Sat Sep 20 18:04:22 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided information, with a focus on the most important details:

**IIT Kharagpur Grapples with Another Student Death, Sparking Renewed Concerns Over Mental Health**

**Kolkata – September 20, 2025** – A 27-year-old PhD scholar, Harshkumar Pandey, was found dead in his room at the B.R. Ambedkar Hall on the IIT Kharagpur campus on Saturday. Pandey, a mechanical engineering researcher from Jharkhand, was discovered after his father contacted the institute when he couldn’t reach him. Police are investigating the death.

This tragedy marks the sixth unnatural death at IIT Kharagpur this year, with five of the deaths suspected suicides. This latest incident follows a string of student deaths in recent months, including B.Tech student Ritam Mondal in July and Mohammad Asif Qamar in May. These deaths have prompted serious concerns about student mental health at the prestigious institution.

The rising number of student suicides has already drawn scrutiny, including a query from the Supreme Court earlier this year regarding the registration of FIRs and the high suicide rate at the institute.

In response to the crisis, IIT Kharagpur has launched initiatives like an integrated mental health support system, a 10-member committee of mental health professionals, and the “campus mother” program, along with an AI-driven student welfare app called HEART. However, the “campus mother” initiative has been criticized by some experts as a potentially gendered and superficial approach.

Director Suman Chakraborty expressed his condolences and stated the institute is fully cooperating with the police investigation.

The situation at IIT Kharagpur highlights the urgent need for effective mental health support systems within academic institutions.

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