Bikram Choudhury, the infamous founder of Bikram’s Yoga College of India and the man dubbed yoga’s “bad boy” by “Yoga Journal", is being sued by one of his students/teachers for sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination.
In papers filed March 7, 2013, in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sarah Baughn, the plaintiff, claims Bikram repeatedly demanded sex and she once had to fight off his advances. Baughn also alleges that because she refused to have sex with the man she considered her guru, she was denied opportunities to teach seminars and advanced classes, placing her under economic duress.
Baughn took her first Bikram yoga class in 2004 and became so enamored with her newfound practice that after five months she dropped out of college to attend Bikram’s nine-week teacher training, paying in excess of $7,500.
Her complaint against the defendant states:
She believed she had found her calling—to introduce other people to the peace, well being and health benefits of Bikram Yoga by becoming a certified Bikram teacher.
Bikram allegedly made his first advance on the then 20-year-old student on the third night of training. According to court papers, he told her they had a meaningful connection from a past life. Baughn claims on the fifth day of the training he asked her:
“Should we make this a relationship? I have never, never felt like this about anyone. Only you.”
According to Baughn, she remained in the teacher training, though Choudhury continued to pursue her, because of the loans she had taken out to cover her tuition.
Baughn also says she suffered severe emotional distress--after giving a nearly flawless performance at the 2008 International Yoga Championship, she claims she was cheated out of the title.
“That very day, one of the judges, L.W., approached Sarah and implied that Defendant Bikram Choudhury had rigged the outcome of the contest; that the judges had all awarded Sarah first place. The judge’s words were:
You were f---ing robbed. That’s not what we wrote down. We had you at first,” state papers filed in court.
Rajashree Choudhury, Bikram’s wife, is the president of the International Yoga Sports Foundation, the organization that hosts the annual competition for the Bishnu Charan Ghosh Cup. The Choudhury’s have been working for several years to get yoga into the Olympics.
On Bikram’s website, Petra Stark, the president of Bikram’s Yoga College of India, posted a press release on March 26 that states, “Bikram Choudhury has spent over 50 years bringing the benefits of Bikram Yoga to people through his teaching and the creation of his worldwide Bikram hot yoga organization.
“He is disappointed by the false charges made by this lawsuit. However, the matter is in the hands of his attorney, and he will not comment at this time.”
Rajashree Choudhury, Bikram’s wife, and Bikram’s Yoga College of India are also named as defendants in Baughn’s complaint for damages.
Comments