I write this with a heavy heart. Over the last 24 hours I’ve read the reports: a 21-year-old civil engineering student at IIT Bombay has died by suicide on campus Hindustan Times and related outlets have carried the developing coverage News18. My first response—like that of many who care about young people—is grief, and then the urgent question: how do we hold space for the pain behind this headline?
What I want to say first
- I will not name the student here; out of respect for the family and to avoid adding to media attention around private grief.
- Death by suicide is a public-health and community issue. It is also intensely personal for the people who loved the student.
- We must avoid sensational details, speculation about motive, or casual judgments. Those do more harm than good.
Context: mental health in colleges and engineering culture
IITs are extraordinary academic communities — but excellence can coexist with loneliness, isolation, and untreated mental illness. Young people may face multiple stressors at once:
- academic pressure and competitive evaluation;
- being away from family and previous support networks;
- financial or health worries affecting family at home;
- social disconnection, relationship issues, or bullying;
- pre-existing mental-health conditions (depression, anxiety) that sometimes go undetected.
The World Health Organization reminds us that suicide is complex and multi-determined; many risk factors (mental disorders, life events, social isolation, substance use) can interact in moments of crisis, and timely support can prevent deaths (WHO: Suicide prevention).
I have written before about how institutional policy and family support must work together to reduce such tragedies; see my reflection to parents and policymakers on student mental health and coaching pressures (Dear Parent: Save Your Child from Suicide).
What students and peers can do — practical steps
If you are a peer who is worried about someone:
- Listen first. Ask openly and without judgment: “Are you thinking about harming yourself?” Asking directly does not cause harm; it gives permission to talk.
- Stay with the person or make sure they are not left alone until professional help arrives.
- If there is imminent danger, call emergency services (112 in India) and local campus security.
- Encourage and, if needed, accompany them to the Student Wellness Centre or a nearby hospital for assessment.
- Remove immediate means of self-harm if it can be done safely.
- Follow up: small, regular check-ins matter.
If you are in distress yourself, please reach out. Confidential, professional help is available: KIRAN (national mental-health helpline) at 1800-599-0019 (PIB/KIRAN); iCALL (TISS) at 91529 87821 / https://icallhelpline.org/; and local NGOs such as AASRA (+91-9820466726) or SNEHA (044-24640050). Many more helplines and local services exist across India — calling a trained listener can be the first step toward safety.
Institutional responsibilities — what I urge colleges to do
Institutions must move beyond episodic responses. Some practical institutional actions:
- Ensure round-the-clock access to crisis support and clear, well-advertised emergency pathways.
- Strengthen counselling capacity: increase full‑time counsellors, shorten waiting times, and create after‑hours arrangements.
- Train faculty, wardens and student leaders in “gatekeeper” skills (how to identify and respond to at‑risk students).
- Create safe, confidential reporting and follow-up systems for students in distress.
- Limit easy access to means of self-harm in campus residences where practical and consistent with safety rules.
- Run non-stigmatizing outreach: peer-support groups, structured check-ins, and normalizing conversations about mental health.
IIT Bombay’s Student Wellness Centre has a long-standing counselling service and outreach work; students can find information through their site (Student Wellness Centre, IIT Bombay). Strengthening such services across campuses is essential.
Confidentiality and respect for family
Families, friends and institutions deserve facts, but not intrusion. Reporting should respect the family’s privacy and avoid graphic or identifying details. If you are a journalist or a social-media user, please: do not post images, CCTV clips, or rumours. If you are a friend of the family, offer help quietly — practical support (meal delivery, travel assistance, listening) is often most welcome.
If you’re reading this and feeling overwhelmed
You are not alone. Reach out now:
- KIRAN (India national mental-health helpline): 1800-599-0019 (PIB/KIRAN)
- iCALL (TISS): 91529 87821 / https://icallhelpline.org/
- AASRA: +91-9820466726 (https://www.aasra.info/helpline.html)
- SNEHA (Chennai): +91 44 2464 0050
- If you are outside India, consult local crisis lines listed by WHO or your national health authority (WHO: Suicide prevention).
Final thought
Tragedies on campuses force us to ask hard questions — about how we teach, how we support, and how we care for one another. My plea is simple: less judgement, more listening; less spectacle, more steady systems of care. We can and must do better — for every student who struggles and for the families who must live with loss.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Any questions / doubts / clarifications regarding this blog? Just ask (by typing or talking) my Virtual Avatar on the website embedded below. Then "Share" that to your friend on WhatsApp.
Get correct answer to any question asked by Shri Amitabh Bachchan on Kaun Banega Crorepati, faster than any contestant
Hello Candidates :
- For UPSC – IAS – IPS – IFS etc., exams, you must prepare to answer, essay type questions which test your General Knowledge / Sensitivity of current events
- If you have read this blog carefully , you should be able to answer the following question:
- Need help ? No problem . Following are two AI AGENTS where we have PRE-LOADED this question in their respective Question Boxes . All that you have to do is just click SUBMIT
- www.HemenParekh.ai { a SLM , powered by my own Digital Content of more than 50,000 + documents, written by me over past 60 years of my professional career }
- www.IndiaAGI.ai { a consortium of 3 LLMs which debate and deliver a CONSENSUS answer – and each gives its own answer as well ! }
- It is up to you to decide which answer is more comprehensive / nuanced ( For sheer amazement, click both SUBMIT buttons quickly, one after another ) Then share any answer with yourself / your friends ( using WhatsApp / Email ). Nothing stops you from submitting ( just copy / paste from your resource ), all those questions from last year’s UPSC exam paper as well !
- May be there are other online resources which too provide you answers to UPSC “ General Knowledge “ questions but only I provide you in 26 languages !
No comments:
Post a Comment