Alumni back Sampath, say Symbiosis 'hushed up sexual abuse plaints'

The alumni of Symbiosis School of Media and Communication have come out in support of their director and teacher Vikram Sampath who resigned abruptly after a 15-month stint.

Sampath, a historian and one of the founders of Bangalore Literature Festival, put up a no-holds-barred post on his Facebook page, accusing the college management of indulging in irregularities.

He said his job profile included “regularising the encroachment of a lake in Anekal by the institute.”

In his November 28 post, Sampath wrote, “Students danced at marathons, did menial jobs, some even got sexually molested by a few visiting eminences --- but none of this was ever addressed by the management in the institute or her bosses...All that mattered was how much revenues were brought in, how much intake would be increased each year.”

His former students quickly came out in his support. In an “open letter to the media”, about 160 former students pointed out many shortcomings in the institute.

In their e-mailed letter, sent by an alumnus Vatsala Hali, the students said, “It is unbecoming of an institution of this repute which was in the know of allegations such as bad administration under the previous director and also of sexual molestation which we had brought up to them through letters and complaints but failed to take any cognisance. Now, they are passing the buck to somebody who tried to reform the system and under whose term these incidents did not happen (sic).”

Symbiosis rejects charges

Vidya Yeravdekar, principal director, Symbiosis Society, has refuted the accusations. “Students should have complained if they were molested. The fact is that Sampath travelled a lot without approvals and arranged cultural events without financial approvals. He resigned on his own,” she said.

Yeravdekar rejected Sampath’s claim that he was forced to meet members of the Legislative Assembly Committee on Lake Encroachment when they visited the campus on complaints that the institute had encroached on a lake. “Sampath was not even present when the panel inspected the campus,” she claimed.

Yeravdekar said the institute, with a history of 45 years, had 55% female students and 45% female faculty. Besides, Dr Rajani Gupte, vice-chancellor, Symbiosis International University, and the principal director are all women “who would never allow” sexual atrocities on females, she said.