Sarvesh Sharma, the Hamirpur polytechnic student earlier linked in media reports to a reported Rs 3.5 crore defence drone project, remains critically injured after falling from a hostel floor on 28 October 2026 and has been prepared for referral to PGIMER Chandigarh.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of Wednesday, 28 October 2026, at the hostel of the Government Polytechnic College, Hamirpur (Baru), Himachal Pradesh. Most local reports state that the fifth-semester computer engineering student fell from the third floor; a few accounts refer to the second floor. Preliminary reports indicate possible dizziness leading to loss of balance, though police have not confirmed the circumstances and are examining all angles. No official conclusion has been reached on whether the fall was accidental or otherwise.
Sharma sustained serious injuries, including a leg fracture along with trauma to the jaw and neck, according to local reporting. He was admitted to the casualty ward of Dr. Radhakrishnan Government Medical College, Hamirpur. Medical Superintendent Dr. Deshraj Sharma confirmed that treatment is underway and that the state government has directed free medical care.
Local reports noted that his condition was critical and that preparations were being made to refer him to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for advanced treatment. As of the latest available information on the evening of 28 October, no confirmation of the actual transfer had been published.
Police in Hamirpur have registered the matter and begun an investigation. Superintendent of Police Balbir Thakur and local officers have indicated that all aspects of the fall are under examination. Official confirmation of the precise sequence of events was still awaited at the time of initial reporting.
Background on the Student and Drone Claims
Sarvesh Sharma, from Bahanvi village in Hamirpur district, is the son of a daily-wage labourer. In September 2026, multiple media outlets reported that he had secured a Rs 3.5 crore grant under the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) and Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme to develop an indigenous surveillance drone designated Rudra Edge T-1 (Spectra) for the Indian Army.
The reports described the drone as intended for high-altitude border use with claimed capabilities to reduce radar detection and resist jamming. Sharma was said to have earlier built a low-cost prototype for approximately Rs 87,000 after his team finished fourth in a national-level drone competition organised by IIT Jodhpur and the Konark Corps, winning a Rs 10 lakh prize. Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta publicly felicitated him around 23 September 2026.
However, on 28 October 2026 the same day as the hostel fall the official iDEX/DIO handle issued a public clarification stating that the claim of a Rs 3.5 crore iDEX grant sanctioned to Sarvesh Sharma for an Army drone was FAKE. The organisation advised verification through official sources before sharing such information. The clarification noted that the reports had been circulating for about two months.
The student’s technical work on a low-cost drone prototype and his participation in the earlier competition remain documented in local and national coverage, independent of the disputed grant claim.
Sharma’s condition and the status of any transfer to PGIMER Chandigarh will depend on further medical updates from Hamirpur and Chandigarh. The police investigation into the circumstances of the fall is ongoing.
