A contentious dispute originating from a microwave incident has culminated in a substantial legal settlement for two Indian doctoral students. Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya have been awarded $200,000 by the University of Colorado, Boulder, following allegations of systematic racial discrimination and institutional retaliation.
The case originated in September 2023 when Mr. Prakash, an anthropology PhD candidate, heated his traditional palak paneer lunch in a campus microwave. A university staff member reportedly confronted him about the dish’s aroma, asserting an unwritten policy against heating foods with strong odors. When Mr. Prakash inquired which foods were considered problematic, he was allegedly informed that sandwiches were acceptable while curry-based dishes were not.
According to court documents, this initial encounter triggered escalating retaliation that ultimately cost both students their research funding, teaching positions, and academic advisors. The couple filed a civil rights lawsuit in May 2025 alleging a pattern of discriminatory treatment and microaggressions targeting their Indian heritage.
The university settled the case in September 2025 while denying all liability. Beyond the financial compensation, the institution agreed to confer the students’ degrees but prohibited them from future study or employment there. In an official statement, university representatives emphasized their commitment to inclusive environments but cited privacy laws preventing detailed commentary.
This case has ignited international discourse about ‘food racism’ – prejudice against ethnic culinary traditions. Social media platforms have witnessed extensive sharing of similar experiences by Indians and other ethnic minorities facing criticism abroad. The conversation has also turned inward, with many noting comparable discrimination within India itself against non-vegetarian foods and regional culinary practices.
Mr. Prakash reflected that this incident echoed childhood lunchtime segregation he experienced in Italian schools. ‘These acts of isolating people because of how their food smells represent how whiteness controls your Indianness and shrinks the spaces you can exist in,’ he stated. Both students have since returned to India, expressing uncertainty about returning to the US despite the settlement.