Story sent by Wamika Iyer (Founder of FrshDay.in) from Mumbai, while seeking help from a mentor for setting up my startup to the next level..this is the challenge that I came across.
It is shocking and sad to see the “famous” Venture capitalists, who are mentors and action figures to millions of young entrepreneurs, trying to exploit the rising women entrepreneurs. These men are the worst kind of insects that exist in our society, even worse than uneducated rapists.
Following are the screenshots of snippets of the personal conversation that I had with this man, whom I considered as a dignified respectable senior, until I saw his true colors.
Mahesh Murthy is misogynistic does not encourage woman specific issues and here’s what he said after his event on women entrepreneurs
If he does not have an idea about women entrepreneurship, how can he be a guest to educate other fellow juniors??
The level of indecency that Mahesh Murthy shows while having professional conversations with women entrepreneurs is sickening. This pervert, Mahesh Murthy, greets women with inappropriate phrases, which will make you uncomfortable, as below:-
Inspite of telling him in a subtle and direct way that I am uncomfortable, he still wouldn’t stop his nonsense talks.
I’ve known many such cases where this Mahesh Murthy has used his power to exploit girls through sexual harassment. This so called ‘Venture Capitalist’ is the one who considers himself an example to budding entrepreneurs.
Guys, c’mon, let us not fall prey to such filthy people. Let us spread awareness on such people on whom hundreds of girls fall victim to. Let this not be the future. We need to take strict action against such people else they would continue such actions on innocent- and before he tries it on your wife/sister/friend, stand up and take some action against it!
Another Victim – Couple of days before
This story comes a day after another women entrepreneur Pooja chauhan Co founder of Vayuz.com raised similar concerns on her linked in page about mahesh murthy.
“I wished Mahesh Murthy Merry Christmas n a new year I got a response something like that. Unfortunately my LinkedIn app allows me to add only one picture but I want to know from my fellow entrepreneurs and investors do we deserve this ? So next time when you talk to investors you should mentally prepare yourself.”
Last Year another women founder named Supriya Sahoo also reported a similar incident via FB chat.
Read Shocker From Women entrepreneur to Mahesh Murthy
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another Victim
February 20, 2017 at 11:30 am
Mahesh Murthy is a such a big time dog! He called me once at his office in order to guide me in my profession(writing) and that bastard started coming close to me. ultimately, i had to move out. He kept sending me msgs with Happy Guru Poornima and the (KISSES) Dont know how aansoo gupta handles him. I mean a woman may not be married to a man but as per her self worth she still deserves someone worthy enough to be with.
Indian CEO
February 20, 2017 at 11:57 am
Do you send us some info to publish. His acts are not acceptable.
Indianceo
February 20, 2017 at 11:54 am
Hi, Manisha do send us info so that we can publish it, email [email protected]
Jayadeep Reddy
February 22, 2017 at 11:02 am
Send email to [email protected]
jeez
February 20, 2017 at 2:29 pm
looks to me this Wamika Iyer (Founder of FrshDay.in) is women cards to promote her frshda.in , if its true , then yes its disgusting act , however 90% women are just using there women cards to seek revenge on others like fake rape cases , fake molestation ,fake dowry case , etc ..beware of employing an women have cctv , recordings installed at ur office , else your startup is subjected to women risk …
I hire only male employees for that matter and have better peace of mind …
Ram Kadambi
February 20, 2017 at 4:24 pm
Looking at the whatsapp communications, this is obvious harassment. I applaud the courage of Wamika to bring these kind of behaviour to public notice. These kind of act by the VC should not be tolerated and should be punished.
MountainKing
February 20, 2017 at 6:58 pm
Ram Kadambi, you sound like one of those pathetic white knight manginas.
There is no case of ‘obvious harassment’ in those WhatsApp messages. He is being jolly, playful and casual. Mahesh Murthy has had a career that spanned worldover and these sort of messages are not to be taken seriously.
But yes I can understand a middle class Indian female who doesn’t have a global outlook finding these messages inappropriate.
Srikanth
February 20, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Ladies,
This is absolutely deplorable. No one should behave like this. They should be punished. Please take all these proof’s to the police and women’s right cells. They will take care of such people.
In case you don’t do it, then it will continue and other women will have problems.
Aditya Mohannchandra
February 20, 2017 at 7:17 pm
how do u exactly arrive at the authenticity of such articles? smells like a smear campaign going on here….. whatsapp screenshots aren’t enough to validate this story and where is Mahesh Murthy’s comment on all this. Not even mentioned that u tried to contact him…… this articles raises suspicion on authenticity and you guys should be responsible enough to report in a transparent manner so even if all this is true…. it will be taken very seriously
Bina
February 20, 2017 at 10:15 pm
I disagree that this is harassment. As per the messages if she was uncomfortable chatting with him as per chat in April, why did she then after so many months initiate and send him Xmas greetings in December???
