Tragedy has struck IIT-Kharagpur again as a PhD student was found dead in his hostel room. This recent incident marks the fifth suspected suicide at the institute since the beginning of the year. Harshkumar Pandey, a 27-year-old PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering, was discovered at BR Ambedkar Hall. His parents, unable to contact him, alerted the authorities. Upon gaining entry, the police found Pandey’s body. This string of deaths has ignited discussions about the mental well-being of students and the pressures they face within the academic environment.
