If I can’t study, I can’t live: LSR Student Kills Self Due To Financial Woes

Hyderabad: Aishwarya Reddy, 19, a second-year student of Lady Shri Ram College for Women allegedly died by suicide at her residence in Telangana.

According to local police, Aishwarya, a BSc Mathematics (Honours) student, hanged herself at her home in Shadnagar on November 2. “Because of me, my family is facing many financial problems. I am a burden for my family. My education is a burden. If I can’t study, I can’t live,” the suicide note written in Telugu by the LSR student read, reported The Indian Express.

Her father, a motorcycle mechanic, said that she was an IAS aspirant but the family was even unable to buy her a second-hand laptop to pursue online classes during COVID-19. Aishwarya had scored 98.5 per cent in Class 12 and was a recipient of the Ministry of Science and Technology’s INSPIRE scholarship. She was supposed to get her scholarship of ₹ 1.2 lakh in March but it was delayed, her family said. “Ensure INSPIRE scholarship is given at least for one year,” her last note said.

Aishwarya was also asked to asked to vacate her LSR hostel room in October, which is only for first-year students. “Arrangements had to be made to move to a hired accommodation. I told her not to worry and that I will manage the money, though I had no idea where from. On November 2, she insisted on feeding me with her own hand. And then she took the extreme step,” her father was quoted by The Indian Express.

“The situation that my bright daughter went through must not happen to any other daughter,” her mother Sumathi Reddy told NDTV.

LSR principal Suman Sharma told NDTV that Aishwarya did not tell the college authorities about her financial situation. “She never approached her faculty, hostel authorities or counsellor for any kind of help. We have a certified counsellor to talk to students to address their mental health issues as well. Organisations talking against the college have vested interests,” she added.