It is clear that he is trying to flirt from the chat but that is hardly a crime! If it was not acceptable to her WHY DID SHE MESSAGE HIM BACK OR INTIATE CHAT???? She could have very simply and easily blocked him if it was that offensive to her. So I think she very well knew what she was getting in to and it suited her to chat him with him and once she changed her mind, she cried wolf.
So there are no innocent parties here.
Jayadeep Reddy
February 20, 2017 at 10:17 pm
Those chats are with two different women founders as I see
Natarajan Iyer
February 22, 2017 at 10:35 pm
In the interest of all victims, I have a short write-up here.
The criminal Justice system in India has been diluted to such low levels that even with evidence it is an uphill task to ensure a legally logical conclusion. Remember however that the victim in India is represented by the State and hence the police, the asst.public prosecutor, the public prosecutor and the magistrate need to be convinced that you are indeed a victim and that is exactly what sets the action ball rolling.
Now with the women who mis-use laws, the situation is more complicated for the genuine victims. So amidst the resultant confusion, the criminals escape in TIME, since with time elapsing, people lose interest in a single file and supporters vanish and nobody wants to catch the snake-man and send him to prison.
Now add to this, the serious disconnect many Indians have with regard to the local language and colloquial set-up, the state of being out-of-touch with Indian roots and plain English as weapon brings a fight where the victim ends up fighting with a broom stick against a criminal who knows the art of building a strong network and sub-network of ground-level people who know the art of navigation between the corporate sector and the govt.sector.
So if you are a victim, first drop anger, conserve your energy, build stamina by patience and persistently follow up and always go by the IPC, CrPC, Police act of the state and the Police manual ( These four books might cost you less than one thousand rupees ).
Definitely, justice would be the fruit you will have.
If the criminal is an NRI, especially from the USofA, send a mail to the embassy with all evidence along with your complaint and let the criminal know that you have already emailed the embassy. He/ she would definitely fall at your feet. Remember to strike hard in one master-stroke or else these perverts will rise up again to feed upon another unsuspecting victim.
These perverts are not men. They are savages who roam around claiming to be Men. Do some genetic research and you can see in most of the cases, the father of these perverts would have been a pervert himself and the result is the descent to earth of such pervert souls who deserve to get punished. The corporate world with it’s immorality and crime index is about to burst and what you see now is only the tip of the ice-berg.
Remember that the arms of the law are very lengthy and one fine day, justice is indeed delivered.
Keep your spirits up and feel happy about yourself since the first weapon these perverts hurl at you is to make you feel dirty about yourself.
From
Natarajan Iyer
Industrious Entrepreneur
Author – World’s first technology ready-reckoner for Advocates and General Public
Owner-Holder of brand IPs – Teckie Brain and Teckie Lawyer
Vishwesh Shetty
February 26, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Seriously? you can’t equate flirting to sexual harassment. Flirting does not make him wrong. When the other person is first to message you, it obviously means he is not bothering someone who is not interested to talk with him. If the problem is that he is old guy and should not flirt, then your thinking is narrow. He never said sleep with me and get funding. If it was a 30 yr old good looking millionaire, then the flirting would be justified, right?
Natarajan Iyer
February 27, 2017 at 12:22 pm
English says FLIRTING. Law says SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
English says x was flirting with y.
Law seeks ‘ what is the cause of action ‘
victim answers ‘ in the name of funding related discussion, x was steering it towards sexual harassment ‘
Law seeks ‘ what was the purpose of the interaction ‘
victim answers ‘ the purpose of the interaction was a transaction related to business funding ‘
Law seeks ‘ what business ? ‘
victim answers ‘ so and so venture in need of funds ‘
Law seeks ‘ was there any relationship / affair between the two in the past ? ‘
victim says ‘ no. but could have been since open to speculation ‘
Law seeks ‘ where is the evidence of such relationship, if any, in the past ‘
victim says ‘ no such evidence since such an affair did not exist ‘
Law seeks ‘ what is the profession of the accused ( A1 ) ? ‘
victim says ‘ funding, etc related financial activities ‘
Law seeks ‘ In a venture of this nature, where did WORDS WITH SEXUAL FLAVOUR ( MISTLE-TOE { Aphrodisiac } and the letter x in caps written thrice to mean TRIPLE-X and the three kisses with symbolic LIPS,…etc and AUNTIE, BEER, MORE,…etc come into picture ? what relevance does that have with funding ? ‘
victim says ‘ this is exactly why i complained ‘
Law says ‘ THE ACCUSED ( A1 ) SEEMS TO BE IN THE HABIT OF SEEKING SUCH SEXUAL FAVOURS FROM UNSUSPECTING VICTIMS.
