Kalakshetra teacher arrest: 'We are awaiting our turn', say students

Sheejith Krishna, 51, a former professor in the dance department of the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, was arrested on Monday on charges of sexual assault levelled by two ex-students. He has been booked on charges of rape.

Sources that The Federal spoke to said more and more students of the prestigious institution are coming forward to lodge complaints about sexual harassment.

Multiple assaults

In the Sheejith Krishna case, the petitioners, according to the police, had studied at the institution from 1995 to 2007. They alleged that they were assaulted multiple times by him, and were coerced into obeying him.

The arrest followed a directive from the Madras High Court, which initiated a preliminary inquiry based on complaints by the two students now living abroad.

Sources said Sheejith, who resigned from the school a decade ago, now operates his own dance school-cum-foundation near the Kalakshetra complex, where he teaches children aged six and above. He has been booked under Section 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and taken into custody for further inquiries.

Last April, Hari Padman, a serving dance teacher at Kalakshetra, was arrested in connection with a sexual harassment complaint filed by both present and former students.

Students up in arms

Kalakshetra witnessed a sit-in protest by students in March 2023, demanding that their complaints be thoroughly investigated and the campus reformed to foster a student-friendly and safe environment.

After several rounds of negotiations, and upon receiving assurance that their complaints would be thoroughly investigated and the campus reformed to foster a student-friendly and safe environment, the students agreed to call off the protest. The Madras High Court severely criticised the foundation for prolonged delays and failures in addressing sexual harassment complaints by students.

Both national and state-level women's commissions held sessions at Kalakshetra and urged students to file complaints in person or through online channels. Students voiced concerns about a toxic culture on campus and advocated for reforms in teaching methods.

Wide-ranging complaints

Sexual harassment complaints were received from both male and female students. A couple of male students reported being summoned to a teacher's residential complex and coerced into sharing their private photos via WhatsApp.

Three former students involved in the protest last year told The Federal that many students had filed complaints through email.

''We are awaiting our turn. Last year, Hari Padman was arrested but granted bail after a few months. We are worried the same would happen to Sheejith. We trust the court,'' one of them said.

Reputation hit

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a teacher at Kalakshetra told The Federal that the institution finds it difficult to shake off the stain but encourages students to file complaints.

"It's good that many students are now willing to come forward,” the teacher said. “However, the institution is deeply concerned about its reputation within the dance community.”

Kalakshetra, founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale, is spread over almost 100 acres by the Chennai seashore. The institution describes itself as a centre for the study and performance of fine arts.