KRISHNAN

Shakuntala Devi

Basavanagudi ,Bangalore

Read this Article: Public fury chases out mathematician By Venkat Raman 01/04/2009 23:09:00 Font size: World renowned mathematician Shakuntala Devi has reportedly left the country in a hurry amidst a flurry of criticisms and accusations that she was exhorting money from clients “to drive evil forces away,” after reading their palms or horoscopes. Shakuntala Devi gets her calculations wrong World renowned mathematician Shakuntala Devi has reportedly left the country in a hurry amidst a flurry of criticisms and accusations that she was exhorting money from clients “to drive evil forces away,” after reading their palms or horoscopes. The Bangalore based woman who has beaten the world’s fastest computer (Indian Newslink, March 15) remains unsurpassed as a mathematician but her prowess as an astrologer has come under serious scrutiny. Shakuntala Devi apparently got her calculations wrong. This newspaper has received at least ten complaints from as many people who alleged that they were ‘cheated’ or ‘misled’ by her in horoscope reading. Five members of a well-known organisation have written to us saying that each of them parted with amounts ranging from $500 to $700 to have ‘black magic’ removed from their lives. This amount was in addition to $101 that she collected from each of them for ‘initial reading of horoscope charts.’ Following is an excerpt of a letter received from ‘Satyam’ (not his real name), which was similar to those from other complainants. “Many of us were amazed at her ‘mathematical gift’ as we watched her solve long and difficult problems, recite dates and days of any year and remember names and numbers at a meeting organised in her hour by the NZ Kannada Koota (last month). “Her initial appeal for donations to build her Institute for Mathematics and Research in Bangalore later turned into demand, which irritated many of us. She also invited people to visit her for astrological predictions. “We called on her separately at her motel and after collecting $101 (from each), she read our palms, and drew our horoscopes. “A member of our group told her that she was worried about her son, who had fallen into bad company and was becoming an alcoholic. Shakuntala told her that her son was the victim of black magic, that Rahu and Ketu (two of the nine planets taken into account in Indian astrology) were not favourable and that prayers must be performed 108 times daily for 101 days. “She asked for $700 as fee to perform the Pooja but agreed to settle for $501 (in addition to $101 already paid) and asked her to come back after 40 minutes. “When my friend returned thereafter, Shakuntala held her hand, gave her a coconut and asked her to repeat a mantra. “We later discovered that Shakuntala had given the same prediction to each of us, that someone had done black magic and that the specified prayer (the same) will help ward off the evil. “My spiritual teacher, upon hearing these, said that we must rush to Shakuntala and demand our money back since he suspected foul play. “My friend went to see Shakuntala on March 20 and told her that she can retain the initial fee of $101 but should return $501. She refused first but when my friend said she would complain to the police, Shakuntala returned the money but asked my friend not to tell anyone. “The rest of us also visited her and got our money back.” Mr Satyam said he and his friends were lured by the advertisements appearing in newspapers, radio and (Zee) television, which described Shakuntala as a great astrologer. He said those visiting her motel room were also amazed to see photographs of her with an array of dignitaries and celebrities including former US First Lady and now secretary of state Hillary Clinton, former Indian president Dr Abdul Kalam and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. “We do not hate Shakuntala but pity her because she is losing her respect and credibility among the people of New Zealand,” Satyam said. Kannada Koota secretary Prakash Biradar said his association had invited Shakuntala to honour a “world famous Kannadiga visiting New Zealand.” “We were aware of her Institute of Mathematics and Research, which we believe is a good cause but we knew nothing about her activities related to astrology in New Zealand,” he said. Another reader told us that according to her brother, a UK based journalist, Shakuntala had caused a similar furore in major cities like London and was forced to leave. “Complaints of “taking money under false pretenses” have been heard in the US as well,” she said. Shakuntala Devi did not respond to our repeated phone calls and email messages. * Photo Caption: Shakuntala Devi: Wrong calculations

Shakuntala Devi

Basavanagudi ,Bangalore

Clearly a fraud, there is no point in just posting it on the Web, I complained to the Police and got my money back, in fact she begged me not to mention or go to the Press. Suggest that the Press must be told so people like us are not Cheated of our Hard-Earned Money by this evil Cheat!!! THE SAME HAPPENED IN NEW ZEALAND Go to this link in India News, she was kicked out of New Zeland: http://www.indiannewslink.co.nz/homelink/3011.html