Sameer Khandekar, dean of student affairs at IIT Kanpur, was delivering a lecture on good health when he collapsed on the stage due to a cardiac arrest. He was declared dead upon arrival by the hospital, the institute said.
While addressing the alumni meet on Friday, he had asked everyone to take care of their health moments before he started sweating profusely, according to reports. Before anyone could make sense of what was happening, he collapsed on the dais.
An IIT-Kanpur professor told news agency PTI that Khandekar was diagnosed with high cholesterol levels about five years ago. He was the dean of student affairs and also the head of the mechanical engineering department.
Former IIT Kanpur director Abhay Karandikar, expressing shock over the sudden death, described Khandekar as an outstanding teacher and researcher.
“It’s unbelievable! The news of my friend Prof. Sameer Khandekar’s (Professor in Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kanpur) sudden and very untimely passing has left us in deep shock and sadness. A cherished colleague always full of energy and enthusiasm. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Rest in peace, dear friend,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Mr Karandikar said the body has been kept at the IIT-Kanpur’s health centre and the funeral would be performed only after the arrival of his only son Pravah Khandekar who is studying at Cambridge University.
