‘He said he’d handle it’: Gujarat PG medical student’s father recalls last call
Dr Harsh Pandya, who was found dead in his hostel room on August 9, was among at least 10 students who had complained of ragging by seniors at the Government Medical College in Surat.
Retired doctor Subhash Pandya said his son Harsh wanted to be a doctor since he was in school and was prepared to pursue super-specialisation. (Special arrangement)
Retired doctor Subhash Pandya is struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss of his son, Dr Harsh Pandya, a 30-year-old first-year PG Microbiology student at the Government Medical College in Surat. The young doctor allegedly died by suicide on August 9, reigniting the debate over ragging in medical institutions.
“We would talk at least once a week over the phone. Since I also come from a similar background, I would ask him if he was having any trouble from his seniors or in the department. We discussed this during our last conversation too. He said he would handle it (the ragging),” Subhash said, recalling the last conversation he had with his son around five days before his death.
Harsh, who was found dead in his hostel room on the morning of August 9, was among at least 10 students who had complained of ragging by seniors.
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“I tried to make him comfortable and strong. I would tell him that we also faced torture from our seniors…but it looks like it was much more than that,” said Subhash, a retired superintendent from the Community Health Centre in Dhansura in Aravalli district.
The 66-year-old says those responsible for Harsh’s death must face severe punishment. “Such incidents should not happen. Those guilty should be punished to such an extent that they would not even dream of torturing anyone in the way they did my son,” he told The Indian Express.
Harsh completed his MBBS in the Philippines in 2022. After securing a rank of around 300 in the NEET-PG exam, he took admission at the Government Medical College in Surat in February 2026. He was getting a monthly stipend of Rs 1 lakh, his family said, and was engaged to be married to a woman from Anand later this year.
Harsh had set his sights on working at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or the World Health Organization after his MD in Microbiology. “Since his school days, he wanted to be a doctor and join a public institution like WHO or AIIMS. He completed his MBBS from the Philippines and wanted to stay and work in India itself,” Subhash added. “He wanted to pursue super-specialisation after specialisation (MD), and he was mentally prepared.”
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Subhash said he also met the college authorities. “We learnt that out of 10 students in the batch, seven have given statements that raging was going on since the last 4-5 months. But the authorities did not pay any attention,” he alleged.
“Humne apna bachha khoya hai, koi apna lal na khoye is tarah. Sabse badkhar jaan hoti hai (We have lost our child, nobody should lose theirs in this way. Life is the most precious thing),” Subhash said.
Sack the doctors: ABVP
A day after Government Medical College, Surat, suspended Dr Nirali Vasave, Dr Anuj Maheshwari, Dr Dixit Ghewaria, and Dr Hina Bhut for six months, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Tuesday made representations to the dean, Dr Jayesh Brahmbhatt, demanding the doctors be sacked.
“The government should focus on such repeated incidents. The management of medical institutes should be serious,” Nitin Pandya, Harsh’s maternal uncle, said. Another uncle, Dr Pinakin Pandya, alleged that the government has no control over ragging incidents at medical institutes. “We request the government to make the law stricter. We learnt about the ragging incidents only when we went to Surat.”
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The Pandyas are from Punsari village, close to Modasa town, where the family settled in 2015-16. “The entire village feels sad due to Dr Harsh’s sudden demise,” Punsari village Sarpanch Narendrabhai Patel said. “They are an educated and humble family that is connected to their village and keeps visiting their ancestral home often,” he added.
The village panchayat has written to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Health Minister Praful Pansheriya on Monday demanding justice for the family and a proper investigation into the case.
Ritu Sharma is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express' Gujarat bureau, an editorial position that reflects her experience and Authority in regional journalism. With over a decade of concentrated reporting experience, she is a highly Trustworthy and specialized journalist, especially noted for her Expertise in the education sector across Gujarat and previously Chandigarh.
Expertise
Primary Authority (Education): With over ten years of dedicated reporting on education in both Gujarat and Chandigarh, Ritu Sharma is a foremost authority on educational policy, institutional governance, and ground realities from "KG to PG." Her coverage includes:
Higher Education: In-depth scrutiny of top institutions like IIM-Ahmedabad (controversies over demolition/restoration of heritage architecture), IIT-Bombay (caste discrimination issues), and new initiatives like international branch campuses in GIFT City.
Schooling & Policy: Detailed coverage of government schemes (Gyan Sadhana School Voucher Scheme), the implementation and impact of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, teacher recruitment issues, and the impact of national policies like the NEP.
Student Welfare: Reporting on critical issues such as suicide allegations due to caste discrimination, and the challenges faced by students (e.g., non-delivery of NAMO tablets). ... Read More
