SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT,

YouTuber PewDiePie's tribute video for Sushant Singh Rajput wins hearts, fans say 'we respect you more'

Popular Swedish YouTuber PewDiePie broke the internet after he shared a video paying tribute to late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Fans were elated that the biggest name on YouTube offered his condolences and talked about different aspects of the Dil Bechara actor's life.

Parina Taneja

New Delhi

Updated on: July 24, 2020 18:23 IST


Image Source : INSTAGRAM

Sushant Singh Rajput and PewDiePie

Popular Swedish YouTuber Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg aka PewDiePie broke the internet after he shared a video paying tribute to late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The YouTube sensation confessed that he didn't know Sushant but explained that he heard a lot about him lately and decided to enlighten his followers about his life. PewDiePie called him a 'smart dude' and shared parallels from his and Sushant's life in the video. In no time, the 24 minutes long video went viral on the internet and fans showered their love and respect through social media posts. Sushant Singh Rajput's fans were elated that the biggest name on YouTube offered his condolences and talked about different aspects of the Dil Bechara actor's life.

PewDiePie in the video talked about how he also left engineering like Sushant to pursue his dream and was an introvert. He said that he also found a medium like YouTube to be an extrovert just like Sushant claimed that acting was his medium to be out there in spite of being a reserved person. He talked about Bollywood movies in which Sushant Singh Rajput starred and also made a reference to the actor's speech at Avenues 2016, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay.

Ending his video, PewDiePie leaded Sushant for his thinking and said, "He's such a cool dude, such a smart guy, such a good message as well that I so wholeheartedly believe in just such a tragedy..it really makes you sad to think that he passed away at such a young age." He added, "Police say that he died of suicide but at least personally that someone lives in the moment..I cannot make sense out of committing suicide and there's been this whole controversy and theories about did he really commit suicide or what happened..I don't want to get into that but want it just to be a video attributing him because I think he's a cool dude and I wanted to share with my audience."

PewDiePie also claimed, "It's just this statement he had about living in the moment...obviously this was a couple of years ago but it's just you wouldn't commit suicide if you had this mindset...I don't believe that at all but then again I don't want to add to that.... Rest In Peace Sushant.. I would love to meet you..seem like a awesome dude and thank you for being you."

ALSO READ | When Sushant Singh Rajput deleted all Instagram posts after release of film Sonchiriya

Fans flooded the internet with praises for PewDiePie as soon as the video surfaced YouTube. One Twitter user said, "This video from #pewdiepie is beautiful, the fact that two people from different countries who made it to the top, on their own owing to their talent and hardwork, can have such similar experiences, inspite of the cultural differences is insightful." Another wrote, "Even the world's most successful YouTuber is sayin that Sushant can't commit suicide..Sushant Broken heart, please come back, please."

Earlier, PewDiePie also mentioned Sushant in one of his videos and said, "I have seen people talk about it and there was something about Sushant Singh Rajput. It was a university talk of this guy. He seemed like such a good dude, like a genuinely good dude. So people were pointing to nepotism in the industry and then it somehow got in clash with T-Series and that is why Unsub T-Series got trending. It’s such a shame he decided to end his life. I don’t know everything about him but from what I saw he seemed a really good dude and someone the industry needs. So it’s a huge loss. Rest in peace."

Fans are gearing up to watch late Sushant Singh Rajput's last film Dil Bechara that will release today on Disney Plus Hotstar at 7:30 pm. Directed by Mukesh Chhabra, the film also stars Sanjana Sanghi and is an official Hindi adaptation of Hollywood film The Fault in Our Stars, based on John Greene's novel with the same name.

ALSO READ | VIDEO: Sushant Singh Rajput grooving with onscreen grandmother during Dil Bechara shoot

Chetan Bhagat vs Vidhu Vinod Chopra: Why the Author is Right in Accusing the Producer for Not Giving Him Due Credit for Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots! Here’s a Recap of the Controversy!

Chetan Bhagat vs Vidhu Vinod Chopra: Why the Author is Right in Accusing the Producer for Not Giving Him Due Credit for Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots! Here’s a Recap of the Controversy!

