Needamangalam Gopalaswamy, a true connoisseur of fine arts, has been appointed as the chairman of the governing board of Chennai-based Kalakshetra Foundation by the Union Ministry of Culture. His appointment is for a period of five years. Gopalaswamy, known to the outside world as the former Chief Election Commissioner of India and former Home Secretary, succeeds Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who quit as chairman of the Foundation following the election of Narendra Modi as the country’s Prime Minister.
Gandhi, wrote a signed article in a Chennai-based newspaper that he does not approve Modi’s appointment as Prime Minister. Kalaksethra Foundation has been enmeshed in controversies during the tenure of Gandhi and leela Samson, the former director. Though Samson had to leave the Foundation as the bylaws did not allow the director to continue beyond 60 years of age, Gandhi completed his tenure before bowing out.
The last five years saw Kalakshehtra, South India’s leading centre of arts and culture, being hauled to the court on a series of issues like appointment of unqualified people to the posts of teachers and assistant professors. The organisation, a brainchild of eminent danseuse Rugminidevi Arundale, remained rudderless and directionless since Sanson and Gandhi assumed powers as protégés of the UPA Government.
“With God’s grace and the prayers and help of all like-minded people I will strive to see that Kalakshetra regains its glory,” Gopalaswamy told The Pioneer. He refused to make any comments about the present state of affairs in Kalakshetra. The Samson era saw the removal of the statue of Rugminidevi Arundale from the entrance to the main auditorium, which hurt the sentiments of the teaching community who were trained and moulded by the danseuse.