US Grants Emergency Visa to Family of Comatose Indian Student Neelam Shinde
Neelam Shinde, an Indian student from the Satara area of Maharashtra, was critically injured in a car accident in Sacramento, California, on February 14. She got hurt very badly and broke both legs, her left arm, and her head, and she also got a serious brain injury. The crash threw her 40 feet into the air, knocking her out. She is now comatose and fighting for her life at UC Davis Medical Center.
Family’s Urgent Plea for a US Visa
Two days later, on February 16, Neelam Shinde’s family knew about the accident and started right away to get an emergency visa to journey to the US. Tanaji Shinde, her father, who is 62 years old, had a very hard time with the visa application process because it doesn’t make a difference between normal requests and emergency requests. He tried many times but couldn’t get an interview at the US Consulate in Mumbai.
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MEA and Political Leaders Intervene
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took up the case with US officials because they knew how important it was. Baramati MP Supriya Sule and former Karad North MLA Balasaheb Patil also spoke up to push for a faster visa acceptance.
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
Sule highlighted the issue on social media, emphasizing the need for immediate assistance to help the distressed father be by his daughter’s side. “Neelam Shinde has met with an accident in the USA and is hospitalized. Her father, Tanaji Shinde, urgently needs to visit her due to a medical emergency,” Sule stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
US Embassy Grants Emergency Visa
After a ten-day struggle and multiple escalations, the US Embassy granted an emergency visa to Neelam Shinde’s family. The appointment at the US Consulate in Mumbai was finally scheduled, and the visa was approved on Friday morning. The family is now set to take the next available flight to California to be with Neelam during this critical period.
University and Community Support
Neelam Shinde was pursuing her MS in Engineering at California State University and had previously completed a one-year internship at NASA. UC Davis Medical Centre issued a formal recommendation to the US Embassy, stressing the importance of her father’s presence for medical decisions. University faculty, students, and members of the Indian community in the US have rallied to support the family, even arranging a one-way ticket for Tanaji Shinde.
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Hope for Recovery
Doctors at UC Davis Medical Center think that having Neelam Shinde’s father with her might help her get better. Even though her health is still very bad, having her family there is likely to help with her medical care and healing.
The terrible accident that happened to Neelam Shinde shows how important it is to make the process of getting an emergency visa easier, especially in medical situations. The family can now reunite with Neelam after high-level measures. They are hoping for her healing and a good result during this difficult time.
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