Indian PhD Students Settle Discrimination Lawsuit Over Food Smell at US University

In September 2023, Indian PhD students Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacharyya at the University of Colorado Boulder faced objections from a staff member over the smell of palak paneer heated in a shared microwave. They alleged subsequent discrimination and retaliation, including removal from teaching roles and withholding of Master's degrees. After a civil rights lawsuit, the university settled in 2025, awarding them $200,000 and their degrees but barring future enrollment or employment. The couple has since returned to India.