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Is the Landmark Forum a cult?

I went to the induction, so you don’t have to…

We all have crutches to lean on in life. Many people rely on family. Others, exercise or their church of choice. For many, friends prop them up, listen to them and give them a kick in the shins or a hug of encouragement when its most needed.

For some people, however, these support systems are either not available or not sufficient for their needs. So they’re forced to seek guidance, encouragement and motivation in their personal, professional, spiritual and mental lives from another source.

This is the void occupied by Landmark Worldwide, “…an international personal and professional growth, training and development company — a global educational enterprise committed to the fundamental principle that people have the possibility of success, fulfillment [sic] and greatness”, according to their website.

Landmark is most famous/ infamous for its life coaching courses, sold to the public under the sub-brand banner of ‘The Landmark Forum’. The Forum is (initially, at least) sold as a three-day residential seminar during which participants are coached and encouraged to bring about positive developments in their lives. The sales pitch sounds intriguing (if a little New Age, ‘self help book’ mantra) from the outset: -

“The Landmark Forum is designed to bring about positive, permanent shifts in the quality of your life. These shifts are the direct cause for a new and unique kind of freedom and power — the freedom to be at ease and the power to be effective in the areas that matter most to you: the quality of your relationships, the confidence with which you live your life, your personal productivity, your experience of the difference you make, your enjoyment of life”.

If this was the extent of the business of Landmark, I’d have no issue. The problem is, this initial coaching weekender is very much the tip of a much more underhand and ultimately expensive iceberg.

My experience with Landmark came as a result of a colleagues’ involvement a few years ago. Their enthusiastic validation the course’s merits and warm friendships they’d made therein made it sound like a health retreat twinned with a self-help book and a dating agency. It was all too good to be true. Even cursory questioning of the Forum’s methods and subsequent fee structure suggested all was not well in paradise.

Unfortunately, my colleague would hear nothing of my cynical objections, ignoring my suggestion that Landmark sounded like little more than hack psychology masquerading as a life-changing spiritual entity and marketed as a ‘member get member�� pyramid scheme. The debate was left unresolved, my colleague still firmly fixed in their opinion (and a little miffed that I dared to question Landmark’s greatness).

Concerned that there were more nefarious dealings at work, I decided to investigate further — so I signed up for an induction session.

A dank evening in mid-winter — a vacant office block north of Euston. I wandered through the decrepit entrance hall to the registration table, collecting my name badge on route that marked me out as a newbie from an ever-so-friendly-lady behind the desk. I walked into the main room (most of the floor) when it became clear this was not going to be just a brief sales pitch.

There were over 150 people seated with a stage area and speakers at the front of the auditorium. It became apparent that the induction for trialists would begin within a meeting of authentic Landmark members, three of whom sat on the stage. After a brief introduction and welcome, each of the three took turns explaining what Landmark had done for them and how their lives had been significantly improved as a result of its coaching.

Despite the hoards of members, this exercise felt like it was being sold directly to me and the other new folk brought in to see what Landmark was all about.

The first intro was from lady who had struggled with an infirm parent who she had to care for full time. It was heartrending in parts, moving and highly personal. Landmark had shown her how to achieve a better balance and find time to look after herself as well as her mother. The second was a young man who had struggled to form intimate personal relationships. The confidence he’d gained from Landmark had allowed him to open up emotionally, to the point that he’d offered hugs to random strangers on the Tube. This story sounded fairly similar to the ‘Free Hugs’ movement I’d seen in action in the States, but I let it pass. The third speech was equally moving and unexpectedly personal, almost embarrassing for someone to admit and discuss in a room full of people and strangers.

The rapturous applause that followed each vignette was open validation, the message clear — you’re amongst friends here — nothing is off limits — leave your fear, shame and lack of confidence at the door.

After the intros, I was ushered with the rest of the novice flock to a small anteroom. The induction crowd had swelled to nearer twenty and a robust, bullish woman in her mid-thirties enthusiastically regaled us with her story.

Over the course of three hours.

Her focus was laser guided to the heart of the discomfort zone — her love life, or lack thereof. As tales of bad relationships, disappointing sex and a dearth of physical fulfillment rolled verbosely off her tongue, the nervous-looking participants were in the palm of her hand. She paused briefly to engage the room — “Why are you here?” she asked.

Few responses were forthcoming, most needing to be pried free with her enthusiastic but gently persuasive cajoling.

“My business failed”. “I lost my job”. “I feel inadequate”. “My marriage is failing”. “I can’t sleep”. “My sex life sucks”. “I’m lonely”.

I’m no journalist, so I came clean. “A friend is a member — it sounded a bit like a cult, so I thought I’d check it out for myself”.

