Months after allegations of sexual harassment and abuse surfaced at Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation, director Revathi Ramachandran has stepped down from office, following the completion of her tenure on October 31, 2023. She will be replaced by Aneish Rajan, Deputy Secretary at the Union Ministry of Culture. Kalakshetra announced the transfer of power on Thursday, November 2 on their social media handles. Sources in Kalakshetra told TNM that Aneish was taking over only as an acting director, but this is yet to be confirmed.
The change of directors comes in the wake of allegations of harassment at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDFCA), which is a part of the Kalakshetra Foundation. Though the allegations surfaced in December of last year, students battled with the administration for months before their complaints were taken seriously.
An inquiry committee helmed by retired judge Justice K Kannan, and comprising of former Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) Letika Saran and Dr Shobha Varthaman committee, set up by S Ramadorai, Chairman of the Kalakshetra Foundation in April 2023, recommended that able administrators with “background in human resources management and organisational skills, with a high level of interest in performing arts as additional interest, shall alone be considered for the posts of the chief functionaries, such as Director and Principal of the Institution.”
Aniesh Rajan is a former Revenue Service Officer (IRS) who had previously served as the Kerala Customs Department Joint Commissioner before he became deputy secretary in 2022. His service as the joint commissioner was marred at the time by accusations of a political nature during the high-profile Thiruvananthapuram gold smuggling case, and Aneish was then transferred from Kochi to Nagpur.
The protests in Kalakshetra
Students of RDFCA had come forward with sexual harassment allegations against senior faculty Hari Padman and three members of the repertory — Sanjith Lal, Sai Krishnan, and Srinath. Following this, on March 31, they staged a night-long protest demanding action against the accused.
Hari Padman was finally arrested on April 3 after an FIR was lodged against him at the Adyar All Women’s Police Station (AWPS). He was released on bail in June. Meanwhile, no legal action has been taken so far against the other three accused.
During the course of the student and public outcry, two survivors and six staff members spoke to TNM in March 2023, detailing how the atmosphere at the Kalakshetra campus was toxic. The survivors told TNM that Hari Padman would invite them to his residence within the campus, and denying his advances invited severe humiliation and repercussions, even leading to some women quitting their course altogether.
Students had also told TNM that their appeals for justice to Revathi Ramachandran had been dismissed outright or not given due importance. Moreover, students and faculty members have also said that the atmosphere on campus was casteist and misogynistic with women students constantly under the scanner. It also came to light that Revathi had allegedly covered up a mass outbreak of food poisoning on campus from the hostel food in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. When students became vocal about the attempted cover-up, they allegedly faced more retaliation from Revathi who accused them of “painting her in a bad light.”
In April this year, a trans woman alumina of the RDCFA wrote to the Tamil Nadu State Women’s Commission (SWC) lodging a complaint of sexual assault and transphobia against several Kalakshetra employees including current governing board member PT Narendran.
Read: Kalakshetra director covered up a food poisoning outbreak in the middle of the pandemic
The inquiry committee found Hari Padman guilty of gross misconduct and suggested that the students who complained of sexual misbehaviour by Sanjith Lal, Saikrishna, and Srinath, be provided with legal assistance to file police complaints. The report further says that any sexual intent of the teacher to a student is an abhorrent expression of asymmetry of power. It also recommended the establishment of a students’ grievances redressal committee, as contemplated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations of 2023.
The contents of the report, which was written many months ago, remain unpublished to date.
Read: Exclusive: Kalakshetra probe recommends police cases against 3 teachers
Also Read:
The culture of silence and harassment that Kalakshetra allowed: Survivors speak out
Male students accuse two Kalakshetra employees of molestation, sexual harassment
Kalakshetra alumna alleges sexual assault by governing board member, writes to SWC
Casteism, colourism, body shaming: How Kalakshetra’s culture lets harassment thrive