Indian Student in Coma
A tragic accident in California has left 35-year-old Neelam Shinde, an Indian student from Maharashtra, battling for her life in a coma. Her desperate family, unable to secure an urgent visa, is pleading for government intervention to be by her side.
Neelam, a final-year student who has been in the US for four years, was hit by a four-wheeler on February 14. The impact left her with multiple fractures in her hands and legs, along with severe head injuries. Police arrested the driver, but for Neelam’s family, justice is secondary—right now, all they want is to be with her in her most critical hours.
Indian Student in Coma
Her father, Tanaji Shinde, recounted the nightmare that began on February 16 when they received news of the accident. Since then, they have been struggling to get a visa appointment. “The earliest available slot is next year. We don’t have that kind of time,” her uncle, Sanjay Kadam, told NDTV.
The family was informed by Neelam’s roommates about her condition. With her requiring emergency brain surgery, they had to give their consent over the phone. “She is in a coma right now, and we need to be there,” Kadam added.
Indian Student in Coma
Their pleas have now reached the political sphere. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule has stepped in, urging External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to intervene. “This is an alarming issue, and we must work together to resolve it,” she stated. Despite political differences, she praised Jaishankar’s responsiveness when it comes to Indian students abroad, calling him “empathetic” and “helpful.”
Indian Student in Coma
Sule has also reached out to the US Embassy in Mumbai and taken to social media to amplify the family’s distress call. Meanwhile, Neelam remains in the ICU, with her family anxiously awaiting a breakthrough that will allow them to be with her in her fight for survival.