Her beaming grin and clap of applause barely hid her derision. And then something odd happened. She moved on, but then so did two of my fellow inductees, Mr. Inadequate behind me and Miss Poor Sex Life next to me, both of whom had been highly willing, friendly and encouraging participants until that point. They sat back down next to Mr Failed Business and Mr Lost My Job, smiling warmly and initiating conversation as they did so. It was clear that out of twenty people in the induction, at least seven were Landmark plants. My heckles raised as the presenter continued. I went to the bathroom.

Except I didn’t — not immediately, at least.

“We encourage people to wait until the end of the session” our now less-than-warm leader called out firmly as I slunk towards the door. “It helps keep you focused”.

Qualified psychologists would have a field day with this unusual tactic but apparently, it’s something Landmark employs throughout their life coaching courses. I left anyway, having to walk down the back of the main amphitheatre to the bathrooms near the entrance. The main room speaker stopped talking, one hundred and fifty heads turned, and three hundred eyes burned into the side of my head.

I dared to break the rules. I threatened to walk out of my induction early. In the bathroom I decided enough was enough — I’d been listening to the sales pitch dressed up as life coaching in a room of planted staff for over two and a half hours. I was bored, annoyed and a little disturbed by what I’d seen.

But then, I decided to ride it out, ostensibly (and in part in morbid fascination) to see what other manipulative tricks could be employed to rope in new sign ups.

As I crossed back across the main room the heads turned once again, but this time with beaming smiles all saying the same thing:- I hadn’t quit — I’d been for a piss but hey, I was new — I’d learn bladder control on the weekend retreats.

Back in the first timer’s room, our exuberant hostess was on a roll and finally getting to the point. Landmark had helped her define her ‘self’, her personal and professional life, relationships and yes, even her sex life had been influenced in a positive way. I glanced down at my notes — our three-hour induction session had been an A to Z of sales and marketing tactics, strategies and flimflam seemingly sold through a pyramid structure in which members graduated through levels as their ‘expertise’ in the Landmark way improved.

At the top of the pyramid was a faceless U.S. corporation skimming over $100 million a year in revenue in exchange for falsely-sold, rather manipulative waffle.

I left before the main room’s session had finished and traveled home feeling pretty hollow, a little freaked out and ultimately quite saddened for my fellow participants who felt that an obvious a money-making scheme such as Landmark really was the answer they’d been searching for.

Further research revealed the extent and the extraordinary success of Landmark worldwide, the corporate umbrella that covers the various strands of the organisation. With headquarters in San Francisco, Landmark has 53 offices that operate programs, courses, seminars and retreats in 125 cities. By their own admittance, Landmark is a business owned by over 600 of its employees, many of whom, I believe, are the early adopters in their coaching pyramid.

For those in the lower quadrants paying hundreds of Pounds, Dollars and Yen to attend weekend coaching seminars as they move up the coaching ladder, a heavy onus is placed on bringing friends, family and colleagues to induction sessions — each year this sales funnel acquires more than 193,000 people to its courses worldwide.

Sadly, it seems highly unlikely that those outside the inner circle will ever achieve coaching nor financial Nirvana — Landmark has cleverly inserted the wonderfully named ‘Wisdom Courses’ to the top of their coaching tree. At this upper echelon of nonsensical psychobabble, they have 25,000 ‘high achieving’ members and offer such cash-burning treats as Wisdom Unlimited, Partnership Explorations, Year-end Vacations and even a Conference for Global Transformation — each of which will come with a stiff price tag and no doubt some fairly full bladders.

Landmark isn’t doing anything illegal. It looks like a cult, it smells like a cult — but without the traditional quasi-religious associations. It appears to be a highly profitable socially exploitative business that’s learned its entire operational methodology from cults, its sales patter from IBM and shares its marketing and CRM strategy with the likes of Facebook.

It appeals to those who are desperately searching for answers and draws them into a multi-tiered environment of friendly and relatable people — then uses them as an unpaid (in fact, quite the opposite) re-seller workforce.

Once involved in the inner circle, every Landmark member becomes a part of the sales funnel (whether they recognise it or not) and the fees that are charged are steep, but not enough to bankrupt anyone. In addition, some of the coaching methodologies are decidedly suspect, from bringing up childhood annoyances, calling family and friends to ‘clean up’ past issues and burning bridges with those who don’t support the individual’s decisions.

Landmark therefore has a constant and ever-expanding group of members drip-feeding incremental revenue into the central coffers, never dangerous enough to concern the authorities but ultimately no more useful than a session with a qualified therapist or a chat with a close friend.

At best, Landmark is a harmless way to meet people and discuss your problems in an open and accepting community and costs less than proper therapy (to start with, at least). At worst, it’s a misleading and costly organisation that uses hack psychology to entrance, educate and exploit people who have exhausted other avenues when seeking answers to their life problems.

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#MeToo Impact: Sotheby's India MD Gaurav Bhatia Goes on Leave

According to complaints posted on Instagram, Bhatia touched the ‘victims’ inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them.

