IIT Indore Faculty Forum Calls For Student Support, Due Process In Sahil Wakode Case

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic suicide of a second-year IIT Bombay student on Sept 18, the Faculty Forum of the Indian Institute of Technology Indore extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and the IIT Bombay community.

While stressing the need for an environment where students feel supported, the Forum raised serious concerns over the public vilification and registration of an FIR against Prof Suryanarayana Doolla.

"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," the Forum stated, advocating for institutional backing for faculty acting in good faith.

Emphasising that student well-being must remain a top priority, IIT Indore highlighted its ongoing preventive measures to support mental health.

The institute recently conducted Genesis 2026, a nine-day life skills programme from July 25 to Aug 2 for 549 incoming undergraduates, using team activities, art sessions, and a house system to ease campus transition and foster belonging.

Additionally, on Aug 30-31, IIT Indore hosted a regional capacity-building workshop, "Celebrating Minds: From Academic Excellence to Sustainable Wellness," under the Ministry of Education's Malaviya Mission.

The event trained faculty and administrators across the Western and Central regions to spot early signs of distress, enhance peer mentoring, and adopt well-being checklists to intervene before crises arise.