At home of IIT Delhi researcher who died in Lothal pit, a box filled with soil samples and unending questions

He slumps onto the bed in front of the still-open suitcase and talks about how, seven years ago, Surabhi, the second of his four children, made a journey he is proud of – from the congested lanes of Sitapur’s Sri Nagar colony to Allahabad University, where she did her BSc and MSc in Geology and later an MTech in Earth Sciences, before joining IIT Delhi last year for her PhD.

“I always wanted Surabhi to join the IAS. In fact, I was the one who pushed her to take up Geology as her third subject for BSc, hoping it would help her score better. But then, she developed a keen interest in the subject. The rest of it was her decision — to do MTech, apply for the scholarship and do research in the field. Still, somewhere, I wanted her to be an IAS officer and she would often tell me, ‘Papa, don’t worry, I’ll appear for the UPSC exams as well. But let me first settle down in my field. She was always very clear about what she wanted,” says Verma, his tears flowing freely.

On November 27, Surabhi, a 26-year-old PhD student at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, died when a trench she was working in collapsed on her. (Special arrangement)

Maheshwari says she lived her own life through Surabhi’s. “I did an MA in Economics from Lakhimpur Kheri but my father never let me work. After I got married, my children were my sole focus. We were all very proud of Surabhi – she was the topper and vice-captain of her school (Sacred Hearts School in Sitapur),” she says.

She says Surabhi had applied for the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship. “She told me that soon she would start getting Rs 70,000 a month. She would tell me that once she got the money, she would call me to Delhi and take me to a lot of places. I don’t want any of that now… I only want my daughter,” says Maheshwari, breaking down.

As her younger daughter Devyanshi leafs through the family album – its plastic sheets holding several photographs of Surabhi on stage, receiving medals and certificates over the years – she says “didi” was her “guiding light”. “I would always turn to her when I needed help. She was the one helping me for the IBPS PO (bank probationary officers’) examination,” says Devyanshi.

After clearing the preliminaries, Devyanshi appeared for the main exam on November 30, the day after Surabhi’s body was brought home. “I had no strength left in me but I travelled to Lucknow for the exam because that is what didi would have wanted,” she says, adding, “Her sole focus was to attain financial independence… That’s something she wanted from me and my siblings too.” Devyanshi’s eldest sister Suprabha, who has a BEd, teaches in a private school in Sitapur and her younger brother Ankush is preparing for his JEE.

Devyanshi says that around 10.30 pm on November 26, the night before the accident at Lothal, she had made a video call to Surabhi. “We had a long call then. She spoke to our mother too. Then, I called her again at 12.30 at night because I needed help with something I was studying. She said she had a long day at the site and was very tired. She had to wake up early too, so she hung up,” she says.

That was the last time they spoke.

A day after her death, the family got another call — from IIT Delhi. Surabhi had topped her second semester. “The professor told us Surbahi had got an A throughout… aur use pata hi nahi chala (she did not even get to know). Wherever she went, she brought medals. Woh research scholar thi jo climate change jaise vishaya par research kar rahi thi…Woh ghar ki hi nahin nation ki treasure thi (She was a research scholar who studied subjects like climate change. She was not just our treasure, but the nation’s too),” says Verma.

He, too, has questions, “No other child should lose their life because of such negligence. I am also a teacher — every student in my class is my responsibility and I am accountable if something happens to them. Who is accountable for my daughter’s death?” says father.