Controversies continue to dog Chennai’s Kalakshetra (Temple of Arts) founded by late Rukmini Devi Arundale, the legendary danseuse. Even as the institute, an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Culture is struggling to come out of the “mismanagement and misdeeds” perpetrated by former director leela Samson, who had to quit in 2012 following strictures issued by the Madras High Court, it has been alleged that the present director Priyadarshini Govind has been appointed violating all norms and laws.
The Government of India Rules say that the post of director of Kalakshetra (an equivalent to Nehru Memorial Museum and library, New Delhi) ) and all such institutions should be filled up either through deputation or transfer from candidates with vast experience in arts, teaching and administration and belonging to Central or State services — including autonomous bodies like universities. But Govind does not have any of these qualifications, say Kalakshetra faculty members and students.
“Though there were many applicants — including eminent danseuses, artists and administrators from the civil service, the Congress-led UPA Government decided to appoint Priyadarsini Govind, a close relation of “Mukta” Srinivasan, a top Congress leader. “Priyadarsini has a mere BCom degree and has no experience in administration or teaching,” said a senior Kalakshetra faculty member.
A senior Kalakshetra administrator had told this newspaper about Ananda Shankar Jayanth , an Indian Railway Service officer who is an accomplished Bharatanatyam artiste and that too from Kalakshetra. “But the name of Ananda mysteriously disappeared from the short-listed candidates,” recalled the official. He also said that Sangeeta Gairali, the then secretary (culture) who stood her ground that she would not be party to any kind of violations was shunted out of the Ministry to facilitate the appointment of the candidate chosen by the powers that be.
Kalakshetra insiders said that the present governing board is also trying to cover up the irregularities committed by leela Samson during her tenure as director.
The famous Koothambalam, a traditional performing theatre built by founder Rukmini Devi Arundale with the cooperation of artisans and traditional architects was demolished by Samson in 2009. This was the heart of Kalakshetra where aspiring danseuses performed in natural ambience. In the name of renovating the Koothambalam, Samson is reported to have spent `7 crore which has been objected to by the CAG. Though it is more than six years since the Koothambalam was demolished, it has not been re-constructed which has caused heart-burning among the students and faculties. What shocked the inmates of Kalaksetra was the demolition of the statue of Rukmini Devi by Samson.
All appointments made in Kalakshetra during the tenure of Samson were objected to by the CAG. (The Pioneer has access to all these documents).
A letter was sent to leela Samson seeking explanations with regard to irregularities under Koothambalam project, “leela Samson has pointed out that she as an artist was brought in for her expertise in dance and could not be expected to be an expert in administration and engineering works. She has particularly pointed to the total lack of support from the in-house engineer,” say the minutes of the governing board of Kalakshetra which met on July 15, 2015. Samson headed the Central Board of Film Censors as well as the Sangeeta Nataka Academy during the UPA tenure.