Neelam Shinde, a student from Maharashtra’s Satara, is in a coma after sustaining injuries in an accident. The 35-year-old Indian student is fighting for her life at a California hospital after the road accident earlier this month. Neelam Shinde was critically injured when a four-wheeler allegedly hit her on February 14. She remains in a comatose state in the ICU, while her family in India is desperately seeking a visa to be by her side.
The tragedy came to light two days after the accident when her father, Tanaji Shinde, received the news. Since then, he and other relatives have been struggling to secure travel documents to reach the United States.
Visa Delays Leave Family in Distress
“We found out about the accident on February 16 and have been trying to get a visa ever since. But we haven’t had any success yet,” Tanaji Shinde was quoted as saying by NDTV.
As the family waits anxiously, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule has stepped in to help. She urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to intervene and expedite the visa process. “Student Neelam Shinde has met with an accident in the USA and is hospitalized in a local hospital. Her father, Tanaji Shinde, from Satara, Maharashtra, India, urgently needs to visit his daughter due to a medical emergency. Tanaji Shinde has applied for an urgent visa to the USA and requires assistance,” she stated in an X post.
Student Neelam Shinde has met with an accident in the USA and is hospitalized in a local hospital. Her father, Tanaji Shinde, from Satara, Maharashtra, India, urgently needs to visit his daughter due to a medical emergency. Tanaji Shinde has applied for an urgent visa to the USA…
— Supriya Sule (@supriya_sule) February 26, 2025
Despite her political differences with Jaishankar, Sule acknowledged Jaishankar’s dedication to assisting Indian students abroad. “My experience with the Ministry of External Affairs has been outstanding. They always go the extra mile,” she was quoted as saying by NDTV. She further said that she has also contacted the US Embassy in Mumbai to push for urgent action.
Maharashtra Student Battling For Life After Severe Injuries
Neelam Shinde suffered multiple fractures in her arms and legs, along with severe head trauma, her family confirmed. “The police admitted her to the hospital, and her roommates informed us about the accident on February 16,” said her uncle, Sanjay Kadam. “Doctors had to perform brain surgery, and she’s been in a coma since then. We need to be there with her.”
While the hospital has been providing regular health updates, the family feels helpless being so far away. Their efforts to secure visa appointments have hit a major roadblock, with the earliest available slots reportedly pushed to next year.
Neelam has been studying in the US for the past four years and is in the final stretch of her academic journey.
