Maharashtra college farewell ends in tragedy as student dies on stage

Maharashtra college farewell ends in tragedy as student passes away on stage

A 20-year-old college student collapsed and died while delivering her farewell speech at RG Shinde College in Maharashtra’s Dharashiv district. The student, identified as Varsha Kharat, was in her final year of BSc.

A video of the incident, which reportedly happened on April 5, has gone viral online. In the short clip, the student, dressed in a saree, is seen standing at the podium, delivering her farewell speech. She is briefly engaging with the audience with a smile before suddenly collapsing.

20 year old Varsha Kharat died suddenly during a college function in Dharashiv district of Maharashtra. Right on the stage. pic.twitter.com/ZAsQt2Vm7m

The Family Gyan (@thefamilygyan) April 6, 2025

As she collapsed, students rushed towards the stage to help her. She was immediately taken to a nearby government hospital in Paranda, where doctors declared her dead upon arrival, according to media reports.

As per a Times of India report, Varsha's uncle stated that she had a history of heart issues and had undergone bypass surgery about seven years ago.

Varsha's uncle, Dhanaji Kharat, a teacher at a Zilla Parishad school, told TOI, “She was on medication after the heart surgery. On Friday, she skipped her daily dose of pills in a rush to get to the college."

College officials shared with TOI that Varsha was an exceptional student with ambitious dreams for herself and her family. Coming from a modest background, her parents worked on farms, and she had an older sister and a younger brother. She hailed from a humble background, with her parents working as farmers, and had an older sister and a younger brother.

The cause of her death is yet to be determined, but it is believed that she may have had a sudden heart attack while speaking.