No action on IIT-M professor found guilty of harassment

No action on IIT-M professor found guilty of harassment

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:26.01.2021

An associate professor in the civil engineering department at IIT Madras, found guilty more than two months ago of sexually harassing a research scholar, continues in the post though he was to be demoted. IIT’s internal complaints committee against sexual harassment (CCASH) recommended that Mathava Kumar be demoted to assistant professor and that he be barred from guiding women research scholars for five years. IIT-M officials, including director Bhaskar Ramamurthi and CCASH chairperson professor Hema A Murthy, refused to comment, while the institute’s media cell said CCASH proceedings were confidential.

Even on Monday night, Kumar’s name figured on the IIT website as associate professor. “It is very clear that Mathava Kumar misused his position as guide, and the research scholar’s vulnerability as a single parent, and did made sexual advances to her, for a temporary relationship,” the committee had said.

IIT-M panel moots demotion of prof guilty of harassing woman

The committee met in August and September last year and studied the various depositions and the WhatsApp messages presented as evidence by the woman research scholar, which Mathava Kumar admitted he sent. TOI has seen the WhatsApp messages and has a copy of the committee’s recommendations made in October 2020 In her complaint, the research scholar said Mathava Kumar asked her to cook at his quarters during lockdown and wanted to have a temporary relationship with her. When she refused, he resorted to character assassination, the research scholar said in her complaint.

The CCASH committee headed by professor Hema A Murthy conducted inquiries and found samples of abuse and how the professor steered WhatsApp conversations away from work to her personal issues and commented on her mannerisms, which he did found sensual.

“Being a single mother, the victim had to persevere [sic] the perverse attitude of her guide for more than three years as she wanted to complete her PhD that will help her pursue a good career. She did not report earlier as she had already asked for a change of guide,” the meeting minutes of the committee said. The meeting minutes were signed by all five committee members and the director of the institute Bhaskar Ramamurthi.

The committee also recommended behaviour remedial training for Mathava Kumar. It said he should not be permitted to guide any PhD student for two years and any girl students for five years. Sources said Mathava Kumar still has nine PhD scholars, including women, as his students.

On a further complaint of character assassination, the committee said, “This violates every issue of privacy, and personal space. Such acts are detrimental to the institute where gender equality is given. Based on the recent violation, the committee does feel that it must be pointed out that a repeat act again can lead to termination.”

When TOI contacted Mathava Kumar, he disconnected the call and did not pick up again. He also did not respond to messages and email.

IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said he cannot comment. “If at all anything is going on, it’s going on by a properly constituted committee,” he said. Murthy, chairperson of the CCASH, also refused to comment.

Earlier, the institute, in response to a mail from TOI, said “Sexual harassment complaints are handled as per the law by the duly constituted CCASH (Complaints Committee Against Sexual Harassment) and its proceedings are confidential.”

IIT’s media cell said: “CCASH processes are confidential, as are any disciplinary procedures flowing from them. If there is any official statement from the institute Media Cell shall share it.”

Panel also said Mathava Kumar should not be permitted to guide any PhD student for two years and any girl students for five years.