Indian-Origin Professor Files Lawsuit Against US College For Racial and Gender Bias

The professor has alleged that the college administration failed to look into and investigate her concerns.

Lakshmi Balachandra, an Indian-origin professor at the Wellesley Business School, Babson College, Massachusetts, has filed a lawsuit against the institution for discrimination. As per media reports, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the institute, Lakshmi, has alleged that she faced racial and gender discrimination at the institute, as reported by news Agency PTI.

Citing a Boston Globe Newspaper report, the professor was further reported alleging by the news agency that the ill-treatment she was subjected to and the administration’s failure to look into her concerns led to loss of her career opportunities, economic and emotional downfall, as well as reputational damage. 

She joined the faculty at Babson college in 2012 where she served her duties till 2019.  In her lawsuit, Lakshmi, called out former chair of the college’s entrepreneurship division, Professor Andrew Corbett, as the “primary direct perpetrators of the discriminatory work environment," PTI reported. Boston, looked after Balachandra’s  teaching assignments, class scheduling, and annual reviews.

In her complaint filed in the District Court in Boston on February 27, 2023, Lakshmi, has alleged that Professor Boston restricted her from teaching elective courses and was only allowed to required courses in Entrepreneurship at the school, despite her teaching similar courses at the MIT School of Management and Harvard Business School, earlier in her career.  

"Babson favours white and male faculty and predominantly reserves awards and privileges for them,” Lakshmi Balachandra was quoted alleging by PTI. 

Her complaint further underlines that her career growth was stalled and she was denied higher promotions and opportunities. “Such privileges are routinely given to white male faculty in the entrepreneurship division,” the complaint added. 

In a news report by PTI, Balachandra’s Attorney, Monica Shah was also reported saying that the professor has also lodged charges of discrimination with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

The Babson college in its response was reported saying that it takes such complaints and concerns seriously, and has appropriate protocols and resources to look into and resolve these matters. 

“The college is home to a diverse global community where equity and inclusion are valued and incorporated across every facet of campus, and where discrimination of any kind is not tolerated,” a Babson College spokesperson was quoted saying in the report. 

In the meanwhile, Balachandra is on leave for a fellowship at the National Science Foundation, and is seeking unspecified dames, as per the report. 

(With Inputs from PTI)

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