KANPUR: Indian Institute of Kanpur’s senior professor Sameer Khandekar died of cardiac arrest on stage while delivering a speech at an alumni meet on the campus on Friday evening. He was 52. According to IIT-K sources, he had been grappling with cardiac health issues since 2019.
During the alumni meet, he was speaking on a health related topic and his last words reportedly were “Take care of your health….” after which he collapsed.He was rushed to Laxmipat Singhania institute of Cardiology, where he was declared ‘dead upon arrival’.
His body has been kept at the health centre of the institute and the last rites will take place after his son arrives from Cambridge University, UK, where he studies, said sources. An IIT-Kanpur alumnus himself, Khandekar was the head of the mechanical engineering department and also served as dean, student welfare.
He is survived by his parents, wife Pradyanya and son Pravah. He was also associated with the ‘Shiksha Sopan’ programme in association with Padma Shri awardee, Physics professor Harish Chandra Verma. ‘Shiksha Sopan’ is run by IIT-K faculty and students to impart value-based education to members of the economically weaker section of the society.
Verma said Khandekar had come to the ‘ashram’ of ‘Shiksha Sopan’ on Wednesday to interact with the inmates. “In the alumni meet, he was addressing the participants and as he said, ‘Take care of your health…’, his voice trembled and he sat down and later collapsed.
He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” said Prof Verma. Cardiologist Dr Neeraj Kumar, who attended to Prof Khandekar, said by the time the patient was brought to hospital, he was no more. “He died of cardiac arrest or cardiac block,” he said. IIt-K sources said he had heart-related issues for which he was taking medicines.
Born in Jabalpur, Sameer Khandekar did BTech from Government Engineering College, Jabalpur, in 1993. He completed M Tech. (Thermal-fluid Sciences) from the IIT-K in 2000. Thereafter, PhD, from University of Stuttgart, Germany, 2004. The same year, he joined IIT Kanpur as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor’s post in 2009 and as professor in 2014.
In 2020, he became head of the mechanical engineering department and dean of student affairs in 2023. Secretary of the department of science and technology and former IIT-K director Abhay Karandikar shared a photograph of his with Khandekar and posted on X, “It’s unbelievable! The news of my friend Prof Sameer Khandekar (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.” Prof S Ganesh, director, IIT-K wrote on X: “With profound grief, we inform of the sudden and untimely demise of our beloved colleague Prof Sameer Khandekar, sean of Student Affairs & Prof, Dept of Mechanical Eng. We mourn the loss of a humble soul & pray that God gives his family & friends strength to bear this loss.”
During the alumni meet, he was speaking on a health related topic and his last words reportedly were “Take care of your health….” after which he collapsed.He was rushed to Laxmipat Singhania institute of Cardiology, where he was declared ‘dead upon arrival’.
His body has been kept at the health centre of the institute and the last rites will take place after his son arrives from Cambridge University, UK, where he studies, said sources. An IIT-Kanpur alumnus himself, Khandekar was the head of the mechanical engineering department and also served as dean, student welfare.
He is survived by his parents, wife Pradyanya and son Pravah. He was also associated with the ‘Shiksha Sopan’ programme in association with Padma Shri awardee, Physics professor Harish Chandra Verma. ‘Shiksha Sopan’ is run by IIT-K faculty and students to impart value-based education to members of the economically weaker section of the society.
Verma said Khandekar had come to the ‘ashram’ of ‘Shiksha Sopan’ on Wednesday to interact with the inmates. “In the alumni meet, he was addressing the participants and as he said, ‘Take care of your health…’, his voice trembled and he sat down and later collapsed.
He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” said Prof Verma. Cardiologist Dr Neeraj Kumar, who attended to Prof Khandekar, said by the time the patient was brought to hospital, he was no more. “He died of cardiac arrest or cardiac block,” he said. IIt-K sources said he had heart-related issues for which he was taking medicines.
Born in Jabalpur, Sameer Khandekar did BTech from Government Engineering College, Jabalpur, in 1993. He completed M Tech. (Thermal-fluid Sciences) from the IIT-K in 2000. Thereafter, PhD, from University of Stuttgart, Germany, 2004. The same year, he joined IIT Kanpur as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor’s post in 2009 and as professor in 2014.
In 2020, he became head of the mechanical engineering department and dean of student affairs in 2023. Secretary of the department of science and technology and former IIT-K director Abhay Karandikar shared a photograph of his with Khandekar and posted on X, “It’s unbelievable! The news of my friend Prof Sameer Khandekar (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.” Prof S Ganesh, director, IIT-K wrote on X: “With profound grief, we inform of the sudden and untimely demise of our beloved colleague Prof Sameer Khandekar, sean of Student Affairs & Prof, Dept of Mechanical Eng. We mourn the loss of a humble soul & pray that God gives his family & friends strength to bear this loss.”