July 22, 2020
9 Min Read

Gary James]

Chetan Bhagat, the author of some very popular bestsellers, has kicked a hornet’s nest with some of his recent tweets. What began as a warning to ‘critics’ to be sensible to Sushant Singh Rajput’s last release – Dil Bechara – later became a revisit of an old wound when it came to his second experience with Bollywood. While reacting to Anupama Chopra’s tweet, Bhagat wrote, “Ma’am, when your husband publicly bullied me, shamelessly collected all the best story awards, tried denying me credit for my story and drove me close to suicide, and you just watched, where was your discourse?” 

Chetan Bhagat Alleges Vidhu Vinod Chopra Drove Him ‘Close to Suicide’ By Trying To Discredit Him From 3 Idiots (View Tweet).

The incident he was referring to happened during the release of 3 Idiots. The movie was produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who is critic Anupama Chopra’s husband, and was directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi in the lead, 3 Idiots was a big blockbuster in 2009 when it was released. It is still ranked as one of the best comedies produced in Hindi cinema.

The Controversy

During the pre-release chatter, it was clearly defined that 3 Idiots was based on Chetan Bhagat’s best-selling novel, Five Point Someone. However, this aspect was downplayed when the film came out, with the author himself miffed about not giving him due credit for the inspiration. To understand more about the controversy, we need to know more about the book.

Five Point Someone

The novel was Chetan Bhagat’s first book, based on his own experiences while studying in IIT. The book follows the misadventures of three friends – Hari, Ryan and Alok – who see themselves as misfits in the IIT grading system. Hari is both the protagonist and the narrator, and also the stand-in for Bhagat himself. Ryan is the one with a rebellious attitude, whose brilliance isn’t being gauged by the grading system, while Alok, who comes from a meagre household, wants to be a studious type. There is also Neha, the daughter of a professor they hate, on whom Hari had developed a crush on.

Five Point Someone, which came out in 2004, was a runaway hit, establishing Bhagat as a youth writer. Critics didn’t take much of a liking, but the book turned out to be a bestseller. Many of the writer’s ardent fans still consider Five Point Someone as his best book. 

Chetan Bhagat Birthday Special: From Salman Khan’s Hello to Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots, Ranking All Film Adaptations of Author’s Books From Worst to Best.

Comparing Five Point Someone to 3 Idiots

As someone who has read Five Point Someone and watched 3 Idiots, I can say they are very different from each other. And even if it may affront the movie’s die-hard fans, I am of the opinion that the book was much better. However, you cannot ignore the commonalities between the two.

Yes, the film is adapted by Abhijat Joshi and Hirani, giving a different direction and adding more elements. For one, the movie is set in an engineering college instead of IIT. Hari, Ryan and Alok become Farhan, Rancho and Raju respectively. Instead of Farhan (who continues to be the narrator), Rancho is the protagonist and he also gets to woo the professor’s daughter. 

Omi Vaidya’s character Chatur, who was a minor character in the book, gets a major role and is pitched as the antagonist. The climax of the boys’ college adventures, involving a makeshift baby delivery, isn’t there in the book, and so is the flash-foward portions involving the mystery of Rancho’s whereabouts.

But there is no denying that the framework for 3 Idiots is the same as Five Point Someone, while also borrowing certain other elements, even if they aren’t played the same way as in the book. Like for example, the whole ‘machine’ definition scene in the movie. is played in reverse in the book. Ryan gives the same answer as Chatur in the book, and is chided for it by the professor. 

Like in the book, Raju tries to commit suicide, but he does so by jumping from the Dean’s room, instead of the water tank, which is their hangout place. Raju’s character is the most similar to that of Alok in the book, including his temporary breakup with his friends and later reuniting with them after they help take his sick father to the hospital.

Was Chetan Bhagat Given Credit In The Movie?

Chetan Bhagat had himself said in an old interview that he wasn’t involved in the scripting of the film, as he was working in Hong Kong then. As per the makers, the contract with the writer involved remuneration and mention the writer in the credits section.

Did that happen?

