The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore, is deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden and unexpected demise of one of our students, Mr. Dhruv Jatin Thakkar.
Dhruv was a first year student of the B.A. LL.B programme and hailed from Mumbai. He was a warm and compassionate person, and a bright and diligent student, well-liked by his peers and faculty.
The NLS community stands in solidarity with his grieving family and friends in this period of deep sadness. The University staff are working closely with the authorities and extending all support to his family members. We request all members of the community to respect the privacy of the family at this time.
As a mark of respect, the University will suspend all classes for the remainder of the week. We request all members of the NLS community to come together for a condolence meeting in the Old Academic Quadrangle at 11AM on Friday 22nd March, 2024.
The University welfare support service and counselling services are available to anyone in the community who needs to reach out.
Maybe if the VC had fostered an institutional environment where the admin was more open to listening the problems of students and empathising with them instead of treating everything as a 'dilution of standards', then students would be encouraged to talk about their worries and problems more. The student community does its best, as do some faculty, but it's not a substitute. All the stakeholders need to work together in such matters and do better.
The reason doesn't matter. I am not saying that it was academic pressure or anything similar. The fact remains that the student could not talk about his problems to his teachers, friends, or anyone else within the university. That's the real cause for concern.
Are you the VC? Otherwise what's the use for making suggestions to you? The students and alumni have got enough number of suggestions, the admin won't listen to them.
By this logic, the VC can just label you as a teenager who has no idea about administration. Have you ever run a University? Do you know how hard it is to take care of 2k students? If not then you have no right to complain or suggest anything.
Do you see where it's going? The truth is that there is no real solution to this. The admin can only make counselling facilities available, it can't knock on the door of every student and force them to undergo counselling. I am not a fan of sudhir and I don't agree with most of his policies including the expansion plan but that does not mean I politicize every freaking incident and try to attack him.
Sir - When do you intend to join politics? Shame on you to use this as an opportunity to front a personal attack on the VC or the institution. If you have the courage, speak up, have a dialogue, do protest marches to bring reforms, if not that then as a student of the law seek the help of the judiciary instead of being a key board ninja.
I do not understand the reason why the comment has downvotes and why are you asking them to join politics.
imp: I do not intend to blame anyone for anything
The person is spot on. In your college days A LOT can go wrong and everyone gets to react the way they want to. RIP to the person we lost. However, eradicating depression or anxiety for that matter is not a possible solution. The practical solution is making everyone feel heard and acknowledged. The way your grief dilutes when you get to share it and there is an atmosphere favorable for your recovery.
NLUs (I am looking especially at you NLUO) cannot do that. The administration comes from an idea where the generations below them are evil and do things to cause havoc. When an administrator is so unwilling to understand what a kid is like and presupposes malice, it will never be cordial.
NLUO has seen multiple suicides and attempts in the past few years. People always had trouble in the Uni, but pre covid the Uni had an impeccable student support system. (I dont speak for everyone) but people could vent out and say the things they felt. It felt like a place where everyone was valid (cannot ignore the fact that many people were casteists and sexists and caused validity issues) but at least a good part of that small society stood up for each other.
The new administration saw this and thought of this as a rave party going cult that does not have any academic interests. Mind you this college was in semis of Jessup and Quarters of Vis Vienna that year, it had bent NUJS HSF backwards by winning it on repeat back then. The students were ushing as hard as they could. It just did not fit with the idea.
Forward to an administration that did everything to break the student based society and isolate everyone. I am not saying that people took steps because of the Uni admin, but they could have had a better chance at solving their issues if not for this admin.
I do not intend to blame anyone for anything, I will never know enough to pin it down on someone. But there is obvious responsibility of people who destroyed the communication channels handmade by people according to their preferences. People grieve when there's grief but give up when they're isolated.
It is for us to not isolate anyone but also for the admin to let people be and let their ideas of communicating survive.
May you find peace kid.
Comeback stronger NLS, the idea of self harm spreads very easily, be cautious and kind. Do better than NLUO did.
No, one person with a lot of experience will review the University policies for tackling Mental health concerns. He shall be assisted by a team comprising of NLS admin and students.
What is the VC's stance? I don't see a problem with the University policy per se. It's more about the people who execute the policy especially the SWO who is known for making insensitive comments. I think the first step would be to replace the SWO with someone more sensitive and understanding towards mental health problems.
Why are people just looking for a reason to hate on Law School? Is it jealousy because student welfare issues at NLS are dealt with directly by the Chief Justice of India? Or because the VC is a high calibre alumnus?
Not to make this a measuring contest, but getting the CJI to oversee this issue is a brilliant move by the VC. Now Law Schoolites can have access to best in class (among Indian unis) mental health support.
It feels like a personal loss for some reason. He was one of us(I am not from Nls)but he was one of us, he might have had the same aspirations and dreams that we have.
I have made a new account especially for this purpose so if anyone needs a friend to talk, please reach out on: curiousamicus@gmail.com
be kind to your classmates especially the ones who feel left out, its not that difficult, and you will also gain some good karma for helping another human being.
also isn't there a rumour that the university officials were trying to rusticate the student so that there is "no liability" on them on the report of the student's repeat instances of self-harm?
the post i was replying to was talking shit about the kid who killed himself. While legally might have been an adult- but there is a time and space to call someone out. How can you be so woke you forget to just be decent? I think theres little you can do to hold someone accountable after theyre dead anyway. His parents might read this crap. Have an inch of compassion.
