Last week, an IITian committed suicide. People who commit suicide do it when they feel there’s no future. But wait, isn’t IIT the one place where a bright and shining future is a foregone conclusion? It just doesn’t add up, does it? Why would a young, hardworking, bright student who has the world ahead of him do something like this? But the answer is this-in our constant reverence for the great institution (and I do believe IITs are great), we forget the dark side. And the dark side is that the IITs are afflicted by the quintessential Indian phenomenon of academic pressure, probably the highest in the world. I can rant about the educational system and how it requires serious fixing, or I can address the immediate-try my best to prevent such suicides. For this column I have chosen the latter, and I do so with a personal story. News of a suicide always brings back one particular childhood memory. I was 14 years old when I first seriously contemplated suicide. I had done badly in chemistry in the Class X half yearly exam. I was an IIT aspirant, and 68% was nowhere near what an IIT candidate should be getting. I don’t know what had made me screw up the exam, but I did know this, I was going to kill myself. The only debate was about method. Ironically, chemistry offered a way. I had read about copper sulphate, and that it was both cheap and poisonous. Copper sulphate was available at the kirana store. I had it all worked out. My rationale for killing myself was simple-nobody loved me, my chemistry score was awful, I had no future and what difference would it make to the world if I was not there. I bought the copper sulphate for two rupees-probably the cheapest exit strategy in the world. I didn’t do it for two reasons. One, I had a casual chat with the aunty next door about copper sulphate, and my knowledgeable aunty knew about a woman who had died that way. She said it was the most painful death possible, all your veins burst and you suffer for hours. This tale made my insides shudder. Second, on the day I was to do it, I noticed a street dog outside my house being teased by the neighborhood kids as he hunted for scraps of food. Nobody loved him. It would make no difference to the world if the dog wasn’t there. And I was pretty sure that its chemistry score would be awful. Yet, the dog wasn’t trotting off to the kirana store. He was only interested in figuring out a strategy for his next meal. And when he was full, he merely curled up in a corner with one eye open, clearly content and not giving a damn about the world. If he wasn’t planning to die anytime soon what the hell was I ranting about? I threw the copper sulphate in the bin. It was the best two bucks I ever wasted. So why did I tell you this story? Because sometimes the pressure gets too much; like it did for the IITian who couldn’t take it no more. On the day he took that dreadful decision, his family and friends were shattered, and India lost a wonderful, bright child. And as the silly but true copper sulphate story tells you-it could happen to any of us or those around us. So please be on the lookout, if you see a distressed young soul, lend a supportive, non-judgmental ear. When I look back, I thank that aunt and that dog for unwittingly saving my life. If God wanted us to take our own life, he would have provided a power off button. He didn’t, so have faith and let his plan for you unfold. Because no matter how tough life gets and how much it hurts, if street dogs don’t give up, there is no reason why we, the smart species, should. Makes sense right?
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excellent article
I am waiting for my call from God- and I dont mind waiting either
hey I liked ur “One at @ the call center”; well written, I must say.
“A DOG CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE”
Hi chetan! firstly…i”m a huge fan of ur novels specially ” 5 Point Someone” and this note of urs on suicide does make sense! Suicide is jus a way to run away frm ur responsibilties. its no way a solution! Good Goin! and ya..plz come up wid some more novels like 5 point..& Call center..:))
Hey chetan..Somehow, melancholy does get to us in a big way at some point in our lives. I have just been out of a disastrous relationship, its not easy at all..and I think if we manage to get out of that momentary trance, perhaps, we all do have a chance after all..
Are you chetan bhagat of “Five point someone” ?
Well, if the answer to that is “yes”, lemme tell you “One night at the call centre” was fantastic…perhaps one of the best books I have read…and somehow fell in love with underdogs!
I guess, I might as well find my Vroom somewhere..somehow he seems so real…my kinda guy!
Hope floats
it makes whole lotta sense!good stuff you have written and yes suicide is a ”no” for everyone, not only iitians…… my eye just went down and i saw chetan bhagat there, are you him? by the way call centre was a great read, heard a movie plan is there on the same book…
krits
One who died was a friend of mine, unfortunetly we couldnot able to help him by talking to him. It is our failour too, not only his.
Just one more thing, suicide is bad for all, not only fot guys at IITs.
hey,your write up on suicidal tendency was good.keep it up
Hi Chetan (if u r really chetan),
I loved 5 Point Someone and Call centre and I would say u have a similarly enjoyable book from Abhijit Bhaduri called MBA (Mediocre But Arrogant). Brought back memories of 5Point. U r a genius.
hay…wait.. i wish u would have met me that day probably i would have given you some easy way out.
