Ramchandra Siras

Dr. Ramchandra Siras
Died	7th April 2010 (aged 64)
Nationality	Indian
Awards	Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad

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.

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.

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.

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).

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 The charge was unsubstantiated and the case was withdrawn before Siras could lodge a response.

On 8 February 2010, two men forced their way into Siras' house and caught him having consensual sex with another man. On 9 February 2010, 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".

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