Southeby managing editor Gaurav Bhatia. Credit: Southeby

PTI

BUSINESS23/NOV/2018

Mumbai: Sotheby’s India managing director Gaurav Bhatia has proceeded on leave after a series of sexual harassment allegations against him on social media.

A statement by the auction house on Friday said Bhatia had taken a “leave of absence” pending a probe into the allegations. “In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced on social media, Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to take a leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues.”

“Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation,” the statement said.

Also read: Flipkart’s Binny Bansal Resigns After Probe Into Allegation of “Serious Personal Misconduct”

According to complaints posted on Instagram, Bhatia touched the ‘victims’ inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them.

Bhatia, who has been with Sotheby’s since 2016, has worked with luxury brand LVMH for over a decade before joining the auction house.

The development comes at a crucial time for Sotheby’s, which is slated to conduct its maiden art auction next week. According to the company website, Bhatia heads the south Asia operation and calls him the “driving force” behind the inaugural auction in Mumbai.

The company said in a statement its employees under the leadership of Edward Gibbs, the chairman for West Asia and India, and Yamini Mehta, international head of Indian and South Asian Art, were “fully focused” on the auction.

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MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SOTHEBY'S INDIA GAURAV BHATIA DEPARTS FOLLOWING SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS

Gaurav Bhatia.

January 07, 2019 at 10:59am

Nearly one month after Gaurav Bhatia, the managing director of Sotheby’s India, took a leave of absence following allegations of sexual misconduct, the arts professional has stepped down. During his two-year tenure at the auction house, he launched its inaugural auction in Mumbai, which fetched $7.9 million in November 2018. In a statement, Sotheby’s said, “We appreciate and thank him for his service.”

Accusations against Bhatia first surfaced on the anonymous Instagram account Scene and Herd (@herdsceneand), which has become an empowering platform for victims of sexual assault and harassment in the Indian art world. The posts detailing incidents with Bhatia describe interactions that ranged from unwanted touching to physical assault. Several other cultural figures have also been named on the account.

After Bhatia’s departure was announced, the account featured a new post informing its followers of the news. It reads: “We’re actually speechless right now. None of this work we are doing has been easy and we couldn’t have done this without these amazing courageous individuals who put their trust in us and for allies of different kinds helping us unconditionally.”

The increasing number of reports of sexual harassment in the South Asian art world led more than 270 figures to sign a statement calling for the creative community to protect victims and advocating for “the necessary legal and informal support mechanisms” to address the challenges they face by coming forward.

The statement, which began circulating before Christmas, reads: “Survivors who publicly tell their stories face serious forms of retaliation. They are reluctant to disclose their identities because they fear losing work. As a community, we commit to ensuring that people who are speaking out are protected, and that professional opportunities are not denied to them. We respect the truth and stand in solidarity with those who come out with their stories.”

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HEAD OF SOTHEBY’S INDIA GAURAV BHATIA STEPS DOWN AFTER #METOO ALLEGATIONS

BY JULEE WJ CHUNG

*Last updated January 7, 2019.

Sotheby’s India’s managing director Gaurav Bhatia has taken a leave of absence since anonymous allegations of sexual harassment were published on social media. Portrait of Gaurav Bhatia via Sotheby’s Twitter.

On November 22, auction house Sotheby’s India issued a statement that its managing director Gaurav Bhatia would take a leave of absence pending a formal inquiry into anonymous allegations of sexual harassment that had surfaced on social media. According to ArtNews, Bhatia stepped down permanently on December 20.

Between November 13 and 22, four sources shared accounts of Bhatia’s sexual misconduct on the anonymous Instagram account Scene and Herd (herdsceneand). One alleged victim who identified himself as male reported that during a professional event in 2014, he had been physically assaulted by Bhatia, who was a “top boss at a luxury firm” at the time. A subsequent account from a former intern, also at “a luxury firm,” accused Bhatia of groping and attempting to “corner” the victim, stating: “It was common knowledge in the firm that Gaurav had a tendency to touch guys inappropriately when under the influence of alcohol.” Before joining Sotheby’s in 2016, Bhatia had headed the marketing department of luxury brand LVMH’s India branch. Aishwarya Subramanyam (@otherwarya), an editor at Elle India, corroborated the first story on Instagram, claiming that a person she knew had been present at the event and witnessed the victim looking “all shaken up.”

“Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation,” the auction house stated.

Scene and Herd, which has been publishing anonymous posts on verbal and physical sexual harrassment in the Indian art world since early October, is part of a larger wave of #MeToo allegations that have rocked the country. Dozens of men and women have called out systemic abuse, sexual misconduct and assault, naming a number of powerful Indian men in the the art, media, sports, entertainment and non-profit industries, including photographer Shahid Datawala, sculptor Jatin Das, and artist Riyas Komu. While some alleged perpetrators were forced to step down from positions in their respective organizations, others have yet to face official repercussions.

