The Madras Music Academy has decided to drop seven musicians against whom allegations of sexual harassment have been made from the list of performers in the December music season. The musicians who have been dropped are N Ravikiran, OS Thyagarajan, Mannargudi A Easwaran, Srimushnam V Raja Rao, Nagai Sriram, R Ramesh and Thiruvarur Vaidyanathan.
This is a significant announcement considering that the world of classical music and dance in South India is generally considered to be insular and stays silent on many social issues.
The Music Academy is the premier institution engaged in the promotion, training and performance of Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam in Chennai. The annual winter music and dance festival in Chennai, also known as the Margazhi festival, is attended by thousands of connoisseurs of classical music and dance.
Some of the musicians have already denied the allegations made against them. Among them is renowned chitravina player Ravikiran, who in 2017 had been conferred the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title by the Academy in recognition of his contribution to the field of classical music. “I have never sexually harassed anyone and am completely against such acts,” he had said on Facebook.
Vocalist OS Thyagarajan had told The News Minute, “This is a false allegation. I’m a very orthodox man. I don’t indulge in such acts.”
The article was first published in Scroll.in and is being republished under special arrangement.