RK Pachauri Says He Left TERI Of His Own Accord, To Pursue Opportunities Abroad

NEW DELHI -- RK Pachauri, the former chief of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) who is facing serious sexual harassment allegations from a junior colleague, told HuffPost India on Thursday that he voluntarily decided to end his association with the climate think-tank, which he has headed for over 35 years.

"I felt that it was time for me to move away and get engaged in other interests which I have harboured over the past few years for activities at the global level," he said in a statement.

ALSO READ: TERI Governing Council Severs Ties With RK Pachauri

Earlier this week, the TERI governing council had met and decided not to extend Pachauri's term as the council's member. He had been elevated to the position of executive vice chairman last February, after Dr. Ajay Mathur took over Pachauri's previous role as Director General of the organisation. Ending his term in the TERI council also led to early termination of his employment contract with TERI, which was till July 2017.

Pachauri is currently travelling in the United States of America and Mexico on professional engagements, giving lectures and presentations in his capacity as a climate scientist and former chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). None of these are connected to his previous role in TERI. Next month, he is expected to travel to the United Kingdom for similar work.

Read RK Pachauri's statement in full:

This statement is being issued to provide the media with information about my stepping away from TERI's Governing Council. My term as a Member of the Governing Council ended on March 31, 2016, and I felt that it was time for me to move away and get engaged in other interests which I have harboured over the past few years for activities at the global level. I have had the good fortune of leading TERI for three decades and a half, and have received the priceless contribution from thousands of colleagues over the years in building up this Institute to level of an outstanding organisation. I began with TERI as the articulation of my dream and humanity's call for a major intellectual resource, which has now grown to a size and spread straddling the whole world, with a staff strength of around 1200 professionals and world class infrastructure and expertise. The staff of TERI are its greatest treasure, which under the new Director General will take the Institute to much greater heights in the years ahead.

I have also benefited greatly from the support I have always received from TERI's Governing Council, and would like to place on record my gratitude to them, beginning with the late Mr. Darbari Seth, my inspiration and leader in the initial years of TERI's development.

ALSO READ:

9 Things The Guardian Neglected In Its Piece On Rajendra Pachauri

'Shamelessness Abounds': TERI Complainant Reacts To Pachauri Promotion In Open Letter

Here Are The Men And Women Who Promoted RK Pachauri To Executive Vice Chairman

Complainant Quits TERI, Alleges Mistreatment

Woman, Who Accused RK Pachauri Of Sexual Harassment, Says She's Still 'Further Victimised'

Head Of TERI Internal Complaints Committee Resigns

Like Us On Facebook |
Follow Us On Twitter |
Contact HuffPost India