Sotheby’s announcement came less than a week before the auction house’s first sale in Mumbai, “Boundless: India,” which took place on November 29 at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel under the supervision of Edward Gibbs, Sotheby’s chairman of the Middle East and India, and Yamini Mehta, the international head of Indian and South Asian Art.

Julee WJ Chung is ArtAsiaPacific’s assistant editor.

To read more of ArtAsiaPacific’s articles, visit our Digital Library.

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Sotheby’s India head Gaurav Bhatia resigns after #MeToo

By:PTI| Published: January 6, 2019 5:27 AM

Gaurav Bhatia has resigned as Sotheby's India managing director, nearly a month after he went on a “leave of absence” following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Gaurav Bhatia has resigned as Sotheby’s India managing director, nearly a month after he went on a “leave of absence” following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Bhatia, who was the south Asia operations head and the “driving force” behind Boundless: India-Sotheby’s maiden auction in the country, put in his papers on December 20, 2018. “Sotheby’s managing director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20, 2018 after two years with the company, during which he had launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service,” the auction house told PTI.

Bhatia, in a statement, said that he had decided to “move on” after two successful years with the auction house. “After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby’s future in India. I wish them the very best,” he said.

Also read| IndiGo aircraft suffers mid-air engine failure, government to review incident

According to the anonymous allegations against Bhatia that surfaced on social media, he touched the victims inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them. Bhatia was among the big names that were called out in the Me Too movement in the Indian art world, besides leading artists like Jatin Das, Riyas Komu and most recently Subodh Gupta.

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Sotheby’s India Head Gaurav Bhatia Resigns After #MeToo

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Gaurav Bhatia resigns as Sotheby’s India MD, month after Me Too allegations

Bhatia, who was the South Asia operations head and the “driving force” behind “Boundless: India”, Sotheby’s maiden auction in the country, put in his papers on December 20, 2018.

BUSINESS Updated: Jan 06, 2019 00:01 IST

Press Trust of India

New Delhi

Gaurav Bhatia resigns as Sotheby’s India MD, month after Me Too allegations.(HT File Photo)  

Gaurav Bhatia has resigned as Sotheby’s India MD, nearly a month after he went on a “leave of absence” following allegations of sexual misconduct, the auction house said on Saturday.

Bhatia, who was the South Asia operations head and the “driving force” behind “Boundless: India”, Sotheby’s maiden auction in the country, put in his papers on December 20, 2018.

“Sotheby’s Managing Director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20th, 2018 after two years with the company, during which time he launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service,” the auction house told PTI.

Bhatia, in a statement, said he had decided to “move on” after two successful years with the auction house.

“After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby’s future in India. I wish them the very best,” he said. According to the anonymous allegations against Bhatia that surfaced on social media, he touched the ‘victims’ inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them.

Bhatia was among the big names that were called out in the Me Too movement in the Indian art world, besides leading artists like Jatin Das, Riyas Komu and most recently Subodh Gupta.

First Published: Jan 05, 2019 21:26 IST

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South Asia

month after Me Too allegation

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Gaurav Bhatia resigns from Sotheby's after sexual misconduct allegations

Bhatia, who was the South Asia operations head and the driving force behind Boundless: India, Sotheby's maiden auction in the country, put in his papers on December 20, 2018

PTI   Last Updated: January 6, 2019  | 11:09 IST  

Image source: LinkedIn/gaurav-bhatia-a556482

Gaurav Bhatia has resigned as Sotheby's India MD, nearly a month after he went on a leave of absence following allegations of sexual misconduct, the auction house said on Saturday.

Bhatia, who was the South Asia operations head and the driving force behind Boundless: India, Sotheby's maiden auction in the country, put in his papers on December 20, 2018.

Also Read: HRD introduces 70-point grading index to assess quality of school education in states

Sotheby's Managing Director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20th, 2018 after two years with the company, during which time he launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service, the auction house told PTI.

Bhatia, in a statement, said he had decided to move on after two successful years with the auction house.

After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby's inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby's future in India. I wish them the very best," he said.

According to the anonymous allegations against Bhatia that surfaced on social media, he touched the victims' inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them.

Bhatia was among the big names that were called out in the Me Too movement in the Indian art world, besides leading artists like Jatin Das, Riyas Komu and most recently Subodh Gupta.

Also Read: Govt ensuring airlines follow highest safety standards: Suresh Prabhu

Also Read: Draft IT rules will lead to censorship on social media: Experts

Tags:

Gaurav Bhatia Resigns | Gaurav Bhatia | Sotheby’S India Head | Sotheby’S India | Metoo | MD Of Sotheby's India | Sexual Harassment Allegations | #Metoo | Sotheby's MD

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Gaurav Bhatia resigns from Sotheby's a month after #MeToo allegations

PTI | Updated: Jan 5, 2019, 17:29 IST

NEW DELHI: Gaurav Bhatia has resigned as Sotheby's India MD, nearly a month after he went on a “leave of absence” following allegations of sexual misconduct, the auction house said on Saturday.

