Professor summoned student, grabbed him by the collar. Here's what went down

A professor and HOD at Nirma University, Gujarat, was seen grabbing a student's collar during a comedy show after the student made a 'Panvel' joke from the crowd and the professor called him up on stage.

In Short

• Technofora 2026 ran from September 18 to 20 with over 800 participants
• Comedian Rajat Sood was performing when the campus confrontation unfolded
• Student reportedly shouted a Golmaal 3 line before being called forward

An incident at Nirma University, Ahmedabad, has stirred considerable controversy after a video appeared to show a senior professor and HOD of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, Dr Himanshu K Patel, summoning a student onto the stage during a comedy programme and seizing him by the collar before issuing a stern warning, for which he later apologised while speaking with ThePrint.

The episode is reported to have occurred during Technofora 2026, the annual technical event associated with the International Society of Automation Students’ Chapter at Nirma University’s Institute of Technology.

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE EVENT?

It was during a stand-up comedy programme featuring comedian Rajat Sood, according to reports concerning the circulating footage, that the unusual confrontation unfolded.

A student in the audience is reported to have called out the familiar line while Professor Patel was on stage: “Jaldi bol, kal subah Panvel nikalna hai” (speak quickly, I need to leave for Panvel), a dialogue associated with the Hindi film Golmaal 3.

Dr Patel subsequently called the student forward. When the student approached, the professor was seen in the circulating video taking hold of his collar and questioning him about his conduct.

The footage further captures Dr Patel warning the student in forceful terms, including the statement that he could “go up to any extent” and that anyone who insulted a member of the Nirma University faculty would face serious consequences.

Professor Himanshu K Patel has now said that the matter has been resolved. Speaking to ThePrint, Patel said the students had apologised to him and that he had also apologised for his behaviour.

Patel has since said that the viral clip does not capture the complete context of the exchange. Speaking to ThePrint, he said he was upset after the student shouted the “Jaldi bol, subah Panvel nikalna hai” meme and called him on stage.

“I asked him, is this how you will talk to your parents? He realised his mistake and apologised,” Patel said later.

He added that the matter had subsequently been resolved. “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 said.

According to university records, this year’s Technofora event was held from September 18 to 20, 2026.

The three-day gathering attracted more than 800 participants and comprised technical competitions, workshops and cultural activities.

HOW IS SOCIAL MEDIA REACTING?

The professor's conduct became the subject of criticism from some online users, while other commenters argued that the student's remark itself had crossed a line.

The Gujarat unit of NSUI had also raised the issue and demanded action against the professor, according to media reports. NSUI Gujarat Vice-President Vedant Tomar said he had spoken to Patel and was also told that the matter had been resolved.

Nirma University, however, has not yet publicly commented on the incident.

Despite Patel saying that the matter has been resolved, the video continues to draw reactions on social media.

Some users have questioned the professor’s conduct and argued that the student should not have been physically confronted over the joke, while others have focused on the student’s remark itself.

Dr Himanshu K Patel is a senior faculty member at the university. Nirma University’s official faculty profile identifies him as a professor and Head of the Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering Department, with a PhD and more than three decades of experience spanning academia, research and industry.

The university states that he has been associated with the department since January 2000. His listed areas of specialisation include power electronics, electrical drives, sensors and measurement techniques, and spin-qubit modelling.

The university also records several professional distinctions attributed to Dr Patel, including International Society of Automation awards for education, student-section leadership and society service.

Thus, what might ordinarily have remained a fleeting quarrel at a student gathering has assumed a considerably larger life online.

While Patel has now provided his account and said the matter has been resolved, Nirma University has not publicly commented on the incident.

The viral footage remains limited to the portion of the confrontation captured on camera, while Patel’s comments provide additional context about what preceded the exchange and what happened afterwards.

(With inputs from Atul Tiwari)

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