Samuel Merigala By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: A first year undergraduate student of the Madras Christian College collapsed in the basketball court during a mandatory sports session in the college on Monday evening and was declared dead minutes later in a nearby private hospital where she was rushed to. The sudden death of 18-year-old Mahima Jayaraj has shocked the college fraternity who have raised many questions over the mandatory sports sessions for the students.

Mahima Jayaraj, a BSc Chemistry student, allegedly collapsed on the basketball court around 5 pm after the mandatory jogging the college’s ‘Sports For All’ initiative entails. The first year students have to spend at least 120 hours on the field to receive two credits needed for completing their degree.

According to students, Mahima usually plays badminton but was made to play basketball instead on Monday. “She was a visibly winded after the jogging but she wasn’t allowed to rest. We all comply because we don’t want to lose credits or repeat the course in the next semester,” said a student in the same sports for all batch.

READ | Madras Christian College students protest after Mahima's death, demand sports class be made optional

On collapsing, Mahima was rushed to a private hospital nearby where she was declared dead after attempts to revive her failed. On Monday, the family does not want a post mortem to be conducted and her body was taken home. “The hospital told us it was a natural death and the parents did not want a post mortem to be conducted so we did not insist,” said a senior professor of the college. However, on Tuesday morning the police intervened and autopsy was conducted in a government hospital. The funeral was held later in the evening.

“An 18-year-old does not ‘naturally’ die while playing a sport. We need to know what caused Mahima’s death because if it's the exertion, the college must cut back on this mandatory sports initiative,” said one of Mahima’s seniors.

Parents and neighbours told Express that Mahima had no prior health conditions, rejecting the posts in social media by some students that Mahima suffered respiratory illnesses. “She was a picky eater and had to be forced to eat properly but she did not have any health conditions,” said one of Mahima’s neighbours.

Mahima’s death has opened many questions among the college students. Many students have alleged that even students with health conditions are not allowed to skip the sports for all initiative. “My friend who had a tumour in his brain had to run from pillar to post to prove he indeed should not physically exert himself. The college doesn’t take students who have asthma and wheezing seriously,” said a student.

The college management is yet to issue a statement regarding Mahima’s demise but has denied allegations that students with medical conditions are also made to exert themselves. “Students with health conditions are made to walk instead of jogging,” said one of the sports instructors.

The management’s silence sparked protests in the college on Tuesday morning but crowds dispersed after the principal Alexander Jesudasan met with a few members of the student body and announced cancellation of the last two Sports For All classes for the year as an interim solution. “I am yet to receive a formal representation from the College Union Society. Once I do, it will be forwarded to the sports committee and a decision will be taken,” the public relations officer of the college told Express quoting principal Jesudasan and assured that the representations of the students will be heard and taken seriously.