Bhatia, who was the South Asia operations head and the “driving force” behind “Boundless: India”, Sotheby's maiden auction in the country, put in his papers on December 20, 2018.

“Sotheby's Managing Director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20th, 2018 after two years with the company, during which time he launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service,” the auction house told PTI.

Bhatia, in a statement, said he had decided to “move on” after two successful years with the auction house.

“After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby's inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby's future in India. I wish them the very best," he said.

According to the anonymous allegations against Bhatia that surfaced on social media, he touched the ‘victims' inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them.

Bhatia was among the big names that were called out in the Me Too movement in the Indian art world, besides leading artists like Jatin Das, Riyas Komu and most recently Subodh Gupta.

[consumerratingandreview-blog]

#MeToo: Gaurav Bhatia, MD of Sotheby's India, steps down following sexual harassment allegations

Following the complaints, Bhatia went on an indefinite leave.

IANS|Jan 05, 2019, 12.39 PM IST

Following the complaints, Bhatia went on an indefinite leave from his position ahead of the auction house's inaugural sale in Mumbai.

NEW DELHI: Following sexual harassment allegations in November 2018 and an indefinite period of leave, Sotheby's Managing Director for India Gaurav Bhatia has stepped down from the post, an official statement said on Saturday.

Confirming the news, Bhatia in a statement said he has decided to move on from Sotheby's and wished the company luck for their future endeavours.

"After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby's inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby's future in India. I wish them the very best," he said.

2018: The Year When #MeToo Shook India

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2018: The Year Of #MeToo In India27 Dec, 2018

2018 saw the rise of the #MeToo movement in India. Inspired by a global campaign against sexual harassment and assault, women across the spectrum opened up and shared their stories about abuse by men in positions of power. And it began in October with actress Tanushree Dutta accusing actor Nana Patekar of sexual harassment while shooting for the 2008 film 'Horn Ok Please'.

What followed was a series of posts by other women who shared their experiences with the world. From actors, film directors to advertising top guns, artists and writers and politicians, women professionals called out obnoxious behaviour at the workplace. From unwanted attention in the office to sexual innuendos on the film set, there were many kinds of allegations that surfaced.

As the year ends, we look back at all those who were accused of inappropriate behaviour and harassment.

(In Pic: From top left, Nana Patekar, Aditi Mittal, Subhash Ghai, Anirban Das Blah. From bottom left, Alok Nath, Sajid Khan, Jatin Das, Vikas Bahl)

Nana Patekar, Tanushree Dutta27 Dec, 2018

Former actress Tanushree Dutta in September accused Nana Patekar of sexually harassing her during the shooting of their 2008 film 'Horn Ok Pleassss'. Dutta went on to say that she had brought up the complaint 10 years ago when the incident occurred, but no action was taken.The actress also said that she was supposed to do a solo number for the film, but Patekar decided to join in and perform intimate dance steps that made her uncomfortable.Patekar denied the allegations and sent a legal notice to the actress, who filed a police complaint against the actor and the film's choreographer Ganesh Acharya, producer Samee Siddiqui and director Rakesh Sarang. Meanwhile, Rakhi Sawant who had replaced Dutta in the song for the film, then accused her of taking drugs on the set. Dutta slapped a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Sawant. (In Pic: On the left Nana Patekar, on the right is Tanushree Dutta)

Vinta Nanda, Alok Nath, Sandhya Mridul27 Dec, 2018

Alok Nath, known for his popular on-screen portrayals, found himself in the midst of the #MeToo controversy after writer-director Vinta Nanda accused him of rape. Actress Sandhya Mridul also alleged that he had made sexual advances towards her during a shoot.

Nanda had alleged that the actor had raped her 19 years ago. Nath, however, refuted the allegations and filed a civil defamation suit against Nanda. Nath's wife Ashu had also recorded her statement in court against Nanda and sought defamation against the writer-director.

Mridul, while slamming Nath for causing agony, praised Tanushree Dutta and Vinta Nanda for their courage to come forward and urged others to not be ashamed and ‘keep this fire going.’