THE MODUS OPERANDI OF THE ACCUSED FOLLOWS A SET PATTERN AND ALTHOUGH IN SUCH MATTERS, THE LAW CAN GO BY CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE alone, IN THIS CASE, DIRECT EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE.
THIS COURT PROCEEDS ON THE BASIS OF SECTION 354 AND I T ACT 2001, RELYING ALSO UPON REPORTS PROVIDED BY THE INVESTIGATION OFFICER ( POLICE ) AND PROCEEDS TO SENTENCE ACCUSED (A1) TO A TOTAL OF 7 YEARS RIGOROUS IMPRISONMENT.
BAIL MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND THE CONTESTING OF THE BAIL APPLICATION IS ADMITTED AND THE ACCUSED BEING AN INFLUENTIAL PERSON, HE MAY INDULGE IN FURTHER CRIMES.
HE MAY BE ARRESTED IMMEDIATELY AND THIS COURT REMANDS HIM TO 14-DAY JUDICIAL CUSTODY.
[ detailed judgement as in the order sheet ]
Natarajan Iyer
February 28, 2017 at 11:14 am
I would conclude upon this, with a few words.
Why do people react emotionally and seriously to such issues ? The answer is simple.
ANY BEHAVIOUR / ACTION THAT ROCKS THE COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE OF SOCIETY will trigger such reactions from society.
So the moment you see such incidents and the moment you realize that it emerges from a person with money-power, you get tensed and immediately get protective of your girl-friend, your wife, your sister, your mother, etc women-folk of your family.
This is NATURAL RESPONSE MECHANISM of humans.
As mentioned above ( legal points ) ( though not in the same order ), a complaint followed by FIR and then the arrest, bail/ denial of bail, judicial custody, investigation, report submission to the court, evidence, hearing, judgement, order-sheet with judgement, sentence awarded is executed and the accused is sent to jail. This is the order in which it happens. I am mentioning the order so that you get to understand how it happens.
Yes, the influential people too have the option of appeal.
But in criminal matters, with strong evidence, the upper court might not differ.
WHAT ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSMEN HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS IS NO MORE THE YEAR 1987. IT IS 2017.
IN THESE THIRTY YEARS, THE INDIAN POPULATION HAS BECOME AN INTELLIGENT CROWD THAT IS VERY MINDFUL OF SELF-RESPECT AND LEGAL RIGHTS.
SO, THESE ENTREPRENEURS AND BUSINESSMEN NEED TO WATCH THEIR THOUGHTS, THEIR WORDS AND ACTIONS.
If they do not, then their own thoughts, words and actions will push them into legal consequences and defamy and disgrace that it is the end of the road for them.
FORMERLY INFOSYS AND THEN I-GATE PHANEESH MURTHY IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE.
FORMERLY SATYAM RAMALINGA RAJU IS ANOTHER.
Remember the sayings of English ‘ CRIME NEVER PAYS ‘ and ‘ EXTREME CRIME BEGETS EXTREME PUNISHMENT ‘.
And then of course is the standard ancient Indian saying ‘ If you think nobody is watching, you are the worst fool since you forget that God is watching ‘
So, both LAW OF NATURE and the LAW OF THE LAND are like the CCTV that monitors people.
The major difference is that you cannot manipulate the law like manipulating the CCTV footage.
ONCE RECORDED BY LAW, THAT IS IT. OVER. END OF CHAPTER.
so BEWARE. The arms of the law are very lengthy and if you are a CEO flying fifty thousand feet above in the air, enjoy the sky.
Be careful during your flight since an accident can send you crashing fifty thousand feet below to the ground and such a crash can be very dangerous and disastrous to you and your FAMILY.
The concluding verse about WOMEN, yet again draws from ancient INDIAN saying, valid especially today, when every MAN is constantly alert trying to save the dignity and honour and self-respect of the women-folk of his family from the PSYCHO characters of society.
Here is the concluding verse as per ancient INDIAN saying.
‘ WOMAN AND FIRE ARE ONE AND THE SAME. IT CAN LIGHT A LAMP. IT CAN ALSO BURN AN ENTIRE FOREST. YOUR APPROACH TO THAT FIRE DECIDES THE OUTCOME ‘.