Indian Couple Wins $200,000 Settlement After ‘Food Racism’ Dispute at US University
What began as a simple act of heating lunch on campus turned into a years-long legal battle for two Indian PhD students in the United States. That dispute has now ended with a $200,000 settlement and a wider conversation about racism, cultural bias, and how food can become a tool for discrimination.
Aditya Prakash and his fiancée, Urmi Bhattacheryya, recently won a civil rights settlement against the University of Colorado, Boulder, after alleging that they faced discrimination and retaliation following an incident involving Indian food in a campus microwave.
The case has drawn global attention, especially in India, where many people say the story reflects experiences they or their friends have faced abroad.
How a Microwave Incident Sparked a Lawsuit
The controversy began in September 2023. Prakash, a PhD student in the university’s Anthropology Department, was heating his lunch on campus. The dish was palak paneer, a popular North Indian meal made from spinach and paneer cheese.
According to Prakash, a university staff member objected to the smell of the food, calling it “pungent.” He was allegedly told that there was a rule against heating foods with strong odours in that microwave.
Prakash said no such rule was displayed anywhere. When he later asked for clarification about which foods were considered unacceptable, he claims he was told that sandwiches were fine, but curry was not.
For Prakash, this moment marked the beginning of what he describes as a pattern of discrimination.
What the Students Alleged Happened Next
The lawsuit filed by Prakash and Bhattacheryya alleged that the microwave incident was followed by a series of retaliatory actions by the university.
They claim that after raising concerns, both of them began to face professional consequences. These included the loss of research funding, teaching opportunities, and even their PhD advisers, whom they had worked with for months.
Bhattacheryya, who was also a PhD student at the university, said she faced additional backlash after inviting Prakash to speak as a guest lecturer in her anthropology class. The topic was cultural relativism, the idea that no culture is superior to another.
During the lecture, Prakash shared personal examples of what he described as food-based racism, including the palak paneer incident, without naming individuals.
The couple said these events created a hostile environment that made it impossible for them to continue their academic work normally.
Taking the University to Court
In May 2025, Prakash and Bhattacheryya filed a civil rights lawsuit against the University of Colorado, Boulder. The lawsuit accused the university of discriminatory treatment and an escalating pattern of retaliation.
The case did not go to trial. Instead, in September 2025, the university agreed to a settlement. As part of the agreement, the students received $200,000 and were awarded their degrees.
However, the settlement also included a condition that barred them from studying or working at the university in the future. The university denied all liability as part of the agreement.
What the University Said
In response to questions, the university said it could not comment on the specific circumstances of the case due to privacy laws. It stated that it takes allegations of discrimination seriously and follows established procedures to address such claims.
The university added that it is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and said that individuals found to have violated anti-discrimination policies are held accountable.
It also said that the Anthropology Department has taken steps to rebuild trust, including meetings with students, faculty, and staff to discuss changes aimed at creating a more supportive environment.
Why the Case Struck a Nerve in India
The lawsuit has received widespread media coverage in India and sparked a larger conversation around what many people call food racism.
Social media users have shared stories of being mocked, isolated, or restricted because of the smell or appearance of their food while living or studying abroad. Many said they were told their food was “too strong,” “smelly,” or “unacceptable” in shared spaces.
The discussion has also turned inward. Some have pointed out that food-based discrimination exists within India itself. In many parts of the country, non-vegetarian food is banned in schools, colleges, and housing societies. People from disadvantaged castes and north-eastern states often face stigma over their traditional foods.
The issue, many argue, is not limited to Indian food. Communities from Africa, Latin America, and other parts of Asia have also spoken about being shamed for their food habits in Western countries.
A Pattern That Felt Familiar
For Prakash, the incident at the university brought back painful memories from his childhood in Italy. He said that when he was growing up there, teachers often asked him to sit separately during lunch because his classmates complained about the smell of his food.
He believes such actions are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of exclusion.
“Acts like isolating me from classmates or stopping me from using a shared microwave because of how my food smells are how people control your identity and shrink the spaces you can exist in,” he said.
Prakash also spoke about how words like curry have been used as insults against South Asians and other marginalised groups, linking food with negative stereotypes.
Online Abuse and Public Backlash
Bhattacheryya said the discrimination did not stop on campus. In 2024, she posted a thread on social media about what she described as systemic racism at the university.
While some people supported her, others posted abusive comments telling her to go back to India and making racist remarks about Indians and hygiene.
She also pointed out that public figures are not immune to such attacks, referencing a social media post that mocked Indian food in a political context.
No Apology, No Closure
Despite the settlement, Prakash and Bhattacheryya say they never received a meaningful apology from the university. For them, the lawsuit was not about money.
“It was about making a point,” Prakash said. “That there are consequences to discriminating against Indians for their Indianness.”
The couple has since returned to India and say they may never go back to the United States.
Living With Uncertainty as Immigrants
Reflecting on their experience, Prakash said that no matter how skilled or accomplished immigrants are, there is often a sense of insecurity.
“The system constantly reminds you that because of your skin colour or nationality, you can be sent back at any time,” he said. “That precarity is real.”
Their case has become a powerful example of how everyday moments, even something as simple as reheating lunch, can expose deeper issues of race, belonging, and power.