Yes it make sense…no doubt about it…..i like the way you see toward life…each event in life have something to teach..:0
Hey! Great article:)
Hey! Great article:)
If somebody interested in suicide, contact me. I know number of techniques to commit the suicide.
How to make suicide? is it a recipe? please tell me I am also interested in doing suicide now.
Before commiting suicide, please mail me ur girlfriends ph. no.
I will handle her cafully, don”t worry.
Then, I will delete her into a recyle bean also.
Chetan, after commiting sucide, don”t forget to give s Miss call to me.
I will call you then
What is meaning of IIT?
I haveheard ITI only.
Hello Chetan If you want to commit sucide then don”t die sinlgy. Take some terrorists from LeT, SIMI as a company with you. You can be a Human bomb.
Do it now.
that was good enough to remind me of my suicide plan!!!!
when i think of it now i just feel like laughing it out..
anyways u have a great going blog.. keep it up
Gr8! Evry1 shud read ur article. Plz visit a similar article i plan to post very soon after reading urs
I wish any one contemplating suicide shall read your post. It will surely help them discard all negative thoughts.
Let me quote from The wings of Fire-
For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil , bear-
When you are the hammer, strike.
Can you do a favour and read my article?
Amazing article…
Worth reading and simple words with powerful thoughts !!! Reminded my fren who was very creative and always cheerful but who did one rash decission of throwing his life one fateful day for reason well known to him .. i heard he couldnt withstand the pressure of life and he was a student of NID ! Watever the reason may b , watever the pressure may b , i dont think suicide is a solution. Ups and downs are wat makes life worth living for and worth swim across …. Nice post ! Am happy to navigate to ur iland by chance and read this article !!!
reminded me of how few of my friends and loved ones who tried to attempt suicide and how my presence really made a chage in their lives… very well said.. really good message to pass… very very very very good
That was surely a refreshing and an honest piece.
We r so insenstive we never see some one elses pain. In office i was in a lift and i saw this girl cry in consolably for a second i was too embarassed to ask y. Next there was mail sent across saying she commited sucide that night. Even today i kick myself for not asking her what was wrong. maybe maybe i could have helped her. All i know is in my fear of not wanting to embaress her i ended up not helping her.
wow this is a wonderful peice. i would always wonder how someone who is at the pinnacle or sucess commit sucide. somes pressure gets too much esp academics. it made me look back at how when i was 14 i thot no one loved me and decided to commit sucide and decided starving my self was the best option. One missed meal and i stopped contemplating sucide after that till now.
if it happened to a achiever like chetan; it could”ve happened to just anyone.( author, IIT IIM grad.) and it happens. every yr round the exam time 200 children lose their lives. IIT’’s are meant for students, students are not meant for IIT. live life king size.
Wonderful piece by Chetan Bhagat…
We have all faced that pressure to do well academically especially during 10th and 12th grades… Hell
its a beautiful piece… makes a lotof sense…thanks…u helped a lot
Makes me wanna figure out. What is it??? The parents, the peers or kids
themselves? Where’s the pressure coming from?
Very sensible one…. keep posting such good ones, that provok the
thoughts.
One of the most sensible and thought provoking article i have read in
recent times….
This should reach out to many others…
Article with sense . I never read a article who have strong message like
that for others.
Chetan your story is so simple and still it motivate many peoples and
they will know that life is so precious, we are here to live life but how to
live life?.. sure in a way which makes others and ourself happy.
oh my god! so many people read this article. boy i must have looked like
an idiot thinking chetan was you. man, this is embarrassing. i feel like
commiting suicide.
now i must read the book……i believe this guy has written two
contemporary books….one on BPO and one on IIT
a very sensible article by the way
agree with udita…at the same time, a stray remark can have the reverse
impact too…especially when you are in that vulnerable frame of
mind…when anything negative could be disastrous
Wothy message to pass to others.
Wothy message to pass to others.
Wothy message to pass to others.
Wothy message to pass to others.
….and death, we need to be more sensitive in handling those stray
remarks indicative of a deeper agony or internal strife.Believe me, words
can have a miraculous impact in such a state. I’m sure many of us have
gone thru this phase at some time or the other.
Aptly said- if a chance comment can actually transform a life, or for that
matter, make the difference betn life
i noticed the name after i had pressed the ‘post’ button.
Nischal,
It is not about me - This article is written by Chetan Bhagat - who
incidently is an IIT IIMA graduate..
was stupid, alright!
good to see you alive.