Engineering professor seen grabbing student by collar on stage at Gujarat university

An incident at Nirma University in Ahmedabad has triggered a debate on social media after a video appeared to show a senior engineering professor grabbing a student by the collar during a university event.

The incident reportedly took place during Technofora 2026, the annual technical event organised by the International Society of Automation Students’ Chapter at Nirma University’s Institute of Technology.

The video, which has since circulated widely online, shows the professor calling a student from the audience onto the stage during a stand-up comedy programme and confronting him over a remark made from the crowd.

What happened at the event?

The confrontation reportedly occurred during a stand-up comedy programme featuring comedian Rajat Sood.

According to reports accompanying the video, a student in the audience called out, “Jaldi bol, kal subah Panvel nikalna hai,” a popular dialogue from the Hindi film Golmaal 3.

Dr Himanshu K Patel, who was on stage, subsequently called the student forward.

In the circulating footage, the professor is seen taking hold of the student’s collar and questioning him about his conduct. He is also heard warning the student in forceful terms, including that he could “go up to any extent” and that anyone who insulted a member of the Nirma University faculty would face serious consequences.

The short video, however, does not establish the complete exchange or precisely what happened immediately before the professor called the student onto the stage.

Video sparks debate online

The footage was recorded on mobile phones at the event and subsequently spread across social media, prompting criticism from some users over the professor’s conduct.

Others argued that the student’s remark may have been inappropriate or disrespectful, leading to a wider online debate over student behaviour, faculty authority and the boundaries of discipline at public university events.

Reports have also indicated that the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has raised the possibility of a protest over the incident.

What was Technofora 2026?

Nirma University records show that Technofora 2026 was held from September 18 to 20. The three-day event featured technical competitions, workshops and cultural programmes and attracted more than 800 participants.

The event was conducted under the guidance of Dr Himanshu K Patel, Head of the Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering at Nirma University’s Institute of Technology.

Patel’s profile on the university’s official website identifies him as a professor and department head. He holds a PhD and has more than three decades of experience spanning academia, research and industry.

He has been associated with the department since January 2000, according to the university. His areas of specialisation include power electronics, electrical drives, sensors and measurement techniques, and spin-qubit modelling.

The university profile also lists several professional distinctions attributed to him, including awards from the International Society of Automation for education, student-section leadership and society service.

Full account awaited

The episode, which may have lasted only moments at the event, has now become the subject of a much wider online discussion.

At the centre of the debate is the conduct visible in the video and whether such a confrontation was appropriate in a university setting. At the same time, the available footage does not capture the entire sequence of events, making it difficult to establish the full context of the exchange.

Unless the university or those directly involved provide a fuller account, the viral video can establish only what is visibly and audibly captured in the footage, not every circumstance that preceded or followed the confrontation.