(In Pic: From the left, Vinta Nanda, Alok Nath and Sandhya Mridul)

Vikas Bahl, Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Kangana Ranaut27 Dec, 2018

On October 6, hours after Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Madhu Matena and Vikas Bahl announced the decision to dissolve their production house Phantom Films, director Bahl was accused of sexual harassment by a former employee. The victim who had worked on the production house's film 'Bombay Velvet' recalled her ordeal with Bahl in 2015. Soon after, Kashyap and Motwane went on record to say that they were informed about the allegations by the employee and detailed the backdoor deliberations that took place in order to punish their partner. Their statement led to Bahl filing a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against them. The 'Queen' director also demanded interim action from the court seeking to restrain Kashyap and Motwane from making statements against him to media or through social media. Now, while the woman has refused to take any legal action while saying that she stands by her claims, the former partners are fighting it out in court.(In Pic: Top left is Vikas Bahl, top right is Vikramaditya Motwane, bottom left is Anurag Kashyap, bottom right is Kangana Ranaut)

Sajid Khan, Saloni Chopra, Priyanka Bose, Mandana Karimi27 Dec, 2018

Sajid Khan had to step down from 'Houseful 4' after multiple allegations of sexual impropriety surfaced against the Bollywood director. His close friend and aide in Bollywood, Akshay Kumar also chose to not support him and decided not to shoot if Khan was on-board.

On October 11, an aspiring actress, Saloni Chopra had posted a detailed account of the harrowing time she had with Khan.

A freelance journalist also claimed that Khan had exposed himself when she was interviewing him in the early 2000s. After the allegations, Khan stepped down from the upcoming comedy 'Housefull 4'. The movie, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and being distributed by Fox Star Studios, is the latest entry in a franchise that began in 2010. Khan has directed two of the previous three films.

Priyanka Bose, who has acted in critically acclaimed films including 'Lion', 'Gulaab Gang', and 'Half Ticket' among others, opened up about the incident that allegedly took place when Khan had called her for an audition. She detailed the incident and shared that soon after when she narrated the incident to her partner, he asked him to quit right away. She has been quoted as saying, “He called me for an audition. The text from his assistant read, “Should be comfortable in a bikini.” When I landed up with the required clothing, no sides were given.”

Mandana Karimi alleged that Khan made inappropriate remarks when she visited his office to discuss a role in his 2014 film 'Humshakals'. The actress said that Khan had asked her to remove her clothes, in order for her to get the part.

(In Pic: Top left Sajid Khan, top right Saloni Chopra, bottom left Priyanka Bose, bottom right Mandana Karimi)

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Thanking and appreciating Bhatia, the auction house in a statement said: "Sotheby's Managing Director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20, 2018, after two years with the company, during which time he launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service."

According to complaints posted on Instagram in November 2018, Bhatia touched the victims inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them.

Following the complaints, Bhatia went on an indefinite leave from his position ahead of the auction house's inaugural sale in Mumbai.

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Sotheby’s India MD Gaurav Bhatia Steps Down After Accusations Of Sexual Misconduct

IWB Post

January 5, 2019

Gaurav Bhatia, the MD of Sotheby’s India, has resigned nearly a month after he went on a ‘leave of absence’ following sexual harassment allegations.

Gaurav was the South Asia operations head and the driving force behind Boundless: India, Sotheby’s maiden auction in the country. According to anonymous allegations made by four people against Bhatia, posted on Instagram in November 2018, he touched the victims inappropriately and forcibly tried to kiss them. The allegations pertain to the time when he was employed with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, and the other incident took place during his current position in Sotheby’s. The last post made on Instagram alleges physical assault inside a hotel room in the year 2014 after an event when Gaurav was the “top boss at a luxury firm” and the survivor was on the communications team.

According to TOI, the post from one of the male complainants read, “After the event.. he asked me to come to his room to close the remaining urgent things…I didn’t see anything coming as I thought he was being chivalrous and didn’t want o make the girls feel uncomfortable by having them in his room. So I being a boy, agreed to accompany him… He went on to physically assault me- during the whole time I said ‘no’ at various points. I was scared and shocked and disturbed for days. I’m now opening up and sharing this because others are speaking up.”

The account named ‘Scene and Herd’ has earlier also shared sexual harassment allegations against artist Jatin Das and Kochi Muziris Biennale co-founder Riyas Komu, and Gaurav was one amongst the many other big names that were called out in the #MeToo movement.

Following the allegations, after working for two years with the auction house, Gaurav has stepped down from his post as an MD on December 20, 2018. In an official statement, he said, “After two enriching years and the stellar opportunity to launch Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Mumbai, I have decided to move on. It has been a pleasure working with the great team we have built, and I will enjoy watching them continue to build Sotheby’s future in India. I wish them the very best.”

The auction house shared, “Sotheby’s Managing Director of India, Gaurav Bhatia, resigned on December 20, 2018, after two years with the company, during which time he launched the inaugural Mumbai auction. We appreciate and thank him for his service.”

H/T: NDTV

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Following Sexual Harassment Allegations, Gaurav Bhatia Has Stepped Down as Managing Director of Sotheby's India

BY

Annie Armstrong

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01/04/19 3:04 PM

In November of last year, after being accused of sexual harassment, Gaurav Bhatia took an “indefinite leave” from his position as managing director of Sotheby’s India ahead of the auction house’s inaugural sale in Mumbai. Now ARTnews has learned that Bhatia permanently stepped down from his post on December 20. The auction house confirmed the news and said in a statement, “We appreciate and thank him for his service.”

