Kalakshetra students form union, demand action against director, dance HoD for inaction on sexual abuse complaints

Students of the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, Kalakshetra Foundation formed a students’ union on Thursday, and have written to the Ministry of Culture, demanding action against the Director and the Head of the Dance department of the institution over sexual harassment allegations

Students of the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, Kalakshetra Foundation formed a students’ union on Thursday, and have written to the Ministry of Culture, demanding action against the Director and the Head of the Dance department of the institution. 

The students had begun an indefinite protest on Thursday, demanding the dismissal of four staff members, who have been accused of inappropriate behaviour and sexual abuse. Around 250 students began the protest during the morning prayer and boycotted the day’s examination.

In a letter to the Secretary, Ministry of Culture sent early Friday, the students requested the immediate recognition of the union formed with Jisma K.K as president, and Sakthi Shivani as secretary. Further, the letter said current and former students had faced several years of sexual and verbal harassment by Assistant Professor Hari Padman, and Repertory Artists Sanjit Lal, Sai Krishnan, and Sreenath.

“Going beyond these four faculty members, students have faced body shaming, verbal abuse, casteist remarks by the serving director Revathi Ramachandran and Head of the Dance Department, Dr. Jyotsna Menon,” it noted. 

The letter mentioned that the affected students have refrained from speaking publicly for fear of retribution and dismissal from the institution and the students, particularly those who have been facing sexual abuse and harassment, wish to maintain privacy. 

“Many students have attempted to raise these concerns and complain to Ms. Ramachandran, verbally, over the past five years during her directorship, but our concerns have been stonewalled,” the letter said. The complaints included written letters by a former student, three current students, and letters supportive of the complainants by a faculty member and a former student. 

The students demanded action against Ms. Ramachandran and Dr. Menon and the constitution of an internal complaints committee with an external presiding officer appointed by the governing board, in consultation with the students union. “The IC must include a students’ representative decided by the students union,” the letter said.