Bollywood / Sushant Singh's alma mater DTU to hold online prayer meet in his memory

NEW DELHI: Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's alma mater Delhi Technological University (DTU) is planning to organise an online prayer meeting in his memory.

Rajput, 34, was found dead at his Mumbai home on Sunday.

The actor had enrolled at DTU in 2003, which was then known as Delhi College of Engineering, but dropped out in three years to pursue his showbiz dreams.

Even as Rajput made it big in TV and films, he never forgot his alma mater.

He had last visited DTU in 2019 after his film Chhichhore's release.

The actor had shared a video of the visit on social media in which he was being mobbed by students but he was greeting them with a smile and was obliging them with selfies.

"Dreams, dreams. What an overwhelming feeling. Thank you Delhi Technological University (my DCE:) for having me there and help make my dream come true.

"All of you'll is me, and all of me are you'll. Lots and lots of love. Dream 12/50 Plan a day trip to My Alma Mater. #livingmydreams #lovingmydreams," he had captioned the video and the picture.

Recalling his visit, DTU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh said he had visited the hostel and interacted with the students.

"It is very shocking that he has committed suicide. There are many alumni who were in close contact with him. It is shocking for all of us. He had joined in 2003 and was there for almost three years.

"His all-India rank was seventh when he got admission. He was a very bright and intelligent student," he told PTI over phone.

The DTU V-C said Rajput's 2019 visit was not an "official function" but a discreet visit.

He said the university administration is planning to hold an online prayer meeting for the actor very soon.

Another professor, requesting anonymity, said the actor had visited the university three-four times in the last five years.

"He was a very soft and humble person. Even when he visited last year, he did not have bouncers accompanying him and mingled with the students like the campus was his home.

"He spent nearly three-four hours and did not have the air of a celebrity," the professor said.

The DTU professor said the actor had always been proud of his engineering background and even mentioned about being an engineering student when he had appeared on The Kapil Sharma Show.

"In the last five years, he had visited the university three-four times. Even in 2014 also he had come to spend time with students," he recalled.

The university had plans to bring out a special booklet on Rajput listing out his achievements, the professor said, adding that DTU had brought out four booklets on its famous alumni in the first round.

"There were plans to have a publication on him in the first round but he was busy and the interview could not be done at that time," he said.

The university has also issued a statement on the actor's demise.

"DTU family is extremely shocked and sad at the sudden demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput who was our Alumnus (Batch of 2003, Mechanical Engineering). He was not only a popular actor but was also a popular student of DTU-DCE," the statement said.

"This news has come as a great loss to the institution as a bright Alumnus and proud DTU-DCEite has left for the heavenly abode. Our sincere prayers go out to his family in this difficult time," it added.