September 22, 2025

KOLKATA/KHARAGPUR: A tragic cloud looms over IIT Kharagpur as a 27-year-old PhD research scholar from the Mechanical Engineering Department was found hanging in his hostel room at B R Ambedkar Hall on Saturday. Harsh Kumar Pandey, originally from Ranchi, had joined the PhD program this January, focusing on thermal and fluids engineering. His lifeless body was discovered around 2 pm and rushed to B C Roy Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police suspect suicide, with a formal statement awaited after the autopsy scheduled for Sunday. This grim incident marks the fifth unnatural death on the IIT Kharagpur campus this year and the sixth in 12 months. The previous heartbreak was on July 18, when a 4th-year mechanical engineering student died similarly. The chain of events began when Harsh’s worried father tried calling him multiple times. When no answer came, he contacted the hall manager’s office. “The manager informed the IIT security office. The student’s room was found to be locked from inside and there was no response to knocks. The authorities then informed Hijli police. When cops broke open the door, Harsh was found hanging,” said a reliable source. According to students, Harsh seemed disturbed and lonely these past few days, after two poor exam performances. “He was seen roaming alone in the hostel. His performance in two consecutive comprehensive exams had not been good,” shared one student. Harsh had earned his BTech from Techno International, New Town, and MTech from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology before starting his PhD. The institute quickly responded, issuing a statement that it was fully cooperating with authorities. They have set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the tragic death thoroughly. IIT Kharagpur has been rattled by back-to-back suicides. In response, it formed an expert panel to find what sparks such tragedies on campus. After receiving the panel’s report, the institute launched several mental health efforts: an AI-driven wellness program called SETU, the creation of a dean of student well-being post, a restructured counseling center, student task forces in hostels, and regular stress management workshops. These services are available 24x7 for students, faculty, and staff. Institute Director Suman Chakraborty expressed deep sorrow: “This heartbreaking loss has left us all in deep shock and grief. It’s unfortunate that at a time when the institute is taking steps to prevent deaths on the campus, another student was found dead. Through initiatives such as the Board of Hope and the dean of student well-being, we remain committed to building a compassionate ecosystem that listens, supports, and uplifts every member of our community.” As IIT Kharagpur grapples with these tragic losses, the hope is that stronger mental health support will light the way and save precious lives in the future.

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Tags: Iit kharagpur, Student suicide, Mental health, Phd scholar, Campus deaths, Mental wellness,