New Delhi: An independent inquiry committee set up by Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation to probe allegations of sexual harassment on campus has recommended “major punishment” for accused teacher Hari Padman.
The committee was headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice K. Kannan, and comprised former Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Letika Saran and renowned anaesthesiologist Dr Shobha Varthaman.
According to a press release by the committee Monday, the panel has handed its report to Kalakshetra Governing Board chairperson S. Ramadorai and has asked for the findings to be kept private because of the sensitive information it contains, except the concluding portion and “a disclosure that will become necessary to the delinquent employee to show cause against the findings of the report and the major punishment recommended”.
ThePrint had first reported on 21 March this year, after speaking to several students, alumni and faculty members of Kalakshetra Foundation’s Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, that “harassment by a powerful senior faculty member had been going on unchecked and unabated for years” at the arts and cultural academy that is directly funded by the ministry of culture.
While the charges were initially dismissed by the institute as “rumours” intended to malign the reputation of Kalakshetra, students from the college held a day-long protest on campus on 30 March demanding the immediate suspension of assistant professor Hari Padman and three other staffers.
This came a day after National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma had visited the institute and met with students in light of the allegations of harassment.
On 4 April, the governing board of Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts suspended Padman — who had been arrested a day earlier on the basis of a complaint by a student from Kerala — with immediate effect. Meanwhile, facing similar allegations, three contractual staffers named Sai Krishnan, Sanjith Lal and Sreenath were dismissed. The governing board also announced the constitution of an independent inquiry committee to look into the complaints of sexual harassment.
Among other things, the committee has recommended reforms in administration to ensure that Kalakshetra remains an institute of higher learning.
“Considering safety aspects and to promote Kalakshetra Foundation primarily as an institution of higher learning rather than a platform for public performers, the concluding part contains considerable recommendations for reforms in administration,” the press release stated.
A group of male students have also approached the Madras High Court seeking changes to Kalakshetra’s internal complaints committee and to make redressal under the prevention of sexual harassment Act of 2013 gender-neutral.
Padman is currently out on bail and a chargesheet is awaited in his case.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Also Read: ‘Exploited my vulnerability’ — trans dancer accuses Kalakshetra board member of abuse in complaint