Atheist Centre

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The Atheist Centre is an institution founded by Goparaju Ramachandra Rao (aka Gora, 1902–1975) and Saraswathi Gora (1912–2006) to initiate social change in rural Andhra Pradesh based on the ideology of Gandhism and atheism. Founded in 1940 at Mudnur village in Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh, India the Centre was later shifted to Vijayawada in 1947. As a member organisation of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations, the Atheist Centre endorses the Amsterdam Declaration 2002. The institution received the International Humanist and Ethical Union's International Humanist Award in 1986 for pioneering in the field of social work. After the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Atheist Centre worked with the Institute for Humanist Studies to provide aid to the victims of the disaster.^[1]

Atheist Centre celebrated its platinum jubilee of 75 years on 5 January 2014. Gora's daughter Mythri is currently the Chairperson, and sons Lavanam and Vijyam continuing as Executive Directors of the Centre.^[2]