7 months ago
Indian Students Settle Discrimination Case Over Palak Paneer
Two Indian students, Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya, were studying for their PhDs in the United States.
One day, a staff member complained about the smell of Aditya's Indian food, palak paneer, in the microwave.
The students felt this was unfair and discriminatory.
They were called into meetings and faced other problems at the university.
They even lost their teaching assistant job and were denied their master's degrees.
They decided to sue the university.
After a long fight, the university agreed to pay them $200,000 and gave them their master's degrees.
However, they can no longer study or work at that university.
Urmi shared their victory on Instagram, saying she will always stand up against injustice.
They also thanked 29 fellow students in the Anthropology Department for their support.
Neither student plans to return to the United States due to the negative experiences they faced.
Two Indian PhD students won a $200,000 settlement after facing discrimination over the smell of their Indian food, palak paneer.
The incident involved a staff member complaining about the smell of palak paneer in a shared microwave, leading to allegations of discrimination.
The students alleged systemic bias and a hostile environment that hampered their academic progress, including the loss of teaching assistantships and denial of master's degrees.
The university settled the lawsuit in September 2025, conferring master's degrees but barring the students from future enrolment or employment at the university.
The students expressed concerns about cultural bias and the treatment of international students on US campuses, particularly in the current political climate.
- Who
- Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya, Indian PhD students at the University of Colorado Boulder
- What
- A civil rights lawsuit over discrimination related to the smell of Indian food (palak paneer)
- Where
- University of Colorado Boulder, United States
- When
- Incident on September 5, 2023; settlement in September 2025
- Why
- Alleged systemic bias and discrimination against international students over cultural food preferences
Key facts
- Students Involved
- Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya
- University
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Incident Date
- September 5, 2023
- Settlement Amount
- $200,000 (approx. Rs 1.66 crore)
- Outcome
- Settlement and conferral of master's degrees, but barred from future enrolment or employment at the university
- Departments Involved
- Anthropology
- Supporting Students
- 29 fellow students in the Anthropology Department
Timeline
Protests in Kolkata sparked awareness of Indian student insensitivity.
Campus discussions on inclusivity intensified.
Then, a staff member complained about Indian food's smell.
Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya faced discrimination at CU Boulder.
They won $200K, degrees, after suing over food complaint.
Quotes
Aditya Prakash
PhD scholar in Anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder
“It’s just food. I’m heating and leaving.”
livemint.com
Sources
Indian Couple Pursuing PhD Abroad Win ₹1.8 Crore Settlement For Microwaving 'Palak Paneer': Read More
Palak Paneer "Smell" Leads To Indian Students Winning Rs 1.8 Crore in US
How palak paneer led to Rs 1.66 cr settlement for Indian students in US – Firstpost
Palak paneer to courtroom: Two Indian students win a ₹1.8 crore settlement with US university
