Shyam Manav

Shyam Manav is a rationalist and social reformer who leads the Akhil Bharatiya Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS) organization that fights superstitions. He established ABANS in 1982 along with other rationalist activists from India. He also runs his YouTube channel where he discuss issues like rationality, superstitions, personality development.

Shyam Manav was a major force behind the Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act enacted by the Indian state of Maharashtra, which he helped draft as well.

Career
Shyam Manav completed his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Master of Arts (M.A) in English Literature after which he worked as a lecturer of English Literature at Ner. He also worked as a journalist for various Nagpur based newspapers such as Tarun Bharat, Nagpur Patrika and Lokmat for a few years.

In 1982, he formed Akhil Bharatiya Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS) to counter superstitions spread by various con-men masquerading as religious gurus. In January 2022, he challenged Dhirendra Shastri, a religious guru who made headlines over his "miraculous cures".

Assassination attempts
However, his activism has not been welcomed by some groups who have issued threats to him, including threats to his life. There has been multiple attempts on his life.