IIT Bombay posted on X on Monday, September 21, 2026, that Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare has not resigned, labeling the resignation rumor "false."
The claim surfaced amid a wave of student demonstrations that began after sophomore Sahil Wakode was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room on September 18, 2026. Wakode, a native of Yavatmal, Maharashtra, had reportedly faced institutional harassment and caste‑based discrimination before his death, according to his family.
In response to the tragedy, students demanded 18 reforms, including student representation on academic committees, a thorough investigation into four campus suicides, mental‑health workshops for faculty, and the suspension of Dean of Students Welfare Professor Suryanarayana Doolla. The protests also called for no punitive action against the demonstrators.
Earlier this week, Kedare told protesting students that he would resign but that he needed to follow the formal process after a board meeting on Monday. He later clarified that the resignation was not yet finalized, a point the institute reinforced in its statement.
IIT Bombay confirmed that no disciplinary action has been taken against Wakode and issued an apology for the earlier communication regarding the circumstances of his death. The institute’s administration met with the students to review their demands and agreed to consider them in the upcoming board meeting.
The board is scheduled to convene on Tuesday to examine the 18 demands and decide on the next steps, including the mandate for an independent investigation into Wakode’s death. Students and faculty will await the board’s decision, hoping for substantive policy changes.