Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has questioned the composition of the Centre's newly formed expert panel on examination reforms, taking aim at one of its members, IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti. Criticising the panel, she said it included "a former IB chief, the owner of an IT company, and even an expert on gau mutra."
Although she did not name anyone, the remark was widely seen as referring to Kamakoti, whose comments on the purported benefits of cow urine had sparked controversy in 2025. He is among the members of the high-level committee chaired by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, which has been tasked with recommending reforms to the National Testing Agency (NTA) following a series of examination paper leak scandals.
Who is V Kamakoti?
V Kamakoti earned his master's and PhD in computer science and engineering from IIT Madras. He joined the institute as a faculty member in 2001 and became its Director in January 2022.
His areas of expertise include computer architecture, information security and VLSI design, a field focused on integrating millions of transistors onto a single silicon chip. He heads IIT Madras's Microprocessor Development Programme and the Information Security Education and Awareness Programme.
Kamakoti also led the team that developed SHAKTI, India's first indigenous industrial-grade microprocessor, designed to reduce dependence on imported chips for sectors such as defence and communications.
Apart from leading IIT Madras, he has served on the National Security Advisory Board and previously chaired the Artificial Intelligence Task Force established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Within IIT Madras, he has held positions including Chairman of the JEE and Associate Dean for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research. He is also a member of the technology committees of the Reserve Bank of India and the National Stock Exchange.
Over the course of his career, Kamakoti has authored more than 150 research papers, supervised numerous doctoral scholars and led nearly 50 industry and government-funded projects.
His honours include the Padma Shri in 2026, the DRDO Academic Excellence Award, the Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National Fellowship, the IBM Faculty Award and the VASVIK Industrial Research Award.
What did Kamakoti say about cow urine?
The controversy dates back to January 2025, when Kamakoti addressed a Maatu Pongal event at a cow shelter in Chennai. During his speech on indigenous cattle and organic farming, he said cow urine possessed antibacterial, antifungal and digestive properties.
He also narrated an anecdote about an ascetic whose fever allegedly subsided after consuming cow urine.
The remarks were criticised by opposition leaders and sections of the scientific community, who argued there was no clinical evidence supporting such claims for human use.
Kamakoti later clarified that he had referred to published research, while his supporters maintained that his comments reflected traditional knowledge and his interest in indigenous cattle rather than official institutional guidance.
What is his role on the NTA panel?
As a member of the NTA reform panel, Kamakoti is expected to focus on the technological and structural aspects of examinations.
He has advocated greater transparency in score calculation and emphasised the need for accountability across every stage of the examination process, arguing that security measures must evolve to handle examinations involving millions of candidates.
