IIT unwilling to reconsider decision on Tellis sacking

Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad has told the human resource development ministry that it is unwilling to reconsider its decision to sack gay rights activist and faculty member Ashley Tellis.

Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad has told the human resource development ministry that it is unwilling to reconsider its decision to sack gay rights activist and faculty member Ashley Tellis.

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In a blunt reply to an HRD ministry prod on the case following a representation to the government by Tellis, the IIT has said that the decision to sack the professor could not be reversed.

The IIT Hyderabad reply — accessed by HT from Institute sources — says decision to sack Tellis was taken by the IIT Board of Governors after it considered all aspects of the case, and the decision cannot be reversed.

Tellis, who was on probation in the IIT Hyderabad liberal arts faculty, was sacked this June after the Institute BoG concluded that he was guilty of “unlawful behaviour.” IIT officials claim they received several complaints against Tellis before deciding to remove him from their faculty.

But Tellis — who has a PhD from Cambridge university — has argued in his representation that he was victimised and discriminated against because of his sexual orientation.

Tellis was sacked close on the heels of the Aligarh Muslim University decision to sack gay professor S.R. Siras for his sexual leanings. Siras subsequently committed suicide.

The decision to sack Tellis drew wide condemnation from India’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual community which argued that the sacking was discriminatory and violated Constitutional rights of sexual minorities.