee challenged the claims of Sathya Sai Baba, one of the most prominent godmen of India, who was observed to materialize holy ash and objects out of thin air, among other reported miracles such as bi location and healing of the sick and wounded. A public controversy then ensued. The committee was also involved in a controversy with Sai Krishna of Pandavapura (a tiny village near Mysore), a mini-Avatar and an alleged protégé of Sathya Sai Baba. See allegations against Sathya Sai Baba. In 1983, he was elected the President of Indian Rationalist Association.
A Hindu by birth, Narasimhaiah often refused to follow religious beliefs blindly. He refused to tonsure his head when his father died and more famously, ate food during a solar eclipse to show it does not cause indigestion, a reason for which some Hindus go on fasting.
Read more about this topic: Hosur Narasimhaiah