Hira Ratan Manek

Hira Ratan Manek (born September 12, 1937) claims that since June 18, 1995, he has lived exclusively on sunlight and water. He says sunlight is the key to his health, citing the Jainist Tirthankara Mahavira, ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Native Americans as his inspiration.
According to his website, three extended periods of his fasting have been under observed control of scientific and medical teams. The first lasted 211 days in 1995-96 in Kolkata, India under the direction of Dr. C. K. Ramachandran. The second lasted 411 days in 2000-2001 in Ahmedabad, India under the direction of a 21 member team of medical doctors and scientists led by Dr. Sudhir Shah and Dr. K. K. Shah, the acting President of the Indian Medical Association. Dr. Sudhir Shah won an award for his synopsis. It is, however, worth noting, that the aforementioned synopsis has several faults undermining its credibility, among these a gullible reference to the . A similar reference to the same myth can be found on Hira Ratan Manek's official website.
The third study lasted 130 days in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Thomas Jefferson University and University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Dr. Andrew B. Newberg and Dr. George Brenard.. However, contact with Dr. Andrew Newberg has revealed that Hira only stayed at University of Pennsylvania for brain scans on studies of meditation, not his ability to fast indefinitely. Dr. Andrew Newberg had denied ever undertaking the 130 day study.
There are reports that NASA expressed interest in Mr Manek. On the other hand, Dolores Beasley, a Nasa spokeswoman, says this never occurred and is an invented story..
In January 2007, his scheduled lecture at IIT Bombay was not allowed after a student complained illegality of his claims and actions to police.
In a November 14, 2007 interview with Paula Gloria of Rabbit Hole Central TV he talks about how he learned to sustain himself from the energy of the sun. Apart from quoting from newspapers and third party sources, he does not provide evidence from any original scientific research that can support his claims.

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