Oh, yes. But we really can understand why Chetan Bhagat was so miffed about it. The part ‘Based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat’ came only in the closing credits, that too in fine print, and it came below the cast credits, media consultant, action director, stills and project team. See the screenshot of the same below:

Mention of the book in the closing credits of 3 Idiots

What infuriated the author even further was the ‘story’ was credited to Abhijat Joshi and Hirani, with no mention of Bhagat, in the opening credits. You can see that below:

The Story Credit in the Opening Credits of 3 Idiots

Even Bhagat won’t deny that he doesn’t deserve a credit for ‘Screenplay’, but not getting one for ‘Story’ is an altogether different issue. To add insult to injury, 3 Idiots won the Best Story Award at Filmfare, and IIFA the following year, which Joshi and Hirani taking the honours. Something Bhagat mentions in his tweet last evening,

Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong?

Bhagat had continued to pursue the controversy for so many years, and we don’t blame him for doing so. In a media interaction during 3 Idiots post-release promotions, when Chopra was asked about this, he flew into a rage, something he regretted later.

Hirani, speaking on this controversy, had said in 2013, “According to the contract, it clearly says that Chetan will be given credit in the rolling credit, which comes at the end of the film. He is lying when he says that his name comes after the junior artists, his name is after the main artists of the movie.” Which isn’t exactly right, as you can see in the screenshot we shared a few paras before. Even Aamir Khan had supported Hirani then, claiming that the author is raking controversy for “cheap publicity”.

Bhagat, reacting to the above statement, said, “They abused the contract and thought that they can hide the credit. They made a new credit that is of story, which gives the wrong impression that the original story was written by Abhijat and Hirani but it is my story they adapted from. They should have mentioned novel’s name in ‘Adapted By’ or they should have mentioned my name in the story credit.”

Our Thoughts

We don’t know the specifics of the contract drawn between VVC Films and Chetan Bhagat, but there is something ethically wrong that happened here. It doesn’t matter if Joshi and Hirani changed 3 Idiots to keep it very different from Five Point Someone, but the skeleton remains the same. 3 Idiots came out at a time, when Bhagat’s novels were a rage, and his fans were excited about the movie adaptation of his first novel, which added to the curiosity factor for the movie. So you really can’t deny the influence of the book in the film’s promotions, not to mention also in the narrative. Bhagat deserved better than the kind of credit he got with 3 Idiots.

Look at Hollywood. For years, they haven’t shied away from mentioning the adaptations on which their movies are based on. Even if the films are very different from the source material, the credit is clearly mentioned. For example, David Fincher’s Fight Club, Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining – all iconic movies – are clearly different from their source novels, but they flaunt the inspiration clearly in the credits. It is another matter that Hollywood doesn’t have a ‘Best Story’ award, instead just relying on ‘Best Original Screenplay’ and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’.

Watch the Opening Credits of The Shining:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a-MS-lB8gM

What happened to Chetan Bhagat in lieu with 3 Idiots is something Bollywood has often been accused of every now and then – the step-motherly treatment it has meted out to the writers, never given them due credit. The author has been more involved in the future adaptations of his work, like in Kai Po Che and Half Girlfriend (also marks his debut as a producer), but he is still hurt by what happened with 3 Idiots, clearly defined by his recent tweets. And can we blame him for feeling so?

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of Report Door.)

(The above story first appeared on Report Door on Jul 22, 2020 03:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website reportdoor.com).

Chetan Bhagat says producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra 'drove him close to suicide'

Chetan Bhagat says producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra 'drove him close to suicide'

The writer, while quoting film-critic Anupama Chopra's tweet, alleged that Chopra's husband Vidhu Vinod Chopra publically bullied him and eventually drove him close to suicide.

Publish Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2020 08:53 PM IST

New Delhi | Jagran Entertainment Desk: Popular commercial writer Chetan Bhagat on Tuesday revealed shocking details of the ordeal he was forced to face, as he was denied a prominent place in the rolling credits for all-time-blockbuster '3 idiots' (2009) which was mostly based on his 2004-novel 'Five Point Someone'. 

