Sheejith Krishna Accused of Sexual Harassment During Time as Dance Professor at Chennai Academy

Allegations of sexual harassment have surfaced against Sheejith Krishna, with former students claiming that he harassed them between 1996 and 2001. The alleged incidents were reported to have taken place while the students were on campus. Despite the allegations, there has been no response from Sheejith Krishna’s team regarding the matter.

The former students, who are now settled abroad, have taken their case to the Madras High Court. As a result, the court has directed the Chennai Police Commissioner to take action on the complaint. A senior police officer has confirmed the arrest, stating that the former students accused Sheejith of using them.

In a related case, professor Hari Padman of the Kalakshetra Foundation was sacked after an inquiry committee found him guilty of sexual harassment. Subsequently, he was also arrested. Following this, numerous students voiced allegations of sexual harassment by faculty and repertory artists, decrying the inaction of the administration and seeking justice.

After initially denying any sexual harassment claims, both the management and the National Commission for Women were compelled to confront the issue in court. Over a hundred students, including males, submitted written complaints to the state women’s commission. An independent committee issued a set of recommendations, which the Madras High Court has urged the institution to implement.

These recommendations, aimed at addressing the “blight on Kalakshetra,” include banning student entry into teachers’ quarters except during community celebrations, prohibiting the engagement of repertory artists, and emphasizing deep learning and art form refinement over performance.