Ramchandra Siras

Dr. Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras
Died	8th April 2010 (aged 61-62)
Nationality	Indian
Awards	Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad

Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras (1948 – 7 April 2010) was an Indian linguist and author. He was a professor at the Aligarh Muslim University specializing in Marathi literature and head of the Department of Modern Indian Languages. The film Aligarh, directed by Hansal Mehta, is based on his life.

Life

After school in Nagpur Siras studied psychology and linguistics at Nagpur University in India. In 1985 he got his doctorate in Marathi and a master's in psychology. He finished university studies and became a professor at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1998.

He wrote several short stories in the Marathi language. In 2002 he received the literary award from Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad for "Paya Khalchi Hirawal" (Grass under my feet).

Siras suffered from fits at a young age and was advised against marriage. When considered cured of the condition later in life he was married. The marriage lasted for nearly 20 years but ended in divorce after a long separation.

In 1996, AMU charged Siras with sexually harassing a woman. The charge was unsubstantiated and the case was withdrawn before Siras could lodge a response.

Suspension

On 8 February 2009, two men forced their way into Siras' house and caught him having consensual sex with another man. It was later claimed that AMU paid Rs 20,000 for the recording and AMU confirmed that the four people taking part in invading Siras' house were hired by the University. On 9 February 2009 Siras was suspended by AMU for "gross misconduct" after having been ambushed by a local TV channel's camera crew, while having sex with a rickshaw puller. The AMU public relations officer, Rahat Abrar, stated: "Siras was captured on camera having sex with a rickshaw-puller. It's a scandal no institution of repute can overlook. He was, therefore, placed under suspension by the order of the vice- chancellor, professor P. K. Abdul Aziz".

He won his case in Allahabad High Court on 1 April 2010 against his university, and got his job as professor back along with his accommodation until his retirement. The case was exacerbated by the involvement of students in the covert taping and ambush of Siras and his lover. The case was fought on the premise that Siras could not be penalised for being homosexual as Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalized homosexuality had been declared unconstitutional by the Delhi High Court in 2009.

I spent two decades here. I love my University. I have always loved it and will continue to do so no matter what. But I wonder if they have stopped loving me because I am gay

— Siras, 2010

Death

On 7 April 2010, Siras died in his apartment in Aligarh. Police suspected suicide, and preliminary results from the autopsy showed traces of poison in his body. A case of murder was later registered and six people arrested. On 19 April, the Superintendent of Police stated that three journalists and four AMU officials were named as part of the crime. The case was closed without resolution after the police failed to find sufficient evidence.

Siras was due to officially retire from academia in 6 months, and the letter officially revoking his suspension arrived to his office the day after his death.

Works

• Several short stories in marathi language

Awards

• 2002: literary award by Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad.

See also

• Suicide of Tyler Clementi, a closeted student at Rutgers University, after being unknowingly filmed having sex with a male student

External links

• http://www.lawyerscollective.org/vulnerable-communities/lgbt/section-377.html