'Inappropriate to ask': Years before Sahil Wakode's death, IIT-Bombay professor warned students against caste discrimination

Prof Suryanarayana Doolla (L), CCTV captures Sahil Wakode looking at phone during exam.

MUMBAI: A 2024 email sent by IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was then the institute’s Dean of Student Affairs, has resurfaced amid allegations of caste discrimination made by the family of student Sahil Wakode, who died by suicide last week.In the email, prof Doolla cautioned students against asking fellow students about their admission categories, JEE (Advanced) ranks or GATE scores, saying such questions could reveal their caste or whether they belonged to a reserved category.The email said IIT Bombay aimed to promote an inclusive campus where students interacted with each other irrespective of caste, religion or socio-economic status.“IIT Bombay considers it inappropriate to ask a fellow student what birth/admission category they belong to: asking this could lead to conscious or subconscious bias.It is equally inappropriate for any person (students/staff/faculty-members) to ask other students about their JEE (Advanced) ranks/GATE-scores, or any other information that may reveal the caste or other related aspects. While the person asking the question may feel it is innocent, and it may be driven purely by curiosity, asking the question can often have an adverse impact on the other student. Asking could appear like an attempt to find the caste, and may set the stage for discrimination.”The message also urged students to build friendships around common interests such as their department, sports, music, films, schools, colleges, villages, cities and hobbies.“It is prohibited to exchange/forward any messages, including jokes, that are abusive, hateful, casteist, sexist, exhibit bigotry e.g. based on – religion or sexual orientation, can be construed as harassment or bullying.”The email said the prohibition applied to messages shared on WhatsApp, Facebook and email, as well as interactions in person, and warned that violations could lead to severe punishment.The email was circulated during prof Doolla’s tenure as dean. IIT Bombay had also circulated its anti-discrimination guidelines twice during his tenure.

Mail sent by Prof Doolla

An Apology

The institue on Thursday issued a formal apology over statements made in an earlier communication about the circumstances surrounding the death of student Sahil Ravindra Wakode.Re-sharing a statement originally published on X on September 21, IIT Bombay said it had been premature to release or characterise details about the events leading up to the incident before formal inquiries were completed.“Sharing the earlier post of 21st Sept 2026 again: We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil. The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities,” the post read.The institute said the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death remained under investigation by legal and law enforcement agencies.“In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process,” IIT Bombay stated in the post on X.

Sahil Wakode’s death

Prof Doolla had allegedly caught Wakode using a mobile phone inside an examination hall on September 18. Hours later, the 20-year-old second-year student was found dead in his hostel room.Wakode’s parents have alleged that their son had complained of being subjected to casteist remarks a few days before his death. The allegations have led to protests by students on the IIT Bombay campus.The city crime branch is investigating a case of alleged abetment to suicide in connection with Wakode’s death.Police have collected CCTV footage showing Wakode’s movements during the examination in which he was allegedly caught copying.According to investigators, footage from September 18 shows Wakode inside the examination hall between about 12.30pm and 12.45pm, as the semester examination was nearing its end.The footage allegedly shows him bending down and looking at a mobile phone kept in his pocket. Police are also examining an allegation that he was using ChatGPT to answer questions during the examination.The footage then shows the invigilator noticing Wakode’s movements and approaching him. The invigilator is seen taking his answer sheet and asking him to leave the examination hall.Wakode is then seen getting up, collecting his belongings and preparing to leave. He appears to hand something to the invigilator, who is not visible in that part of the footage.Police are examining Wakode’s movements and interactions after he left the examination hall as they try to establish what happened in the hours before his death.

Probe into allegations

The crime branch on Wednesday recorded statements from three students who were reportedly close to Wakode.Prof Doolla’s statement has not yet been recorded. Investigators said they first wanted to collect available digital evidence and record statements from other witnesses before questioning him about the incident.Police are also examining allegations of discrimination or harassment in connection with Wakode’s death.The resurfaced email is being examined against the backdrop of the allegations made by Wakode’s parents. The investigation will determine whether any such allegations have a bearing on the circumstances surrounding his death.