This is virtue signalling to what end exactly? Having different opinions- however offensive to you- is not in itself a moral failing one needs to be accountable for anyway. And most of us realise that young people often have strongly held views that they might change over their lifetimes. Thats partly why we go to university- to learn from and challenge each other. This kid never will have the opportunity to learn. But one day soon you will lookback on this post and be filled with shame.
We dont respect the dead because theyre dead. We respect the dead because they have living family who shouldnt have to put up with juvenile petty attacks after a tragedy. I hope when someone you love dies- no one goes online to post nonsense about how they were a bad person because they had political opinions someone didnt agree with.
If you cannot bare minimum be a good compassionate person to people you saw everyday- you have no hope at all of being any kind of moral adult or any kind of political activist.
If you really think theres nothing objectionable about what you did here- go ahead and tell people in real life- tell your parents and aunts and uncles and tell your professors and tell superiors at internships about your disgusting post. Tell them you enjoy dragging the reputations of dead kids because it makes you feel taller. Have the inch of courage to write the defamatory comment in your own name. Coward.
Why the fuck are you publishing these, Mod? If it's deliberate on your part, then you are trash of the first order and should immediately be banned from moderation duty. I am taking screenshots of these and will report it.
Dhruv was a first year student of the B.A. LL.B programme and hailed from Mumbai. He was a warm and compassionate person, and a bright and diligent student, well-liked by his peers and faculty.
The NLS community stands in solidarity with his grieving family and friends in this period of deep sadness. The University staff are working closely with the authorities and extending all support to his family members. We request all members of the community to respect the privacy of the family at this time.
As a mark of respect, the University will suspend all classes for the remainder of the week. We request all members of the NLS community to come together for a condolence meeting in the Old Academic Quadrangle at 11AM on Friday 22nd March, 2024.
The University welfare support service and counselling services are available to anyone in the community who needs to reach out.
Sudhir Krishnaswamy Vice Chancellor
Do you see where it's going? The truth is that there is no real solution to this. The admin can only make counselling facilities available, it can't knock on the door of every student and force them to undergo counselling. I am not a fan of sudhir and I don't agree with most of his policies including the expansion plan but that does not mean I politicize every freaking incident and try to attack him.
(Story has links to mental health helpline and resources. MODS can you put them up please?)
imp: I do not intend to blame anyone for anything
The person is spot on. In your college days A LOT can go wrong and everyone gets to react the way they want to. RIP to the person we lost. However, eradicating depression or anxiety for that matter is not a possible solution. The practical solution is making everyone feel heard and acknowledged. The way your grief dilutes when you get to share it and there is an atmosphere favorable for your recovery.
NLUs (I am looking especially at you NLUO) cannot do that. The administration comes from an idea where the generations below them are evil and do things to cause havoc. When an administrator is so unwilling to understand what a kid is like and presupposes malice, it will never be cordial.
NLUO has seen multiple suicides and attempts in the past few years. People always had trouble in the Uni, but pre covid the Uni had an impeccable student support system. (I dont speak for everyone) but people could vent out and say the things they felt. It felt like a place where everyone was valid (cannot ignore the fact that many people were casteists and sexists and caused validity issues) but at least a good part of that small society stood up for each other.
The new administration saw this and thought of this as a rave party going cult that does not have any academic interests. Mind you this college was in semis of Jessup and Quarters of Vis Vienna that year, it had bent NUJS HSF backwards by winning it on repeat back then. The students were ushing as hard as they could. It just did not fit with the idea.
Forward to an administration that did everything to break the student based society and isolate everyone. I am not saying that people took steps because of the Uni admin, but they could have had a better chance at solving their issues if not for this admin.
I do not intend to blame anyone for anything, I will never know enough to pin it down on someone. But there is obvious responsibility of people who destroyed the communication channels handmade by people according to their preferences. People grieve when there's grief but give up when they're isolated.
It is for us to not isolate anyone but also for the admin to let people be and let their ideas of communicating survive.
May you find peace kid.
Comeback stronger NLS, the idea of self harm spreads very easily, be cautious and kind. Do better than NLUO did.
Peace
Not to make this a measuring contest, but getting the CJI to oversee this issue is a brilliant move by the VC. Now Law Schoolites can have access to best in class (among Indian unis) mental health support.
I have made a new account especially for this purpose so if anyone needs a friend to talk, please reach out on: curiousamicus@gmail.com
This is virtue signalling to what end exactly? Having different opinions- however offensive to you- is not in itself a moral failing one needs to be accountable for anyway. And most of us realise that young people often have strongly held views that they might change over their lifetimes. Thats partly why we go to university- to learn from and challenge each other. This kid never will have the opportunity to learn. But one day soon you will lookback on this post and be filled with shame.
If you cannot bare minimum be a good compassionate person to people you saw everyday- you have no hope at all of being any kind of moral adult or any kind of political activist.
If you really think theres nothing objectionable about what you did here- go ahead and tell people in real life- tell your parents and aunts and uncles and tell your professors and tell superiors at internships about your disgusting post. Tell them you enjoy dragging the reputations of dead kids because it makes you feel taller. Have the inch of courage to write the defamatory comment in your own name. Coward.