UP BTech gold medalist dies by suicide after failing in nearly 50 govt job attempts, leaves note for father

A 23-year-old BTech gold medallist reportedly died by suicide at his home in the Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, leaving behind a suicide note. In the letter, he apologised to his father for not being able to qualify for any government job despite multiple attempts.

The deceased, identified as Anand Kumar, had secured the first rank in the BTech (Electrical Engineering) programme at a private engineering college, the Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (PSIT), in Kanpur in 2024, securing the third rank in Uttar Pradesh.

Found hanging in three-storey home

He had received a gold medal from Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel during a college ceremony. He was later found hanging in his room at his family's three-storey home in Govind Nagar, at a time when the rest of his family was away in their hometown in Bihar, making arrangements for his elder brother's wedding.

His body was discovered after the household help, unable to get a response despite knocking several times, alerted neighbours and the police. During the investigation, police also found a five-line note written by hand. "Sorry, Papa, I tried nearly 50 times to get a government job, but I couldn't succeed. Please forgive me," the note read in English. His father, Rajkumar, stated that he had finished his one-year apprenticeship with Power Grid after completing graduation before preparing for competitive examinations.

"He appeared for recruitment examinations conducted by the railways, SSC (Staff Selection Commission), banks and the education department but could not succeed. He had been under severe stress for the past several months," PTI quoted Rajkumar, a retired employee of a civil engineering and infrastructure company, as saying.