Bose Krishnamachari resigned from the Kochi Biennale Foundation following a sexual harassment complaint. The incident has raised significant concerns.
“Mr. Krishnamachari’s resignation was connected with the complaint and the KBF’s Internal Committee is taking action on the complaint,” stated V. Venu, confirming the circumstances surrounding Bose Krishnamachari’s recent resignation from the Kochi Biennale Foundation.
On January 3, 2026, Krishnamachari stepped down following a sexual harassment complaint filed by a former employee. The incident allegedly occurred on December 28, 2025, and the complaint was submitted to the Internal Complaints Committee under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
In his resignation, Krishnamachari cited family reasons but has publicly refuted the allegations, claiming they are “misleading and unsubstantiated and taken out of context.” He has initiated legal action in response to the complaint.
The unnamed complainant expressed her distress, stating, “She felt trapped and violated and had at no point given her consent to physical contact or remarks or advances.” This statement highlights the serious nature of the allegations against Krishnamachari.
V. Venu, who confirmed the connection between the resignation and the complaint, noted that the Internal Complaints Committee is actively addressing the situation. “A complaint was received with the Internal Complaints Committee under the PoSH Act… This was in December,” he added.
Krishnamachari, a co-founder of the Kochi Muziris Biennale and co-curator of its inaugural edition in 2012, has been a prominent figure in the Indian art scene. Following his resignation, he was appointed as the Cultural Curator of Kochi.
As of now, there has been no police complaint related to the incident, and the investigation by the Internal Complaints Committee continues. The sixth edition of the Biennale, which opened on December 12, 2025, is expected to conclude on January 31, 2026.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding the next steps for both the Kochi Biennale Foundation and Krishnamachari as the situation develops.
