We are deeply concerned about Mr. Devdutt Pattanaik’s book “My Gita” which has been published by Rupa Publications. Mr. Pattanaik has been charged, with evidence, on several occasions with intellectual dishonesty yet a reputed house like Rupa Publications is complicit in this intellectual crime.

In his article titled “Not Just His Gita, It’s Pattanaik’s Own Fantasy World”​, eminent author and banker Mr. Nityanand Misra exposes and establishes with facts, Mr. Pattanaik as someone with inadequate knowledge and intellectual rigour.

Mr. Misra, in his article exposes Mr. Pattanaik’s lack of knowledge on:

1. The basic technical terms used by him such as “paraphrasing”
2. Linguistic errors such as fundamental ignorance of etymology
3. Lack of knowledge of facts in addition to distortion of facts
4. Conceptual and philosophical errors

Mr. Misra’s article is not a stand alone article pointing out Mr. Pattanaik’s mischief. A google search will reveal tens of articles and videos debunking his so-called scholarship with evidence.

It is of deep concern that while Mr. Pattanaik is peddled by Rupa Publications as an expert on ancient Indian texts, his knowledge of Sanskrit, rather the lack of it, is described by scholars as rudimentary at best and extremely shallow.

Under such circumstances not only are Mr. Pattanaik’s works questionable, the intellectual rigour of Rupa Publications and its honesty are also under a big question mark. The question here is not only of hurting Hindu sentiments, but also of competence and of a hidden agenda.

In today’s day and age when social media has made the world into a global village, Rupa Publications stands to lose its credibility in a big way. We therefore request you to withdraw “My Gita” immediately and avoid further controversies and disrepute.