A teenage boy, R Sridharanitharan, an 18-year-old from VKV Jai Nagar at Press Colony, near Periyanaickenpalayam hanged himself at his home in the quiet hours on Saturday, April 27 morning. Regardless of his achievement of an impressive 97.4 percent in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), Sridharanitharan succumbed to despair, he felt unfortunate because he was afraid it might not be enough to get into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
Sridharanitharan worked really hard at GKD Matriculation Higher Secondary School because he dreamed of getting into a top-notch college in India. His parents, P Rajasekaran and Hema, and his elder sister Yazhini, were always there to cheer him on and support his ambitions wholeheartedly.
However, Sridharanitharan’s young shoulders bore the weight of expectations. Despite his remarkable achievement, he felt a crushing disappointment as he could not achieve a perfect score. The disparity between his expectations and reality plunged him into despair. In the early hours of that fateful Saturday, Sridharanitharan’s anguish reached its zenith. While his parents slept, unaware of the turmoil brewing within their son, he made a tragic decision. Using a sari and the ceiling fan in his room, he ended his life, leaving behind a shattered family.
The shock and grief rippled through Periyanaickenpalayam as news of Sridharanitharan’s death spread. The police came to investigate the matter and registered a case under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The family received his body after the completion of postmortem procedures.
Sridharanitharan’s sad death reminds us how harmful school pressure can be, especially for young people. His story shows we need a kinder and more compassionate approach of teaching that cares about students’ feelings as much as their grades. As the community mourns the loss of a promising young talent, Sridharanitharan’s tragic end serves as a wake-up call to address the underlying issues that contribute to such heartbreaking outcomes. It is time to think again about how much pressure we put on students and what help we offer them.
His story shows how the constant focus on grades and getting into top schools can disturb students emotionally and lead to problems like anxiety and sadness. Now, schools, parents, and leaders need to rethink how they approach education. While doing well in school is important, it shouldn’t make students feel stressed or upset. Teachers should create supportive classrooms where students feel appreciated for who they are, not just for their grades.
Parents play a big part in making their kids feel happy, even if they don’t do well in school. It is crucial for parents to talk honestly with their kids about both success and failure and to show them how to handle tough times. Schools should also make it simple for students to get help with their feelings. They should have counsellors and groups where students can talk freely, so they don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help. This will help students get through hard times without feeling like they’re on their own.