An Instagram post by the account Scene and Herd, which is dedicated to revealing instances of sexual harassment in the Indian art world and which first announced the allegations against Bhatia, posted the news on Friday. The sources, which went unnamed by the account, accused him of forcibly kissing and inappropriately touching victims without consent. Bhatia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

When Bhatia first took a leave from his position in November, Sotheby’s told the Mumbai Mirror, “In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to to take a leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues. Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s cooperation.”

Other notable figures to have been accused of sexual harassment by Scene and Herd include artist Subodh Gupta and Kochi-Muziris Biennale cofounder Riyas Komu. After the accusations were made public by the Instagram account, Gupta denied the allegations and stepped down as guest curator of the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa, India. Komu stepped down from his position at the biennial and apologized to the victims on social media.

Last week, 270 artists and arts professionals signed a statement about a sexual harassment in the South Asian art community. “We call on all our peers; artists; curators; gallerists; collectors; writers; and heads of both public and private institutions to commit to the safeguarding of survivor accounts,” that statement reads, in part.

“We’re actually speechless right now,” Scene and Herd wrote today on Instagram, adding that it was not finished calling out figures in the Indian art world. “We work tirelessly to do whatever we can to support survivors as and when they need us.”

Copyright 2019, Art Media ARTNEWS, llc. 110 Greene Street, 2nd Fl., New York, N.Y. 10012. All rights reserved.

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Head of Sotheby’s India takes 'indefinite leave' following #MeToo allegations

Gaurav Bhatia is co-operating in "formal enquiry" ahead of auction house’s inaugural sale in Mumbai today

KABIR JHALA

29th November 2018 12:30 GMT

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Gaurav Bhatia, the managing director of Sotheby's India, with Tyeb Mehta's Durga Mahisasura Mardini Photo: IANS

The managing director of Sotheby’s India, Gaurav Bhatia, has taken “a leave of absence” following allegations of sexual harassment just days before the auction house’s inaugural sale in Mumbai, which takes place later today (29 November). Bhatia has been accused by four anonymous sources of sexual misconduct, including inappropriately touching and forcibly kissing the alleged victims without their consent.

The allegations were posted on the Instagram account Scene and Herd between 13 November and 22 November. The social media account, on which users can anonymously share their experiences of sexually inappropriate behaviour in the Indian art world, has recently implicated a number of men in what is part of a larger wave of #MeToo allegations sweeping across the country.

A section from one of the four anonymous allegations posted on the Instagram account Scene and Herd © @herdsceneand

Bhatia joined Sotheby’s in October 2016 and was formerly the head of marketing at LVMH India—the most recent of the allegations on @herdandscene refers to an incident in 2014 when Bhatia was "top boss at a luxury firm" according to the post.

Sotheby’s says Bhatia is co-operating with a “formal enquiry”. According to a statement released by the auction house, “harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation.”

Sotheby’s first-ever sale in Mumbai, Boundless: India, is due to take place later today at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. The auction will include works by South Asian artists such as Tyeb Mehta and Amrita Sher-Gil with a total estimate of £4.8m-£7m. The inaugural auction forms part of a bid by Sotheby’s to “affirm its commitment to South Asia”, with Bhatia described as the “driving force” behind the auction on the company’s website. Since the allegations, Bhatia has been absent from a number of social functions related to the auction, according to local media reports.

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Sotheby’s India Sent MD Gaurav Bhatia on Leave Amid #MeToo Allegations

BY BLOUIN ARTINFO | NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Sotheby’s India MD Gaurav Bhatia(Courtesy: Sotheby’s)

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Just a few days ahead of its highly-anticipated inaugural auction in India, Sotheby’s India has sent its Managing Director, Gaurav Bhatia, on leave pending an inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment made against him on social media.

Mumbai Mirror reports that four different anonymous complaints have been made on social media about Bhatia’s sexual misconduct.

According to the allegations posted on Instagram, Bhatia not only touched the alleged victims inappropriately,  but also tried to kiss them forcibly, and even physically assaulting one of them in a hotel room in 2014. Out of the four complainants, two of them are male.

A statement by the auction house said Bhatia has taken a "leave of absence" pending a probe into the allegations.

"In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced on social media, Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to take a leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues," the statement mentioned. "Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation."

Bhatia began his career as an advertising executive in New York. He has worked with luxury brand LVMH for over a decade before joining Sotheby’s in 2016.

The auction house said in a statement that the inaugural auction “Boundless: India,” set to be held in Mumbai at The Taj Mahal Palace on November 29, will now be supervised under the leadership of Edward Gibbs, chairman, Middle East & India, and Yamini Mehta, International Head of Indian and South Asian Art.

