(This article is authored by Alar)

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has launched an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against four faculty members of Kalakshetra Foundation, a prestigious cultural institution in Chennai. The SHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports and has directed its investigation division to file a detailed report within six weeks.

The police have already arrested Hari Padman, an assistant professor of music at Kalakshetra, on charges of sending obscene messages and harassing a former female student. The TNSWC has summoned the Kalakshetra director Revathi Ramachandran and the deputy director to appear before it on April 3 with the records of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and their findings on the students’ complaints.

The SHRC is the latest agency to join the probe, after the Chennai Police and the Tamil Nadu State Women’s Commission (TNSWC). A five-member team from the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission, led by Police S.P. Maheswaran, conducted an investigation at Kalashetra today at 11.30 am. The team questioned Kalashetra College Principal Pagala Ramdas, Director Revathi Ramachandran, Deputy Director Padmavathi and others for about an hour.

The Human Rights Commission said that it will interrogate the Kalashetra students after their exams are over next week. Adding to this, the students have also been protesting on Monday, against the inaction of the management and demanding a judicial probe into the matter. They have also alleged that Hari Padman’s wife has written to the police commissioner seeking a false complaint case against her husband’s accuser.

The students have claimed that they have evidence of Hari Padman’s misconduct, including WhatsApp conversations. Meanwhile a week ago, BS Ajeetha, an advocate and external member of the ICC, has resigned from her post citing dissatisfaction over the way Kalakshetra handled the issue. She said that she was disturbed by the recent happenings and the response of the administration. She also said that she did not want to associate herself with the institution anymore.

Kalakshetra Foundation, which was established by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936, is a premier institution for classical dance and music. It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture and has been awarded the status of an Institute of National Importance by an Act of Parliament.