In a series of tweets, while underscoring the point that film critics should write sensibly in the wake of Sushant's 'last' film release this week, Bhagat said that they (critics) have 'ruined enough lives'.

Chetan, while quoting film-critic Anupama Chopra's tweet, alleged that Chopra's husband Vidhu Vinod Chopra publicly bullied him and eventually drove him close to suicide. Chetan’s response got huge support from Netizens who applauded the 'One Indian Girl' writer for standing up against unfair treatment Bhagat allegedly faced in the entertainment world.

"Many know this, for those new here. 

1) 3 Idiots was based on my novel Five Point Someone and my story. 

2) The film won every story award that year. 

3) I was not given any of those story awards. They took them all. 

4) As a powerless newcomer I was bullied and was deeply affected," 

Chetan explained further.

'3-idiots', an all-time blockbuster starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi was released in 2009, and became the Hindi film industry's one of the biggest cinematic phenomena of the 2000s. 

The film was based on Chetan Bhagat’s 2004-novel 'Five Point Someone: What not to do at IIT', which had reportedly sold over a million copies worldwide.

Bhagat, however, did not get 'a prominent place in the rolling credits'. Back then, Chetan, in a blog post had said that he was not shown the final script and in response '3 idiots' makers had reportedly threatened him to sue for defamation in the wake of his allegations.

Posted By: Shashikant Sharma

IIM failure leads IIT engineer to plan suicide - INDICA

IIM failure leads IIT engineer to plan suicide

News July 21, 2020July 21, 2020 indica

IANS

If you want to see your son alive, arrange Rs 500,000 by tomorrow. That was the terse message the father of Ankit Gupta received on his cellphone around 8pm Sunday in Budh Vihar, Rohini, Delhi.

Ankit, 24, is an IIT Delhi passout.

His father told police that Ankit, his younger son, had gone to the Canara Bank ATM around 6pm and had not returned. His mobile phone was also not reachable.

At 8pm, Ankit’s father received the message from his son’s mobile.

The complaint led the Delhi police to form a team and start searching for the kidnapped man.

The CCTV camera footage of the area was checked, starting from the house of the victim to the ATM of Canara Bank. Ankit was seen going out from his house and was seen up to half of the route to the ATM. He turned to the other side of the main road and didn’t visit the ATM.

Cops tracked his mobile phone and found it had another number, which was not known to the family members. The location of this number was obtained and it was last found active at 8.47pm at Sarai Rohilla railway station.

The police team went to the Sarai Rohilla Railway Station and questioned the station master about the details of the trains which had recently left from there, scrutinized the reservation charts of the trains, checked the CCTV cameras at the entry and exit of the railway station and tried to identify the victim with the help of his family members.

Ankit was seen entering the railway station on a CCTV camera at the entry gate but could not be traced at the station.

Later, he was seen in one of the cameras, boarding the unreserved bogey of the Sampark Kranti Rajdhani Express, which had left for Jodhpur in Rajasthan. The footage and Ankit’s photographs were shared with the Government Railway Police in Jaipur who checked the train.

Ankit was identified and taken to Delhi.

Ankit had done his BTech in mechanical engineering from IIT Delhi. He completed his degree in 2017 and joined a private company at Gurugram in Haryana. He later switched to another private company in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Lately, he was working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He wanted to join IIM Ahmedabad for an MBA. He tried twice but could not succeed.

“He was under acute depression and wanted to commit suicide,” said deputy commissioner of police Pramod Kumar Mishra. “He planned the same and left his home. He himself sent the ransom message from his phone to misguide his parents so that he got sufficient time to commit suicide. It was only due to the prompt action of the police that a precious life was saved. Ankit has been counseled and has been handed over to his parents.”

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24-year-old in Delhi fakes own kidnapping in bid to commit suicide- INDIA TODAY

A Delhi IIT pass out faked his own kidnapping to misguide his parents so that he could commit suicide. The 24-year-old wanted to join IIM Ahemdabad for completing his MBA, for which he tried twice but could not succeed.


