In the United States this week, a young student of Indian origin named Sameer Kamath was discovered deceased at a nature reserve. Sameer, a 23-year-old doctoral candidate at Indiana’s Purdue University, had completed his master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in August 2023 and held US citizenship. Tragically, this marks the fifth incident of a similar nature this year.
Similarly, just days before Sameer’s discovery, another Indian-origin student from Purdue University, Neel Acharya, was also found dead on the campus grounds. Neel’s mother, Gaury, sought assistance on social media after he went missing, and his body was later discovered. Both incidents have prompted concerns about the safety and well-being of Indian students in the United States.
Earlier this month, 19-year-old Shreyas Reddy was found dead in Ohio, though authorities ruled out foul play or a hate crime. Meanwhile, Vivek Saini, an MBA student in Georgia, lost his life on January 16th after being attacked by a homeless man when he declined to provide free food. These distressing occurrences shed light on the challenges faced by the sizable Indian student community in the US, numbering over 300,000.
Experts point to mental stress, loneliness, and exposure to substance abuse as significant contributors to the gravity of such cases. The need for increased awareness and support systems to address the mental health concerns of international students, especially during their studies abroad, is highlighted. As investigations into these incidents unfold, there is a collective call for measures to ensure the safety and well-being of students pursuing their education in a foreign land.
