Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has emerged at the centre of the controversy following the death by suicide of 20-year-old IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode on September 18, 2026. Doolla, who was removed as Dean of Students Welfare amid protests on campus, has been associated with the premier institute for nearly a decade.
A professor with IIT Bombay’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering (DESE), Doolla has held both academic and administrative responsibilities at the institute.
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How Did Doolla Come Into The Sahil Wakode Case?
Doolla came into focus following Wakode’s death on September 18.
According to IIT Bombay, Wakode was allegedly found using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination and had uploaded the question paper to an artificial intelligence platform to seek answers.
Doolla was the course instructor and examination invigilator during the test. He was involved in reporting the alleged examination malpractice to the institute authorities.
IIT Bombay said Wakode was subsequently counselled by the instructor and the Head of Department. The institute has maintained that he was assured the examination incident would not adversely affect his academic career and that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him before his death.
Wakode’s family, however, alleged that he faced harassment and caste-based discrimination. Based on the family’s complaint, Mumbai Police registered a case invoking provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, with Doolla among those named in the complaint.
The allegations are subject to the ongoing police investigation.
Doolla Removed Amid Student Protests
Wakode’s death triggered protests by students on the IIT Bombay campus, with demonstrators demanding action against Doolla, including his suspension.
On September 20, IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare met the protesting students and signed an 18-point charter of demands. The demands included action against Doolla.
Doolla was removed from the post of Dean of Students Welfare by IIT Bombay on the evening of September 20 following the protests.
At the same time, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum publicly backed Doolla, saying he had been performing his duties as an examination invigilator and had followed the institute’s prescribed procedure after detecting the alleged malpractice.
Doolla’s Academic And Administrative Record
Doolla specialises in power systems, smart grids, microgrids, renewable-energy integration, converter control and energy efficiency. His IIT Bombay profile lists research publications in these areas.
He completed his B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from Nagarjuna University in 2000, followed by an M.Tech in Energy Systems Engineering from IIT Bombay in 2002. He obtained his PhD in Power Systems from IIT Delhi in 2007.
Before joining IIT Bombay, Doolla worked with Power Research and Development Consultants in Bengaluru and Machine 2 Machine in Hyderabad.
His career at IIT Bombay has included both teaching and administrative responsibilities. He has served as Warden of Hostel 6 and later as Dean of Student Affairs.
Doolla has also been associated with the organisation of major examinations, including JEE Advanced, UCEED and CEED.
His academic recognitions include the Prof SP Sukhatme Excellence in Teaching Award in 2021, IIT Bombay’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017 and the Young Faculty Award in 2009. He has also received recognition through IEEE awards and fellowships.
His research has focused on smart-grid and microgrid technologies, distributed energy resources, power-system operation and control, and energy efficiency.
What Is Doolla’s Current Status?
As of September 21, Doolla has been removed as Dean of Students Welfare at IIT Bombay amid the controversy surrounding Wakode’s death.
His removal from the administrative post is separate from the question of criminal liability. The police investigation into Wakode’s death and the allegations made by his family are ongoing.
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The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum continues to maintain that Doolla was carrying out his academic responsibilities in accordance with institutional procedure.
The controversy currently involves three distinct strands: the examination incident involving Wakode, the allegations of harassment and caste-based discrimination made by his family and the resulting police investigation, and the student protests that led to institutional action against Doolla.
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