bengaluru challenge accepted as nataraj has been waiting to hear these words for the past 16 years after framing a seemingly simple challenge of 10 questions to make it easier he insists on only eight correct answers for the challenger to be eligible for the rs 1 crore reward the catch the answers would involve the challenger accurately predicting an individuals future using janam kundali or astrological chart now you didnt see that coming did youthe reward was rs 10 lakh when i first issued the challenge in 2001 i increased it to rs 1 crore because no one came forward despite initial promises i am now sure that even if i raise the prize to rs 100 crore nobody will volunteer says nataraj the 77yearold founder of akhila karnataka vicharavadi sangha his aim is to debunk astrologys main claim to fame the power to pinpoint the future i know it is not true because i was also an astrologer laughs nataraj author of jyothishyakke savaalu challenge to astrology and a veteran tv talking head on the matterthe other challenge doing the rounds is aimed at busting a scientifically untested brain training programme narendra nayak the rationalist crusader from mangaluru has been holding demonstrations and challenging proponents of midbrain activation for the last two years the groups behind this fad take money from parents to enhance brainpower of their children through the activation those trained can apparently see after being blindfolded people fall for new tricks all the time midbrain activation involves teaching children to lie about peeking from behind the blindfold the organisers use pseudoscience jargons and it becomes difficult for lay persons to understand says nayak president of the federation of indian rationalist associations firalogic winsfor every new trickster in town there are a few rationalists like nayak who demand that fantastic claims should be backed by evidence scientific reasoning and stonecold rationale if not people like him resort to dramatic oneupmanship and myth busting on public platforms to uphold what they see as truth and rationalityearlier we used to go after petty godmen who produced ash from thin air or put their hands in boiling water now the picture has changed says nayak a 67yearold trained biochemist the new age miracles involve coming up with sales pitches to sell anything from yoga millets salt room therapy and apple cider vinegar as cures for various ills including cancer he says the marketers rely on scientific terms or the ancient indian label to bamboozle peopleas a trained scientist the pseudo science gets nayak going recently he wrote a detailed complaint to the advertising standards council of india about tall claims made by a coconut oil manufacturer in an ad the regulatory body found that many of the claims such as the oil being a natural antiseptic restores thyroid function and reduces obesity were not substantiated and hence misleading they asked the adverstiser to withdraw the ad or modify itatheistic startsanal edamaruku founderpresident of rationalist international will