A post shared by IIT Roorkee on Saturday sparked a debate on social media after the institute highlighted research on the antiviral potential of Gau Mutra Ark, an Ayurvedic cow urine distillate. The study, led by Professor Shailly Tomar and her team from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, identified bioactive compounds in Gau Mutra Ark that exhibited antiviral activity against Chikungunya virus under laboratory conditions.According to the institute, the distillate reduces viral load by more than 90%, while an optimized formula based on natural compounds achieved reductions of up to 99.85% in laboratory tests. The findings were published in the journal ACS Agricultural Science and Technology IIT Roorkee described the work as an effort to explore Ayurveda-inspired antiviral therapies through modern biotechnology.This article reopens one of India’s most enduring divides—traditional practices versus scientific research. For supporters, the study proves that knowledge rooted in Indian tradition deserves scientific examination rather than outright dismissal. One user called the discovery a “slam on the left and anti-Hindu” and thanked the researchers for continuing the work.Critics also came out. “We are a global laughing stock because of these people,” one user wrote. “Scientific institutions should be guided by evidence, not ideology,” wrote another. Questions have also been raised about whether major agencies should spend time on a project that many see as politically charged. Some argue that research funding is better spent on diseases like cancer and other major health challenges. The IIT Roorkee study was conducted in the context of the Centre’s Science Utilization Research Enhancement-Premium Products from Indigenous Cows (SUTRA-PIC) programme. The scheme was launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Science and Technology with an approved budget of Rs 98 crore to support research on indigenous cows and cow products in the fields of health, agriculture and nutrition. Over the years, researchers at several institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology, have explored topics ranging from cow dung electrodes and water purification techniques to chemical analysis of cow urine and its possible industrial applications.
