Indian professor grabs student by collar during comedy show, viral video sparks debate
Call for inquiry as professor’s conduct at tech fest draws mixed reactions
A video showing a professor grabbing a student by the collar during a comedy programme at Nirma University in Ahmedabad has gone viral on social media, prompting a debate over student conduct and faculty behaviour.
The incident took place on September 19 during Technofora 2026, the university’s annual technical festival, which ran from September 18 to 20. The event included technical activities, workshops and a stand-up performance by comedian Rajat Sood.
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Student’s joke sparks confrontation
According to media reports, Himanshu K Patel, a professor and head of the Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering department, was on stage when a student in the audience interrupted with a line from the 2010 Bollywood film Golmaal 3.
The student shouted, “Jaldi bol, kal subah Panvel nikalna hai” (Hurry up, we have to leave for Panvel tomorrow morning) — a line that has become a popular meme in India.
Patel responded, “Toh nikal le bhai” (“Then leave, bro”) and called the student onto the stage.
Footage circulating online shows the professor grabbing the student by the collar and warning him against insulting a faculty member.
Professor says incident is resolved
Patel told ThePrint that the widely shared clip did not show the full context of the exchange.
He said he was upset by the student’s remark and called him on stage, where the student apologised.
“The matter is sorted. The students have touched my feet and I have also apologised for my behaviour. There is nothing more to say on this matter,” Patel told ThePrint.
Student group calls for inquiry
The incident has also prompted a response from the Gujarat unit of the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
NSUI Gujarat vice-president Vedant Tomar called for the professor to apologise and urged the university to conduct an impartial inquiry, The Times of India reported.
Tomar later said he had spoken with Patel and was told the matter had been resolved.
Video sparks debate online
The footage has continued to circulate on social media, with users divided over the confrontation.
Some defended the professor’s position on maintaining discipline and respecting faculty members, while others criticised the physical confrontation and questioned whether such conduct was appropriate.
Nirma University has not publicly commented on the incident, according to the reports cited.