Tanseem Haider New Delhi

July 22,



Two different teams were constituted under the guidance of DCP Rohini to crack the case. (Image for representation: PTI)

Apne bache ko jinda dekhna hai toh kal tak panch lakh rupey ka intzaam karke rakh (If you want to see your son alive, arrange Rs 5 lakh by tomorrow ) -- was the message family of 24-year-old Delhi IIT pass out Ankit Gupta received at around 8 pm on Sunday in Budh Vihar, Rohini. It was found that Ankit Gupta had himself sent the ransom message from his phone to misguide his parents so that he could get sufficient time to commit suicide. He was under acute depression.

The victim was traced by police, counselled and then handed over to his parents.

Ankit Gupta had left his house for a nearby ATM of Canara Bank at 6 pm and didn't return.

On July 19, a complaint was received by Vinod Gupta who said that his younger son Ankit Gupta had gone to Canara Bank ATM at around 6 pm and did not return. "His mobile phone is also not reachable," he said.

Vinod Gupta further stated that at 8 pm, he received a message from his son Ankit's mobile in which he was asked to arrange for Rs 5 lakhs until tomorrow if he wants to see his son alive.

He said that Ankit Gupta is B. Tech from IIT Delhi and was working in a private firm in Noida. He had completed his degree in 2017. He wanted to join IIM Ahemdabad for completing his MBA. He tried twice for the same but could not succeed. He was under acute depression and wanted to commit suicide.

Two different teams were constituted under the guidance of DCP Rohini. A CCTV footage showed that the victim leaving his house, on his way to the ATM. He then turned to the other side on the main road and didn't visit the ATM of Canara Bank.

The live CDR of the mobile phone of the victim was obtained to know his last location. From the CDR, another mobile number of the victim was identified, which was not known to the family members. The location of this number was obtained and it was last found active at Sarai Rohilla Railway Station.

Police then went to the Sarai Rohilla Railway Station and checked the CCTV cameras at the entry and exit of the railway station. The victim was seen entering the railway station on a CCTV camera at the entry gate but could not be traced at the station.

Later, the victim was seen in one of the cameras, boarding the unreserved bogey of the Sampark Kranti Rajdhani Express, which had left for Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

The CCTV footage and photographs of the victim were immediately shared with the Government Railway Police in Jaipur and the train was again checked. The victim was identified and was de-boarded from the train by the GRP.

India's researchers to set up peer counselling network, as depression, student suicides see a steep rise- EDEXLIVE

India's researchers to set up peer counselling network, as depression, student suicides see a steep rise


In 2020 alone, five suicide deaths and one suicide attempt were reported in IITs. In the last week, an IIT Gandhinagar researcher ended her life

Parvathi Benu

Edex Live




Image for representational purpose only

Following a spate of suicides by students and researchers, the research community is now considering setting up a platform to help researchers and students who are suicidal. Upon consulting a few faculty members in research institutes, volunteers from the research community have been invited to help their peers out.

"Since the time we put forward this suggestion, a lot of researchers have said that they would want to volunteer. This is overwhelming," says Sachin Batar, a researcher from IISER Pune. "We will segregate them according to geographical locations. They will be the resource people in a particular location and can help out their peers," he says. He added that the researchers are also writing an email to the MHRD asking it to intensify mental health support to students.

Psychiatrist Dr Soumitra Pathare believes that this is indeed a good idea. "Sometimes, it must be the most accessible way of actually addressing the problems. It's a useful strategy," says Pathare, who is also the Director, Centre For Mental Health Law And Policy. "I assume that someone will be training these volunteers. I presume that the volunteers are trained and are given some mentoring," he adds.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank while addressing a parliament session in December 2019 said that in the past five years, 50 IIT students died by suicide in the country. The question had come up while discussing the suicide of Fathima Latheef, a student of IIT Madras, who ended her life in November 2019. Her death had created a lot of outcry among the student community after her suicide note had named three faculty members of the institute as being responsible for harassment, leading to her demise.

Seven months have passed and suicides in IITs are still a matter of concern. A week ago, Piue Ghosh, an IIT Gandhinagar researcher took her life. There have been allegations and speculations about a rift with her faculty guide over patenting her project, which apparently led the researcher to take the extreme step.

