The life of IIT-Delhi’s Rishikesh Kumar: Finding his voice in poetry, teaching

Rishikesh Kumar, a 31-year-old MSc physics student at IIT-Delhi, found his voice in poetry and teaching. Friends recall him often reciting shayari, or Hindi poetry, to small groups and at large campus events. He was known for his compelling Hindi speaking abilities and animated conversations that could captivate strangers. IIT-Delhi confirmed Rishikesh had been grappling with mental health issues for some time and had received hospital treatment.

He also withdrew from two semesters. His last public poetry recital was at Rachnashala Studio in Faridabad, where he spoke about the tension between restrictions and freedom. Rishikesh, who moved to Patna from Bihar with his family, strongly identified with his cultural and linguistic background. He often spoke about issues faced by students from his region, including discrimination and backwardness.

Rishikesh's unconventional path to IIT included dropping out of NIT Rourkela and completing a BSc from Patliputra University before earning an All India Rank of 40 in the IIT JAM examination. He enrolled in IIT-D's MSc Physics program in 2025 and also taught science and mathematics. Five days before his death, Rishikesh received a permanent faculty offer at Unacademy in Jodhpur.

On the day of his death, Rishikesh's mother, Asha Poddar, recounted that he had held his head in his hands and expressed his desire to no longer suffer.