Concern and Grief Among Indian Students in the US
Jey Sushil, a student at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, expresses profound sadness over the recent death of his fellow student, Amarnath Ghosh, a 34-year-old classical dancer from India. Ghosh’s death, investigated as a homicide by local authorities, has left Sushil and others in the Indian community deeply unsettled.
Sushil recounts learning about Ghosh’s tragic demise through contacts in India before receiving official communication from the university. Expressing discontent with the delay in notification, he questions the university’s response, lamenting a lack of consideration for the emotional impact on Indian students.
The university, however, clarifies its protocol, citing the necessity to confirm a student’s identity with law enforcement before making announcements, a process that can take time and requires consent from next of kin. Despite this explanation, concerns linger within the community about the timeliness and transparency of such notifications.
Amidst this tragedy, Julie Flory, Vice Chancellor of Marketing and Communications at Washington University, expresses condolences, affirming the institution’s commitment to informing the community promptly and respecting the wishes of the deceased’s closest contacts.
The broader context reveals a distressing trend, with Ghosh among the 11 Indian or Indian-origin students who have died in the US this year, raising anxieties about personal safety among Indian students. While the causes of these deaths vary, ranging from hypothermia to suicide to violence, experts caution against attributing them to a single underlying cause.
Despite the lack of a clear pattern connecting these incidents, Indian students grapple with heightened vigilance and safety concerns, altering their routines and avoiding certain areas in response to perceived risks. The reliance on external sources for information, such as Indian media or relatives back home, underscores a disconnect in communication between universities and students.
The recent tragic death of Mohammad Abdul Arfath, a student at Cleveland State University, further underscores these anxieties, as students lament the reliance on informal channels for news of such incidents.
With a significant number of Indian students enrolled in US universities, the allure of an American education remains strong, despite concerns about safety and well-being. Education experts emphasize the enduring appeal of US universities to Indian families, attributing the trend to the quality of education and career prospects offered.
While acknowledging the legitimate fears and concerns of Indian parents, experts caution against conflating these incidents with racially motivated attacks. Instead, they urge a nuanced understanding, free from overarching narratives that overlook individual circumstances.
In response to these challenges, Indian parents strive to maintain regular communication with their children abroad, offering guidance on safety measures and emphasizing caution in unfamiliar situations. Despite the distance, their concerns remain palpable, underscoring the complex dynamics of international education and the imperative of fostering a supportive and secure environment for all students.