IIT Bombay has temporarily relieved Professor Suryanarayana Doolla of his deanship after student protests over the death of 20-year-old student Sahil Wakode intensified on the Powai campus. Doolla will continue as a professor in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering while an investigation examines the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death and allegations raised by his family.
Wakode died by suicide on September 18, hours after he was allegedly found using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination. According to IIT Bombay, Wakode had uploaded the question paper on an artificial intelligence platform to seek answers. He was subsequently counselled by the course instructor and the head of department, the institute said, adding that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him before his death.
Doolla was the course instructor and examination invigilator during the examination. He was involved in reporting the alleged examination malpractice to institute authorities. The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has backed him, saying he was carrying out his responsibilities after detecting the alleged unauthorised use of a smartphone. The faculty body has also called for a fair inquiry and said Doolla should not be treated as culpable before the facts are established.
Students began protesting on the Powai campus after Wakode’s death and demanded action against Doolla. His family has alleged harassment and caste-based discrimination, following which Mumbai Police registered a case invoking provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The allegations are subject to investigation.
On Sunday night, IIT Bombay director Professor Shireesh Kedare held a three-hour meeting with the protesting students. The students submitted an 18-point charter of demands, including an independent investigation, action against officials found guilty after the inquiry, compensation for Wakode’s family, and sensitisation measures and a code of conduct for faculty. Kedare signed the charter, according to the report.
The institute has said that any further action against Doolla will depend on the investigation. IIT Bombay has also apologised for earlier statements about the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death, saying the details remained subject to investigation and should not have been characterised before being established through the appropriate process.
Doolla remains a faculty member in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. He completed a BTech in Electrical Engineering from Nagarjuna University in 2000, an MTech in Energy Systems Engineering from IIT Bombay in 2002 and a PhD in Power Systems from IIT Delhi in 2007. His research areas include smart grids, microgrids, active distribution networks, converter topologies and the integration of distributed energy resources.
The professor has held several administrative positions at IIT Bombay, including warden of Hostel 6 from 2012 to 2021 and associate warden in 2011. He was also organising chairman for JEE (Advanced), CEED and UCEED in 2022. His recognitions include IIT Bombay’s Professor S P Sukhatme Excellence in Teaching Award in 2021, the institute’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017 and a Young Faculty Award in 2009. The ongoing investigation will determine the next steps in the matter.
