The plight of international students pursuing higher education in the US has been tragically underscored by the mysterious death of 23-year-old Rajyalakshmi, who was found dead in her room. This heart-wrenching incident not only subjected her family to profound grief but also exposed them to the cruel reality of financial strain, forcing them to launch a crowdfunding campaign to repatriate her body back to India.
Rajyalakshmi’s story highlights the precarious situation faced by foreign students in US universities. According to Indian media, she arrived in the US in 2023 from Andhra Pradesh after completing her engineering degree. She had recently earned her MS in Computer Science from a Texas university and was actively seeking employment when her life abruptly ended on the morning of November 7.
Her cousin shared that Rajyalakshmi had been suffering from a severe cough and chest pain for two to three days leading up to her death. The exact circumstances surrounding her passing remain mysterious, and local authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the precise cause.
The human cost of this tragedy is immense. Rajyalakshmi’s parents, already devastated by the loss of their daughter, are now compelled to turn to online fundraising to cover the substantial costs of bringing her remains home. This act of desperation raises critical questions about the support systems available for international students abroad.
This incident is part of a troubling trend: reports indicate that 11 deaths of Indian or Indian-origin students have been reported in the US over the last year alone. This string of fatalities has understandably caused significant alarm among the Indian student community and their families, urging greater attention to their well-being and safety while studying overseas.
