Complaint against Yuvaraja's College principal

Professor alleges caste, gender discrimination

A professor of Yuvaraja’s College, R Chandavar Vidya, has alleged caste and gender discrimination by the principal, H Nanjegowda. The discrimination, she said, has hindered two projects sanctioned by the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

She has alleged that the principal had made derogatory remarks and singled her out for harassment, based on her caste and gender.

‘Continuous harassment’
In a representation to the Governor, Principal Secretary of Higher Education Department, Karnataka State Women’s Commission and others, she has alleged that ‘continuous harassment’ resulted in untold miseries. “His negative attitude has affected the implementation of the projects”, she has complained.

She has alleged that Nanjegowda, apart from hindering her research process, has also denied to counter sign the Utilisation Certificate of funds for the year 2014-15, putting her research projects in jeopardy.

She said, even though she had been harassed in the past, it increased after Nanjegowda became principal of the college. She has complained to the University of Mysore authorities regarding the issue.

Personal remarks
“Because I approached the UoM administration, Nanjegowda make a personal remark on me. He said, he can gauge my character by analysing my walking style. He also said that he knows how I got two research projects”, she said in her complaint.

“By denying the basic right of an employee, he is practising untouchability in the state-funded university college,” she added.

Since her appointment to the Zoology department in 1996, she said, she has published 14 research papers in various journals. She was granted two projects worth Rs 44.42 lakh and Rs 38.25 lakh by the DST in 2013. The principal initially denied to open accounts for the funds released, delaying a project by two months. After the funds were released, she said, she was “shunted out” to the Biotechnology department, hindering her research project.

It is the second complaint against Nanjegowda of late. He had faced charges of tampering with his service register in the past.