Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA: A 23-year-old Indian student, Navya Nelakuditi, succumbed to her injuries on April 9 after a severe road accident near Pittsburgh. She was undergoing treatment at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, where she had undergone three major surgeries in an effort to save her life.

Navya had moved to the United States last year to pursue her Master’s degree. The accident reportedly occurred while she was returning home after attending an internship interview in Michigan. While another passenger involved in the incident survived, Navya sustained critical injuries.

According to her aunt, Sirisha Nelakuditi, who is based in Texas, Navya came from a humble farming family in India. Her parents had invested their life savings into her education, hoping she would build a stable career and support the family.

A fundraising campaign has been initiated to cover the costs of repatriating her mortal remains to India, along with mounting medical and ICU expenses. Within two days, approximately $85,835 was raised against a target of $150,000.

In a separate tragic incident, another Indian national, 26-year-old Singireddy Sai Sri Harikrishna, lost his life in Missouri. He had moved to the US in 2023 to pursue a Master’s degree in engineering.

Harikrishna drowned in the Meramec River on April 11 while celebrating his birthday at Meramec State Park near Sullivan. Reports indicate that he became entangled in underwater vegetation, which pulled him under despite efforts to escape. A fundraiser has also been launched for his family, raising over $24,000 so far.

Both incidents have highlighted the challenges faced by Indian students abroad and the financial burden on families during such unforeseen tragedies.