How bad are things anyway?

The recent NCRB data tells us that 10,159 students died by suicide in India in 2018. This was the highest number ever in the category. While the number of suicides in IITs over a period of five years until 2019 was 50, 2020 recorded five suicide deaths and one suicide attempt in IITs alone. Of the persons who died, four were students, while one was a faculty in IIT Kanpur.

Most of these research institutes, however, offer counselling services to their students. However, it is not known if they functioned in a full-fledged manner during the pandemic. Earlier this year, IIT Hyderabad had recruited more psychologists on campus.

IIT-Kanpur’s 35-year-old Assistant Professor Suicide: Another Suicide Case in India

IIT-Kanpur’s 35-year-old Assistant Professor Suicide: Another Suicide Case in India

By SAVITA DABRAL 2 days ago24 views





IIT-Kanpur’s 35-year-old Assistant Professor Suicide: Another Suicide Case in India: A 35-year old professor named Pramod Subramanian has been found dead in the campus of IIT-Kanpur which is vacant due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. The assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering of IIT-Kanpur was found hanging in a room on Wednesday.

IIT-Kanpur’s director Prof Abhay Karandikar issued a statement that it is quite shocking and sad that Prof Pramod Subramanian, assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering has left the world tragically and untimely. The director also offered his condolences to the late assistant professor.
IIT Professor Suicide

Abhay Seth, who is Kalyanpur SHO said that the cause of the death couldn’t be clearly known at that time. Providing details about the death, he further added that the professor was hanging with a nylon rope around his neck, however, there wasn’t any suicide note from him. The SHO said that the clear information will be known once the post-mortem report will be out, till then the police will continue their investigation.


Due to the lockdown imposed by the government across the country to contain the novel coronavirus, the schools and colleges are shut and hence the IIT-Kanpur campus was also deserted as there were no students, however, the teachers who reside in the campus were there only.

As per the reports, Professor Pramod Subramanian is survived by his wife and a three-year-old son. His wife is also an assistant professor in the computer science department. The professor has joined the institute couple of years ago and has been involved in several national and international projects. He was a very creative and hardworking person. He was also involved in Cyber Security Innovation Hub.

Some local media reports have revealed that a family dispute might be the reason behind the professor’s suicide which is suspected by the police as well and is continuing their probe in this direction as well.

Did work pressure push IIT-Gn PhD scholar to ‘quit’ life?

Did work pressure push IIT-Gn PhD scholar to ‘quit’ life? 

Read more at:
https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/ahmedabad/cover-story/did-work-pressure-push-iit-gn-phd-scholar-to-quit-life/articleshow/76902068.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

IIT Gandhinagar researcher ends life, institute informs family 3 days later. Researchers seek probe

IIT Gandhinagar researcher ends life, institute informs family 3 days later. Researchers seek probe


The deceased was a fifth-year PhD student of IIT Gandhinagar. She hung herself to death inside her hostel room on the night of July 3

Parvathi Benu

Edex Live




IIT Gandhinagar| Pic: PTI

It was 4.30 pm on Monday when Dilip Kumar Ghosh's mobile phone rang. On the other end of the phone was P K Chopra, the Registrar of IIT Gandhinagar, the institute from where his only child Piue pursued her PhD. Little did Ghosh imagine that he was in for the worst news that he would ever hear — Pieu had taken her life three days ago, on July 3.

Piue was a fifth-year PhD scholar in IIT Gandhinagar, who was reportedly about to complete her thesis. Sources tell us that she had ended her life on the night of July 3 by hanging inside her hostel room. However, her parents were kept in the dark about the incident for three days. "She spoke to me for half an hour on Friday night. After that, she spoke to her husband who is in the US. But we never imagined that we wouldn't get to talk to her ever after that," says Dilip Ghosh.

Ghosh tells us that Piue allegedly had gotten into a rift with her research guide regarding patenting her project and demands a proper investigation. "She was such a brilliant student. She would work for 20-22 hours as her research was nearing completion. She was also busy working on the patent," says Ghosh, who had come to IIT for his daughter's last rites.

