While high pressure and academic stress are routine at India’s premier institutes, many students who come from faraway towns find comfort in unexpected corners of campus life. At IIT-Bombay, the friendly community of stray dogs and cats inside the Powai campus has become a quiet emotional support system for hundreds of students.

Vikash Kumar, a master’s student from Rajasthan, says his closest companions at IIT-B are the indie dogs living below his hostel building. Having grown up on a farm in Churu, he developed a bond with animals early on after caring for abandoned puppies near his home. “We have many dogs on campus, and I’ve become friends with all of them. Feeding them or just sitting with them helps me relax,” he said.