Has Ashoka University appointed a person facing charges under the SC/ST Act as its VC? The Bahujan community is upset over the appointment of former IIM-B Director Professor Rishikesh Krishnan.
This is probably the first time since the establishment of IIMs in India that a serving director has been accused of caste-based discrimination and a named complaint has been filed against a faculty member for caste discrimination.
Published on: June 18, 2026, 10:21 am
New Delhi— The decision to appoint Professor Rishikesh T. Krishnan, former Director of IIM Bangalore, as the new Vice-Chancellor of Ashoka University has sparked widespread outrage and sharp reaction from the Bahujan community. This appointment comes at a time when Professor Krishnan faces serious allegations of caste discrimination and harassment of a Dalit professor during his tenure at IIM Bangalore.
Ashoka University recently announced that Professor Krishnan will succeed Professor Somak Raychaudhury as Vice-Chancellor on August 1st and serve an initial three-year term. In a statement, the university described Professor Krishnan as a respected academic leader, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIM Ahmedabad, and an expert in innovation and management education. However, this decision has raised numerous questions in the areas of educational and social justice.
An FIR (FIR No. 0467/2024) has been registered at the Mico Layout police station in Bengaluru against Professor Rishikesh T. Krishnan and seven other teachers of IIM-B and the case is sub judice after a stay from the Karnataka High Court.
Allegations of caste discrimination at IIM-B and FIR
The controversy stems from an incident that occurred during Professor Krishnan’s tenure as director of IIM Bangalore. Associate Professor Gopal Das, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, filed a complaint against eight individuals, including the director and senior faculty, alleging public humiliation, ostracism, denial of opportunities, and caste-based harassment.
An investigation by the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE) into the matter has reportedly found evidence to support the allegations. According to the report, Professor Krishnan allegedly revealed Professor Das’s caste through a mass email within the institute, which was deemed highly offensive. Based on these allegations, the Karnataka Social Welfare Department directed police action.
Consequently, an FIR (FIR No. 0467/2024) was registered against Professor Rishikesh T. Krishnan and seven other IIM-B faculty members at the Mico Layout police station in Bengaluru on December 20, 2024. The FIR was filed under sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(c) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (insulting, intimidating or using caste-based abuse against a member of the SC/ST community) and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including provisions for criminal intimidation.
This is probably the first time since the establishment of IIMs in India that a serving director has been accused of caste-based discrimination and a named complaint has been filed against a faculty member for caste discrimination.
The case, which includes Writ Petition No. 19036/2024 and related proceedings such as Criminal Petition No. 14410/2024, is currently pending in the Karnataka High Court. The High Court has stayed the FIR proceedings, the investigation, and some parallel administrative inquiries against Professor Krishnan and other accused. At present, no final decision has been reached in the case and it remains under judicial process.
‘How can a Vice Chancellor become an accused in an SC/ST atrocity case?’
The most vehement opposition to this appointment has come from the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar National Association of Engineers (BANAE) and the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA). A letter sent by BANAE National President Nagsen Sonare to Ashoka University members formally objected, detailing the pending criminal case against Professor Krishnan.
AIOBCSA President Kiran Gaur also questioned the decision, saying, “How can Ashoka University appoint the former director of IIM Bangalore, who is the main accused in the caste discrimination case, as its Vice Chancellor? During his tenure, the career of a young Dalit professor was allegedly harmed.”
Anil H. Wagade, a member of the Ambedkar International Centre and a senior Bhim-Ambedkarite thinker, also alleged that the then director and IIM administration systematically limited Professor Das’s teaching opportunities. He stated that while the institute claimed that MBA electives were subject to student choice, in reality, Professor Das was denied even the basic facilities, such as teaching assistants, necessary to effectively run his courses. His electives were often discontinued after just one or two semesters, and he was not assigned any core courses.
Even more outrageous, Professor Das’s name was allegedly concealed during the MBA course bidding process. According to Wagade, Professor Das was also excluded from key activities and committees at the institute. This occurred at a time when Professor Das was receiving exceptionally positive feedback for his teaching and producing significant research and publications, yet he was denied important opportunities, such as PhD teaching, a process controlled by the accused individuals.
Critics argue that Ashoka University completely ignored these serious allegations and their impact on the careers of young SC, ST, and OBC teachers when appointing Professor Krishnan. This development has sparked intense debate about accountability, diversity, inclusivity, and how to handle complaints of caste discrimination in higher education institutions. Members of the Bahujan community are questioning whether an institution that claims to be world-class can entrust its leadership to a person who faces a case of caste-based harassment and who has denied justice to the harassed teacher.
