A pair of Indian doctoral students have received a substantial settlement of $200,000 from a prominent American university, following a dispute that began with a complaint about the smell of their homemade lunch and culminated in the abrupt end of their academic careers in the United States.
From Kitchen Complaint to Institutional Dispute
The incident began on 5 September 2023 at the University of Colorado Boulder. Aditya Prakash, a PhD candidate in cultural anthropology, was heating a portion of palak paneer – a spinach and cottage cheese dish – in his department's shared kitchen microwave. According to a federal civil rights lawsuit, a staff member entered, remarked that the smell was "pungent", and informed him of an alleged rule against microwaving food with strong odours.
Prakash, who felt "othered and saddened", attempted to address the issue directly. In a subsequent conversation, an administrator reportedly stated she wanted to keep the office "smelling nice" and singled out "sandwiches" as acceptable, while "curry" was not. When Prakash questioned why other strongly scented foods like beef chilli had not been similarly policed, he received no clear answer.
A Pattern of Retaliation and Lost Careers
The situation escalated rapidly from a personal slight into a full institutional crisis. In an act of solidarity, Prakash and his partner, Urmi Bhattacheryya – a fellow doctoral student and teaching assistant – along with other students, used the kitchen again. The department later accused them of "inciting a riot".
Bhattacheryya then invited Prakash to speak in her class on ethnocentrism, where he discussed the incident in general anthropological terms. Days later, she was locked out of her teaching roster without warning. The couple then faced a series of punitive actions:
- They were accused of making staff feel "threatened".
- Their PhD advisory committees resigned without warning in January 2024.
- They were reassigned to advisors outside their research fields, stalling their work.
- Their teaching roles and funding were revoked, jeopardising their immigration status.
Legal Settlement and Lasting Consequences
In September 2025, Prakash and Bhattacheryya filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination and retaliation. The university settled the case for $200,000 in January 2026, while denying any liability. As part of the agreement, the couple received Master's degrees but were barred from future enrolment or employment at the institution.
A university spokesperson stated they were committed to an inclusive environment and had adhered to robust processes to address the allegations. However, for the students, the settlement could not undo the damage. Bhattacheryya said the prolonged stress worsened her fibromyalgia, and both saw years of academic work abandoned.
"This is something that we as a people have been bearing for a long time," Prakash told The Independent. "If this is the path we have to walk, then so be it. Our people should see a better day." The couple have since left the US, their story resonating deeply within global Indian communities.
