which he refused. He served as an independent legislator. He became the head of a legislature committee which investigated banamathi (a black magic involving curse) in some villages of northern Karnataka. His committee concluded that there was no such thing. He was awarded the Goruru Award in 2001. In 2003, he received the Jawaharlal Nehru National Prize for popularising science, on behalf of the Karnataka Science Forum. He was awarded by the then Prime Minister of India, Atal Behari Vajpayee. In April 2011 the executive council of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI, formerly Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal) selected Narasimhaiah for inclusion in CSI's Pantheon of Skeptics. The Pantheon of Skeptics was created by CSI to remember the legacy of deceased fellows of CSI and their contributions to the cause of scientific skepticism. There is a school named in his honour, H. Narasimhaiah Memorial High School in Hossur, established in 1991. See also Sathya Sai Baba#Criticism References Further reading Haraldsson, Erlendur, Miracles are my visiting cards , published by Sai Towers, Prashanthi Nilayam (1997) chapter 21 The Critics Narasimhaiah, H. (editor) Science, Nonscience and Paranormal, Bangalore Science Forum (1987) External links by A. Narayana Article in the newspaper The Hindu 4 April 2004 Biography at Rationalist International Tributes to H.Narasimhaiah H.Narasimhaiah passes into history Past & Present Rationalist and nationalist article by Ramachandra Guha in The Hindu 27 February 2005 The Blitz interview Sathya Sai Baba's September 1976 interview with editor R. K. Karanjia of Blitz News Magazine, containing a rebuttal to Narasimhaiah Dr. HN's Room at National college Hostel on YouTube 1920 births 2005 deaths Critics of Sathya Sai Baba Educators from Karnataka Indian independence activists from Karnataka Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education Indian sceptics Scientists from Bangalore Academic staff of Bangalore University Indian atheists Indian rationalists Indian nuclear physicists 20th-century Indian physicists 20th-century Indian educators