RK Pachauri, perhaps the best-known face of global climate change research has resigned as the chair of the UN International Panel on Climate Change and gone on “long leave” from TERI (The Energy Resource Institute), the mega environmental institution that he has headed for over 30 years. This follows a police complaint of sexual harassment by a 29-year old researcher working in his office.
Pachauri’s first response was to deny the charge. He claimed that the emails, text messages and WhatsApp messages that the complainant cited as material evidence were the result of hacking. Pachauri retained senior advocate, Pavan Duggal, a specialist in cyber crime, to represent him. Duggal returned the brief within a couple of days, citing a “professional decision”. Since then, as more details of the case have appeared in the media, Pachauri has petitioned the court for protection against arrest.
Rumours about sexual harassment at TERI have been rife. A couple of years ago a complaint of sexual harassment from a woman employee resulted in the man she had complained against being fired from the organisation. At the time, according to current employees none of whom is willing to be named, Pachauri issued a strongly worded statement asserting that the organisation would not tolerate any form of sexual harassment. The same employees said that there were rumours about goings on in the Pachauri’s office, but as no woman filed a formal complaint or even admitted to being harassed herself, these remained just rumours.
Pandora's box
Now it seems the young woman’s complaint may have opened a Pandora’s box. Already a former TERI employee has written a letter made public detailing the sexual harassment and threats she faced from Pachauri, while working there ten years ago, and her fear of the consequences of complaining. It can be expected that other women too may now feel able to speak out and seek legal recourse. Lawyer Vrinda Grover says there is sufficient evidence of persistent and severe sexual harassment by Pachauri.
However, Pachauri’s continuing as Director General of TERI, albeit on “long leave” remains a major hurdle for many. His being on leave does nothing to diminish the power he wields over TERI’s employees, particularly those who work directly with him. He is to different people a PhD supervisor, a head of project, a decision maker on renewal of job contracts and promotions. This is besides the enormous clout he enjoys as a senior figure in the climate change/environmental science world, and as a Padma Vibhushan winner and member of government and international committees. A reflection of his clout is the kid-glove treatment that he has so far received from the media.
TERI has been unwilling to respond to questions about the composition of its internal complaints committee or its’ working. Its only response is to say that it has followed legal norms and that its sexual harassment policy is on the TERI intranet. While the young woman who has filed the criminal complaint against Pachauri pursues justice through the police and courts, TERI’s governing council, which includes Naina Lal Kidwai (Group General Manager and Country Head of HSBC India) and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (chairman and managing director of Biocon Ltd.) among other well known names from industry, science and government, will have to consider whether TERI’s current organisational arrangements are best suited to dealing with cases of sexual harassment, especially those involving its Director General.
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Pachauri’s first response was to deny the charge. He claimed that the emails, text messages and WhatsApp messages that the complainant cited as material evidence were the result of hacking. Pachauri retained senior advocate, Pavan Duggal, a specialist in cyber crime, to represent him. Duggal returned the brief within a couple of days, citing a “professional decision”. Since then, as more details of the case have appeared in the media, Pachauri has petitioned the court for protection against arrest.
Rumours about sexual harassment at TERI have been rife. A couple of years ago a complaint of sexual harassment from a woman employee resulted in the man she had complained against being fired from the organisation. At the time, according to current employees none of whom is willing to be named, Pachauri issued a strongly worded statement asserting that the organisation would not tolerate any form of sexual harassment. The same employees said that there were rumours about goings on in the Pachauri’s office, but as no woman filed a formal complaint or even admitted to being harassed herself, these remained just rumours.
Pandora's box
Now it seems the young woman’s complaint may have opened a Pandora’s box. Already a former TERI employee has written a letter made public detailing the sexual harassment and threats she faced from Pachauri, while working there ten years ago, and her fear of the consequences of complaining. It can be expected that other women too may now feel able to speak out and seek legal recourse. Lawyer Vrinda Grover says there is sufficient evidence of persistent and severe sexual harassment by Pachauri.
However, Pachauri’s continuing as Director General of TERI, albeit on “long leave” remains a major hurdle for many. His being on leave does nothing to diminish the power he wields over TERI’s employees, particularly those who work directly with him. He is to different people a PhD supervisor, a head of project, a decision maker on renewal of job contracts and promotions. This is besides the enormous clout he enjoys as a senior figure in the climate change/environmental science world, and as a Padma Vibhushan winner and member of government and international committees. A reflection of his clout is the kid-glove treatment that he has so far received from the media.
TERI has been unwilling to respond to questions about the composition of its internal complaints committee or its’ working. Its only response is to say that it has followed legal norms and that its sexual harassment policy is on the TERI intranet. While the young woman who has filed the criminal complaint against Pachauri pursues justice through the police and courts, TERI’s governing council, which includes Naina Lal Kidwai (Group General Manager and Country Head of HSBC India) and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (chairman and managing director of Biocon Ltd.) among other well known names from industry, science and government, will have to consider whether TERI’s current organisational arrangements are best suited to dealing with cases of sexual harassment, especially those involving its Director General.