Assistant professor collapses and dies during Onam celebrations on college campus

Sacred Heart College faculty member dies from cardiac arrest during Onam celebrations, remembered by students and colleagues.

A faculty member of Sacred Heart College, Thevara, collapsed and died from suspected cardiac arrest during Onam celebrations on campus at 4 p.m. on September 11 (Wednesday).

The deceased was identified as James V. George, 38, originally from Kallarkkadu panchayat in Thodupuzha. The body will be placed at the college for an hour from 8.30 a.m. on September 12 (Thursday) for students and teachers to pay homage. Later, the body will be taken to his native place.

He was an assistant professor in the commerce department and also the staff secretary. His brother is Jinu V. George, assistant professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha.

“He was the coordinator of the Onam celebrations of faculty members organised on the campus. He had participated in a tug-of-war following which he complained of dizziness. Though he said that he was okay, he was still taken to the medical centre on the campus where the nurse checked his pulse and blood pressure and found them to be stable,” said a faculty member of the college.

However, ten minutes later, he collapsed and was rushed to Medical Trust Hospital, but was without a pulse upon arrival. He was declared dead around an hour and a half later after hospital authorities’ attempts to revive him failed.

He had joined the college as assistant professor in 2014. He was also a member of PG Board of Studies, Commerce, constituted by the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) and Board of Studies member of the college’s department of commerce.

James was pursuing doctoral degree in finance from the MGU. He had three books to his credit besides having published articles in newspapers. He was also a resource person and facilitator of the academic activities of Kerala State Jamamythri Excise- Devikulam and Tribal department. He had coordinated many seminars and national level workshops besides being a quiz master.