IIT-Bombay Seeks Students' Suggestions On Alternatives To Ceiling Fans After Sahil Wakode Suicide

The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-Bombay) has launched a survey seeking student opinions on alternatives to ceiling fans as part of a wellness initiative following the suicide of second-year student Sahil Wakode last month. The survey proposes four fan types: wall-mounted, pedestal, table or desk, and tower fans, with an option for students to select "no alternative" if they prefer to retain ceiling fans.

The purpose of the survey is to "understand students' preferences regarding fan type, quantity and placement" to evaluate practical and effective configurations. The survey is part of a broader effort to improve student wellness at IIT-Bombay, with additional initiatives including the appointment of wellness secretaries, adding more play areas, preventing exam malpractices, and creating a new role for student wellness.

The initiative was prompted by Wakode's suicide on September 18, after allegedly being found using a mobile phone during an examination. Wakode's professor, Suryanarayana Doolla, has been booked for abetting suicide, while the IIT-B director, Shirish Kedare, has been questioned for eight hours by the Crime Branch. Wakode's parents, who have been on a hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan since September 28, have accused their son of facing caste discrimination and are demanding the arrest of Doolla and Kedare.