New Delhi: The concerns regarding Indian students in the United States have spiralled tremendously following back-to-back deaths of students migrating for higher education in America. As of writing this report on April 9, Tuesday, at least 11 of them have already lost their lives, with some dying naturally while some mysteriously.
Here is a list of the Indian students who died in the US in 2024:
Mohammed Abdul Arfath
On Tuesday, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad, who had enrolled for a Master’s program at Cleveland State University in 2023, was found dead in Ohio. The Indian Embassy has confirmed the tragic news on social media while promising a proper investigation into the matter in coordination with the local authorities.
Uma Satya Sai Gadde
Earlier last week, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, a student of Cleveland University, was found dead. Later, the Indian Consulate in New York confirmed Gadde's untimely death and said he died in "mysterious" circumstances. As of writing this article, an investigation is underway in the case.
Amarnath Ghosh
In March this year, an Indian dancer Amarnath Ghosh, who hailed from Kolkata, was allegedly shot dead by an unknown assailant in St Louis, Missouri. He was a Bharatnatyam and Kuchupudi dancer. As of now, the investigation into the case is underway.
Paruchuri Abhijit
Paruchuri Abhijit, 20, who hailed from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district, was allegedly killed and his body was found inside an abandoned car in a forest on March 11. Although his family alleged that Abhijit was murdered, local authorities denied the claims. Later, the Indian Embassy also denied any foul play in his death.
Venkataramana Pittala
A 27-year-old man from Telangana was killed in a jet ski collision on Saturday, March 9. According to local media reports, the student was identified as Venkataramana Pittala, who hailed from Kazipet district, and was pursuing a Master's Degree from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).
The report claimed that the incident occurred at the Fury Playground near Wisteria Island. Luckily, on the other side, a 14-year-old boy, who was also involved in the accident, managed to escape unharmed.
Sameer Kamath
Although Kamath was a US citizen, the Indian-origin student was found dead in the woods on February 5 in NICHES Land Trust - Crow's Grove in Williamsport, Indiana. However, later the investigation claimed the 23-year-old Indian-American student at Purdue University, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
Vivek Taneja
Indian-origin executive Vivek 'Vick' Taneja, 41, died in the United States, days after he was assaulted in Washington. He was not a student. According to police, Taneja was involved in a verbal argument with another man who turned physical on February 2, where he was knocked to the ground and hit his head on the pavement. The attacker was captured on surveillance camera and the police continued to search for him. Additionally, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) sought the public’s assistance in identifying and locating the suspect.
Vivek Saini
Subsequently, Vivek Saini, another Indian student from Haryana, was hammered to death by a homeless drug addict in Georgia state’s Lithonia city. Saini, a part-time clerk at a store that sheltered Faulkner, had shown kindness to the accused for almost two days and provided him with chips, a coke, water, and even a jacket for warmth, M9 News Channel reported on Sunday. The young student, who had migrated to the US two years ago after completing his B Tech, had recently earned a Master’s in Business Administration. Saini's family in Haryana mourns the loss of the promising young man, describing him as a brilliant student striving for a decent job.
Shreyas Reddy Benigeri
Later, the death of another Indian student Shreyas Reddy Benigeri was reported from the Ohio region. According to the Indian Embassy in New York, the police investigation was underway but no foul play was suspected as of now. Further, it added that the Consulate remains in touch with the family and is extending all possible assistance to them.
Akul B Dhawan
On February 1, the Indian Embassy in New York said that an 18-year-old Indian-American student, Akul B Dhawan, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia. He went missing in the early hours of January 20 and was found dead almost 10 hours later on the back porch of a building near the university campus in west Urbana in the US state of Illinois.
What US says about mysterious deaths of Indian students
US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti urged students to remain vigilant and take appropriate safety precautions. The envoy emphasised that students should stay connected with peers and utilize campus safety resources to enhance their awareness and preparedness.
"Our heart always is touched when any tragedy, whether it is a life taken by somebody or any violence, no matter who they are," Ambassador Garcetti said on the sideline of the event.
"We are very committed to making sure that Indians know that the United States is a wonderful place to study and to be safe," added the US envoy.
Further, he admitted that tragedies could happen in any corner of the world but emphasised that the US has been the favoured destination for Indian students for education. Underscoring the recent incidents of deaths, Garcetti asserted it was the duty of the American government to work collaboratively with their Indian counterpart to ensure the safety of the diaspora staying in the US.
"We have more Indians studying in the US than any country in the world...We know tragedies will happen, it’s our responsibility to make sure that we work together with the Indian government and that people know what they can do. Our hearts go out to the families in any of these tragedies," he added.
According to a report by The Open Doors-- an institute that keeps a record of international students and scholars in the United States and American students studying abroad-- the number of Indian students in the US has reached an all-time high of 2,68,923 in the academic year 2022-2023. This is a 35% increase from the previous year.
Also Read: US: Indian student from Hyderabad, who went missing last month in US, found dead in Ohio
