Friends and classmates of Shivakaran Bandi held a memorial service in Hunt Library Auditorium Tuesday, to offer kind words and support for those who were touched by his loss. Shivakaran took his own life on Thursday.
Shivakaran was an international student from India pursuing a graduate degree in electrical engineering.
At the service, a video played in remembrance of Shivakaran. A quote from Prasanth Gormatam, a graduate student studying electrical and computer engineering, read, “Whenever we felt insecure or were in need of advice, he was always present in the hour of need. He will always be in our hearts and we will miss his joyous presence.”
Maitri, the NC State Indian Graduate Student Association, produced the video.
“People respond to these tragedies in all sorts of ways, and some of those ways are hard to put into words,” said Ronni Margolin, a clinical psychiatrist from NC State’s Counseling Center.
Margolin encouraged any student working through tough times to be with their friends and to come to the Counseling Center. Margolin said, “It’s so much easier to deal with a tragedy together than alone.”
Brian Floyd, an electrical and computer engineering professor at NC State, taught Shivakaran last semester. Floyd described Shivakaran as “eager,” both to earn his degree and to be successful throughout his life.
Floyd urged everyone to “continue on,” despite the tragedy.
Following the service, Shivakaran’s friends met for coffee and tea, sharing their memories and expressing condolences.