Deaths of Indian students in US not hate crimes: Indian-American dean

Deaths of Indian students in US not hate crimes: Indian-American dean

Reports of tragic deaths of 11 Indian or Indian-origin students in the US this year have caused concern within the Indian-American community and parents back in India. However, a top Indian-American academician has tried to assure people that the US continues to provide a conducive environment for Indian students and rejected claims of hate crimes behind the recent deaths. He also advised that students choose university carefully as its location matters for their safety. Â

Indian-American academician Gurdip Singh, Divisional Dean at George Mason University in Virginia, said that the United States continued to provide a welcoming environment for Indian students, reports news agency PTI.

Although no clear pattern has emerged regarding these deaths, Indian diplomatic missions have taken proactive steps to engage with Indian students. This involves hosting regular open houses, interacting with student associations, and updating guidelines for student safety.

“It’s unfortunate this year that these incidents have happened … and there’s been this surge. So, parents are rightfully concerned. I mean, if I were a parent and my child was in another country where I see a certain spike, I would definitely be concerned about that. But from what I see is that I have not seen any underlying issue of any kind that suddenly there is no reason for any hate crime to happen,” Gurdip Singh told PTI in an interview.

“I would have been more concerned if it was a particular university where three or four incidents happened in succession, then that would sort of depict a pattern. But at least to my knowledge, I don’t see any underlying cause for hate crime or anything against Indian students,” Singh added.

Singh said that Indian students must be more cautious and watchful regarding such incidents.

He also pointed out that the location of universities plays a crucial role, as some neighbourhoods or areas have higher crime rates compared to others.

RISING POPULATION OF INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE US

As per Open Doors report of the Institute of International Education, the number of Indian students in the US has almost tripled from 1,32,888 in 2014-2015 to 3,53,803 in 2024.

Efforts by the Indian embassy, including engagement with student associations and the establishment of a network of Indian-origin professors on campuses, aim to address concerns and respond promptly to any urgent situations.

Singh also acknowledged heightened student anxiety as the job market was not as great as in the previous year.

However, Utsav Chakrabarti, Executive Director of Nonprofit HinduAction, expressed deep concern over the recent deaths of 11 Indian and Indian-origin students in the US.

“In the past couple of months, we have already had 11 cases. What I would expect we and the FBI as well as the Justice Department to do is to focus on the pattern of deaths and investigate what the causes are and see if there is any connection between these deaths,” Chakrabarti said.

Chakrabarti mentioned an increase in anti-Hindu hate nationwide, noting cases of harassment on campuses. He emphasised the importance of mental health for young people.

“And people who are foreign nationals, students coming to America far away from their home, [they] already have a lot of mental stress they go through. So, if they are harassed as Indian-Americans or as Hindus in America in campuses it may lead to causes of death or injuries and in some cases there have been a couple of murders as well. So, it bothers us and as Hindu Action we hope that there is more scrutiny on these deaths,” Chakrabarti was quoted as saying by PTI.

INDIAN EMBASSY PROVIDING SAFETY GUIDELINES

A data analytics team from Caste Gate, in a statement, said that there is a disturbing trend of escalating student deaths.

“Within a mere three-week period, from January 15 to February 5, seven students of Indian-origin tragically lost their lives under mysterious circumstances in the United States,” it said.

The Indian Embassy and all six consulates in the United States have been actively engaging with student associations and providing guidelines to ensure the safety of Indian students in the US.

An informative video related to these aspects has also been put up on the embassy website, reported PTI.

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