Today morning while I was on my way to the office, I was scrolling Instagram and immediately my eyes got stuck on a post having the headline, “US Policeman ran over an Indian Student in Seattle.” Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Northeast University graduate student from Andhra Pradesh was struck and killed in January this year by a Seattle cop, Kevin Dave, while driving 74 mph on the way to a report of an overdose call.
Further, I read the investigating agency while watching the body-worn camera that captured the whole incident, were laughing and joking about the death and commented that her life had “limited value.” If the deceased had been a US citizen, would they have behaved in the similar way, I feel not?
Before I start my blog, I want to put a disclaimer that this is only a written presentation of my opinion and point of view; my intention is not to disrespect or contempt any particular country.
It takes me back to my college days and I remember how my friends used to share their desires to travel abroad for higher studies and build a better lifestyle for them and their families. Even though I applied for a Canada PR in 2019; I cleared IELTS and got my equivalent certificate from World Education Services (WES) Canada but changed my mind at the last moment.
Not only friends, I have family members who are settled in the US, Canada, Dubai, Australia and other countries too. I am not questioning someone’s decision but after reading some headlines lately, I want to ask that “is it worth it?”
When my family comes to India for vacation, they always crib about the lack of help in other countries, they always mention India is lucky to have maids, technicians, mechanics, elections etc but there we need to do everything ourselves; so my question to them is you didn’t know this earlier?
If I talk especially about Indian students studying abroad, acknowledging the headlines lately, I don’t think they are safe anymore. Also, they are not respected. We have been hearing white people, brown people, and black people for years.
My intention is not to stop people from going abroad but they should select the country wisely taking into consideration all the parameters so that they can fulfill also those dreams which they carry in their kitty while traveling abroad.