She hung herself to death in her hostel room

Piue's research guide did not respond to our calls, neither did her coworkers wish to speak about this.

He also says that Piue had a diary in her room. "She wrote that she has no reason to live, the world doesn't need her, she has lost and that she is going to leave. She also wants her body to be donated after her death," he says.

Piue had come home to Bardhaman in Kolkata when the lockdown began and was called back to campus by her research guide, Ghosh tells us.

 "Until July 3, she was under quarantine in her room. The day it was supposed to end, she took her life. My wife and I have no one now. We have no reason to live. We have no one to complain to. There is no God," he says, teary-eyed. "She loved us so much. Her mother is ill and she was very dear to Piue. How can she leave her?" he asks, the pain in his voice evident. Piue's postmortem report is due in four days, he says,

Her friends back home in Bardhaman remember Piue as a gentle, softspoken girl. "We grew up together in Bardhaman, after which, she went to BHU to pursue her BSc. But she always wanted to go back home. She was close to her parents.

 So, her father took early retirement and the family shifted to Kolkata, from where she pursued her BTech," says a friend, who did not wish to be named. "She was under so much pressure in her institute. I've heard that she was on the verge of giving up. In fact, she was called back to the campus in the middle of the pandemic. This is highly unlikely in a research institute," says the friend, who is a researcher in another institute.

50 IIT researchers have ended their lives in the past five years

Research scholars across the country have raised their voices against the incident and are now demanding a probe into the issue. They have also started a change.org petition for the same, which has around 1000 signatures. While addressing a parliament session in December 2019, the HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said that in the past five years, 50 IIT students died by suicide in the country. The question had come up while discussing the suicide of Fathima Latheef, a student of IIT Madras, who died by suicide in November 2019, allegedly owing to a faculty member's harassment.

"The IIT Gandhinagar community is deeply saddened by the death of a PhD scholar of Electrical Engineering. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family in this time of grief," the institute said in a release. "We are unable to release any information or comment while the investigation is underway," it added.

If you're suicidal, please seek help:

AASRA: This Mumbai-based NGO is dedicated to people with suicidal tendencies and battling anxiety and depression. Their 24-hour suicide helpline number is +91-22-27546669

Sneha Foundation: This Chennai-based NGO is also dedicated to supporting individuals who are depressed, distressed, or suicidal. Their 24-hour helpline +91-44-24640050

iCall: Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline for the psychologically distressed has a team of mental health professionals helping individuals across various languages and regions. The helpline number (+91-22-25521111) is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.

7 Cups of Tea: This website and app (available on iOS and Android phones) is an online chat platform offering live support to the depressed and anxious.

The Pink Project: This Mumbai-based mental health intiative, founded by two psychologists, is offering free online counselling during the COVID-19 crisis.

People Tree Maarga: Bengaluru-based People Tree is offering free telephonic counseling between 10 am and 11 pm to those stressed or anxious due to COVID-19. The helpline number is 080-46659999

_vibewithvishuddha: This page on Instagram encourages you to talk about your feelings and emotions or just vent out. Just message them a 'hi' and they'll get in touch.

IIT-Kanpur assistant professor kills self at campus - The New Indian Express

IIT-Kanpur assistant professor kills self at campus

35-year-old Pramod Subramanyan's body was found hanging in a room on the campus and police have launched a probe into the matter.

Published: 09th July 2020 12:46 AM

Image for representational purposes.
By Namita Bajpai

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: An assistant professor of computer science and engineering department of prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) committed suicide at its campus on Wednesday evening.

As per campus sources, 35-year-old Pramod Subramanyan's body was found hanging in a room on the campus. Police have launched a probe into the matter. Kalyanpur police on coming to know about the incident reached the institute, brought down the body and sent it for postmortem examination.

Later in a press communique undersigned by IIT-K director Prof Abhay Karandikar read: "I am saddened to inform you about the tragic and untimely demise of Prof. Pramod Subramanyan, assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering today afternoon. In him, we have lost a bright and rising star in computer science in the country. We deeply mourn his demise and pray to the Almighty to give strength to his family. May his soul rest in peace."

