4 hrs ago
IIT Indore Faculty Forum Seeks Student Support, Due Process
A student at IIT Bombay died by suicide on September 18.
The student was Sahil Wakode, who was in his second year.
The IIT Indore Faculty Forum expressed sympathy to his family and community.
The Forum also said that Professor Suryanarayana Doolla should not be blamed without a fair investigation.
It said facts and due process should guide decisions.
IIT Indore said helping students stay mentally healthy is very important.
The institute recently organized a nine-day program to help new students feel comfortable.
It also trained faculty and administrators to notice warning signs of distress.
These efforts are intended to help prevent future crises.
The IIT Indore Faculty Forum expressed condolences after IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode’s suicide on September 18.
The Forum raised concerns about the public vilification of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and the filing of an FIR against him.
It said personal responsibility should be determined through facts and due process rather than presumption or public pressure.
IIT Indore said student well-being remains a priority and described its ongoing mental-health and preventive initiatives.
The institute held Genesis 2026 and a regional wellness workshop to support student transition and train staff to identify distress.
- Who
- The IIT Indore Faculty Forum, Sahil Wakode, and Professor Suryanarayana Doolla are central to the statement.
- What
- The Forum called for student support and due process while addressing the suicide and an FIR against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.
- Where
- The statement came from IIT Indore in Madhya Pradesh and concerned a student at IIT Bombay.
- When
- Sahil Wakode died on September 18; Genesis 2026 took place July 25–August 2, and the wellness workshop took place August 30–31.
- Why
- The Forum sought to prioritize student well-being while opposing responsibility being assigned to a faculty member without facts established through due process.
Due Process and Faculty Support
Public Accountability and Student Concerns
Responsibility for the tragedy
Due Process and Faculty Support
The IIT Indore Faculty Forum said a tragic death alone should not establish personal culpability for a faculty member carrying out an established academic procedure.
Public Accountability and Student Concerns
The article reports that Professor Suryanarayana Doolla faced public vilification and an FIR, reflecting calls for accountability, but does not provide the opposing side’s detailed claims.
Institutional priorities
Due Process and Faculty Support
The Forum emphasized institutional backing for faculty acting in good faith and decisions based on facts established through due process.
Public Accountability and Student Concerns
The article emphasizes that student well-being must remain a top priority, including support systems and early intervention for distress.
Key facts
- Student
- Sahil Wakode, a second-year IIT Bombay student
- Date of death
- September 18
- Faculty member named
- Professor Suryanarayana Doolla
- Faculty Forum position
- Responsibility should be based on facts and due process, not presumption or public pressure
- Genesis 2026
- A nine-day life-skills program held July 25–August 2 for 549 incoming undergraduates
- Regional workshop
- “Celebrating Minds: From Academic Excellence to Sustainable Wellness,” held August 30–31
- Workshop focus
- Early identification of distress, peer mentoring, and well-being checklists
Quotes
Faculty Forum of IIT Indore
Faculty body representing faculty members at the Indian Institute of Technology Indore
“Grief arising from a tragic event cannot by itself become the basis for assigning personal culpability to a faculty member carrying out an established academic procedure. Responsibility must emerge from facts established through due process, not presumption or public pressure”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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