New Delhi: Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna wrote an open letter Monday to Kalakshetra Foundation chairperson S. Ramadorai criticising the institute’s “aggressive” response to allegations of sexual harassment by students and alumni.
“The response of the institution has been disappointing. The lack of sensitivity, aggressive tone and dismissiveness is unbecoming,” wrote Krishna. He expressed concern that the complaints were being seen as an attack on the institution. “I am also shocked that in some quarters this is being turned into an attack on the institution and being sullied with political/religious insinuations.”
On 21 March, ThePrint had reported on how allegations of sexual harassment by an influential teacher, made by students and alumni, had been dismissed by an internal complaints committee headed by the foundation’s director as “mostly manufactured” and “aimed at maligning” Kalakshetra’s reputation.
The foundation also issued a gag order preventing students and staff from discussing the allegations of harassment, after a former director put up an online post in December detailing alleged sexual harassment cases on campus. The Facebook post has since been deleted.
Founded in 1936 by legendary dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale, the Chennai-based Kalashetra Foundation is a “centre for the study and performance of fine arts”.
In his open letter, Krishna highlighted the need to ensure a safe environment for students to come forward with their complaints.
“As you know, no enquiry will be effective unless the atmosphere is caring and compassionate towards those alleging sexual abuse, in this case young students and alumni,” he stated.
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The story so far
A former director was the first to allege, in a now-deleted Facebook post on 24 December, that students were being subjected to sexual harassment by the accused teacher on campus. She deleted the post within 24 hours, but by then, students had started reporting their experiences at Kalakshetra Foundation on a US-based platform, CareSpaces, which describes itself as “the first Indian performing arts safe-space”.
According to Care Spaces, more than a hundred students shared their stories.
Care Spaces’ “solidarity statement”, demanding transparency and accountability from Kalakshetra now has 706 signatories, allegedly including more than 100 signatures by current students, staff and officials.
After ThePrint’s report on the issue, the National Commission for Women ordered a police inquiry into the matter. However, it retracted its request within three days.
Kalakshetra in a statement released on 24 March claimed it had provided the NCW “facts and the actions that had already been initiated by the foundation on the matter referred to in the magazine (ThePrint).”
It referred to the allegations as a “scurrilous campaign”, “targeting some members of the faculty and also maligning the institution’s credibility”.
In his letter, Krishna recalled his own relationship with Kalakshetra. “I grew up watching every Kalakshetra dance in awe.” His own teacher worked there for 24 years.
“I am raising this issue because I care for the institution and the wellbeing of the hundreds of students who come to learn art,” he wrote, and urged the institution to take necessary action to “address these very serious complaints”.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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