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#MeToo movement: Two men accuse Sotheby director Gaurav Bhatia of sexual harassment

By Team MyNation

First Published 25, Nov 2018, 11:24 AM IST

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Bhatia has four sexual harassment allegations levelled against him under the movement

Mumbai: Auction house Sotheby India has sent its top India executive on a leave of absence after four sexual harassment allegations were levelled against him under the #MeToo movement.

Managing director Gaurav Bhatia has been accused of inappropriate touching and forcible kissing by the accusers of which two are men who worked with him. The allegations surfaced on the Instagram page Scene and Herd that has been posting #MeToo stories from the world of art.

One of the #MeToo survivor wrote in his account, "Working for him was extremely traumatic and triggering thereafter. I had to quit him a week later."

Meanwhile, a day before their first auction in the country, Sotheby's has released a statement saying, "Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby's and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav's full cooperation."

Last Updated 25, Nov 2018, 11:26 AM IST

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Sotheby's India Head Goes On Leave Amid Allegations Of Sexual Misconduct

A statement by the auction house Friday said Gaurav Bhatia has taken a "leave of absence" pending a probe into the allegations.

All India

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Press Trust of India

| Updated: November 23, 2018 22:25 IST

Gaurav Bhatia has been with working Sotheby's since 2016.

MUMBAI: The Managing Director of Sothebys India, Gaurav Bhatia, has proceeded on leave after a series of sexual harassment allegations against him on social media.

A statement by the auction house Friday said Bhatia has taken a "leave of absence" pending a probe into the allegations.

"In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced on social media, Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to take a leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues," the statement said.

"Harassment of any type has no place at Sothebys and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gauravs full cooperation," it said.

According to complaints posted on Instagram, Bhatia touched the 'victims' inappropriately and forcibly trying to kiss them.

Bhatia, who has been with Sotheby's since 2016, has worked with the luxury brand LVMH for over a decade before joining the auction house.

The development comes at a crucial time for Sotheby's, which is slated to conduct its maiden art auction here next week.

A company website says Bhatia heads the south Asia operation and calls him as the "driving force" behind the inaugural auction in Mumbai.

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The company statement said its employees under the leadership of Edward Gibbs, the chairman for Middle East and India, and Yamini Mehta, international head of Indian and South Asian Art, are "fully focused" on the auction.

Gaurav Bhatia  Sothebys India  sexual harassment

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#MeToo: Sotheby’s India Managing Director Gaurav Bhatia goes on leave after harassment allegations

Sexual Harassment

The auction house said a formal inquiry is under way with Bhatia’s full cooperation.

Auction house Sotheby’s India said its Managing Director Gaurav Bhatia has taken a leave of absence pending an inquiry after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced on social media, reported The Hindu on Friday.

“In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced on social media, Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to take a leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues,” Sotheby’s India said in a statement on Thursday. “Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation.”

At least four people have shared accounts of Bhatia’s sexual harassment and in one case, physical assault. The allegations include inappropriate touching and forcibly trying to kiss someone. The allegations were shared anonymously on the Instagram account ‘Scene and Herd’.

The announcement by Sotheby’s comes less than a week ahead of the Sotheby’s inaugural auction in Mumbai on November 29. Bhatia was described as the “driving force” behind the launch of the inaugural auction.

According to Mumbai Mirror, Bhatia has appointed a legal counsel.

Others in the art world that have been accused of sexual misconduct and harassment include photographer Shahid Datawala, artist and sculptor Jatin Das, and artist Riyas Komu.

#MeToo in India

Since October 5, dozens of women have taken to social media to give detailed accounts of the sexual harassment and misconduct they have faced across several sectors such as advertising, Tamil and Hindi filmindustries, the field of arts, music and dance, publishing, journalism, sports, religion and non-profit organisations.

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Sotheby's MD Gaurav Bhatia under the #MeToo scanner

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NOVEMBER 23, 2018 10:49 ISTUPDATED: NOVEMBER 23, 2018 10:51 ISTSHARE ARTICLE

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Gaurav Bhatia at his residence in Worli, Mumbai   | Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini

Mr Bhatia, the Managing Director of Sotheby’s India, has proceeded on leave owing to a series of sexual conduct allegations against him

Owing to a series of anonymous complaints on social media against Sotheby’s India Managing Director, Gaurav Bhatia, he has proceeded on leave, said a statement from the auction house.

“In light of recent anonymous allegations that have surfaced on social media, Gaurav Bhatia has agreed to take a leave of absence while a formal inquiry continues. Harassment of any type has no place at Sotheby’s and we will thoroughly investigate these allegations with Gaurav’s full cooperation,” said the statement.

The auction house’s much anticipated India sale next week on November 29 will be supervised now under the leadership of Edward Gibbs, Chairman, Middle East and India, and Yamini Mehta, International Head of Indian and South Asian Art.

The allegations against Mr Bhatia of sexual misconduct and have been reported by the Instagram account, Scene and Heard that’s been tracking complaints that fall under the aegis of the #MeToo movement.

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