Alumni meet shocker: IIT senior professor Sameer Khandekar collapses on dais, dies while delivering lecture

Sameer Khandekar no more: In a Kanpur shocker, a 53-year-old senior professor of IIT Kanpur Sameer Khandekar, the dean of student affairs and the head of the mechanical engineering department collapsed on the dais and died due to cardiac arrest while delivering lecture during an alumni meet. 

The tragic incident occurred during the alumni meet on Friday when the institute was gathered for the event. 

As per the statement by other professors and institute authorities, senior professor Sameer Khandekar felt severe chest pain and started sweating while delivering his words at the alumni meet. Until anyone could make an idea of what is happening to Sameer Khandekar, he collapsed on dias. 

He was taken to the hospital for checkup but declared dead by hospital authorities. 

Expressing deep concern over demise of senior professor, IIT Kanupur director Abhay Karandikar took to his X handle (former Twitter) and wrote, “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.” 

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… pic.twitter.com/l8eTzdL5iA — Abhay Karandikar (@karandi65) December 23, 2023

Meanwhile, one of his friend also revealed that Khandekar was diagnosed with high cholesterol levels about five years ago. 

Who was Sameer Khandekar? 

Sameer Khandekar was also the recipient of George Grover Award (IHPC), K. N. Seetharamu Award (ISHMT) and Young Scientist Award (DAE). He was highly dynamic and enthusiastic person. Professor was not just an excellent faculty, but also deeply into music, art, and culture. He had his own YouTube channel where he used to deliver lectures on subjects like Mechanical Engineering.

Khandekar was also the president of Shiksha Sopan, a voluntary organization (registered NGO), serving the underprivileged sections of the society in and around IIT Kanpur. He also served as an invited faculty member at five international universities at Germany, France, Brazil, Russia and Thailand.

He was recipient of P. K. Kelkar Research Fellowship from IIT Kanpur in 2008, DAAD Fellowship (2011), Prof. K. N. Seetharamu Award from the Indian Society of Heat and Mass Transfer in 2010, George Grover Medal from the International Heat Pipe Committee in 2007, and Young Scientist Award (Department of Atomic Energy, Indian, 2005). 

Last rites of senior professor would be performed after the arrival of his only son Pravah Khandekar who is studying at Cambridge University

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