His body has sent for postmortem. The professor used a nylon rope to hang himself. However, no suicide note was recovered from his room. "As a result, the cause of suicide could not be known immediately," said Kalyanpur SHO Ashwani Pandey.

Currently, the institute is almost vacant due to COVID-19 with no students present except for the faculty members who reside on the campus.

(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call AASRA's 24x7 Helpline: +91-9820466726 for assistance)

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35-year-old IIT-Kanpur professor found hanging on campus

THE TRIBUNE

The institute is almost vacant due to the Covid-19 outbreak with no students present except for the faculty who reside on the campus

Posted: Jul 09, 2020 09:52 AM (IST)
Updated : 7 hours ago


Photo for representation only

Kanpur, July 9

Pramod Subramanian, an assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering at IIT-Kanpur, was found dead on campus which has been deserted due to the pandemic-induced lockdown.

The 35-year-old professor was found hanging in a room on the campus on Wednesday.

IIT-Kanpur issued a statement by institute director Prof Abhay Karandikar saying, "I am saddened to inform you about the tragic and untimely demise of Prof Pramod Subramanian, assistant professor in the department of computer science and engineering.

"In him, we have lost a bright and rising star in computer science in the country. We deeply mourn and pray to the Almighty to give strength to his family. May his soul rest in peace."

Kalyanpur SHO Abhay Seth said the cause of death could not be known immediately.

"He was found hanging with a nylon rope around his neck and has not left behind any suicide note. We will wait for the post-mortem report and continue investigation," the police official added.

The institute is almost vacant due to the Covid-19 outbreak with no students present except for the faculty who reside on the campus.

If IIT Bombay Can, Why Not Others? - NDTV,

If IIT Bombay Can, Why Not Others? 

NSUI Opposes UGC's Decision On Final Exams
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released new guidelines for exams and academic session. The higher education regulator has decided to hold the terminal semester or final year examinations by the end of September, 2020 in offline online or blended (online + offline) mode.

Education | Edited by Maitree Baral | Updated: Jul 7, 2020 8:42 am IST


The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released new guidelines for exams and academic session.

New Delhi:

The National Students Union of India (NSUI), a students' body affiliated with the Congress, has said the Centre’s decision to hold final semester exams to be a "narrow-minded view" and has said "it will endanger student’s health". The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released new guidelines for exams and academic session today. The higher education regulator has decided to hold the final semester or final year examinations by the end of September, 2020 in offline, online or blended (online + offline) mode.

“If IIT Bombay can, why not other universities?” NSUI’s Ruchi Gupta has said while responding to the government’s decision to hold final semester or year exams of universities and colleges across India.

Meanwhile, the exams for rest of the students have been cancelled due to the health risks and containment measures adopted by the government against the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, it's a tragedy to take the vastness of education - the experience of university, the diversity, the development of perspectives, critical thinking etc - and reduce it to a number received in an exam. This tragedy is brought out even more starkly if one takes an indepth look at the quality of the examination system in our country - rife with corruption, arbitrariness, delays, ineptitude, social bias, inequities and incompetence, the NSUI has said in its official statement.

Finally, the concern about devaluation of degree if the final exam is not conducted is exaggerated and misplaced. For most undergraduate courses, the final semester is only 1 semester out of 6 semesters. The purpose of exams in most often to filter out students - since the number of aspirants vastly outnumber opportunities - and it is easy to extrapolate relative ranking from past semesters and other internal assessments, it added.

On students who come from rural areas, the NSUI has said that these students from rural or marginalised backgrounds suffer from unequal access to both internet-enabled devices and internet connectivity. At least two students have committed suicide due to inability to participate in online classes.

It has also mentioned about the low attendance in online classes, which were started by many universities during the lockdown period. Online classes too have been a sham with a massive drop in attendance and the back and forth expected of classroom lectures, the Congress’ affiliated students' body has said.

On offline exams it has said that, "many students were shunted homes in a rush and students have reported that they are without books or study material. Even if exam centers manage social distancing, travel from their homes to universities will certainly lead to possible health exposure, putting both students and their families at risk."