● A Congressman, an Indira Gandhi loyalist, son of noted Indologist Raghu Vira, Lokesh Chandra was appointed as Chairman ICCR in October 2014. The 87-year-old Vedic scholar’s CV says he is fluent in 20 languages, and has published more than 576 books and 286 articles. Twice member of the Rajya Sabha, he has previously served as vice-chairman ICCR, and also as chairman of ICHR.

● In an interview with the Indian Express , he hailed Modi as a “reincarnation of god.” He says, “He (Modi) doesn’t have foreign bank accounts and black money. He doesn’t have a son or son-in-law. For him the country is the son and son-in-law. Modiji, in some aspects, supercedes Gandhi, when it comes to a practical approach.”

● At the January Indian Science Congress, in a session called ‘ Bharat ko jano ’, Chandra reportedly said that “the mathematical sign for infinity was originally derived from Sheshnag — the mythical snake whose coiled body forms the throne on which Lord Vishnu reclines.” In the Indian Express interview, Chandra says he wants “to connect India to Southeast Asian countries through programmes based on the Mahabharata and Ramayana.”

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