Palak Paneer Dispute: Indian Students Win Rs 1.66-Crore Settlement From US University

The University of Colorado Boulder reached a $200,000 (Rs 1.66 crore) settlement with two Indian PhD students, Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacharyya, following a dispute that began with a complaint about the smell of Prakash’s palak paneer being reheated in a department microwave in September 2023. Prakash was told by a staff member that the smell was “pungent” and he shouldn’t heat his food in the microwave. Bhattacharyya claimed she faced repercussions for supporting Prakash, including the loss of her teaching assistantship.

The students filed a civil lawsuit alleging the university withheld their Master’s degrees and created a hostile environment hindering their academic progress, arguing the incident revealed “systemic bias” against international students. The lawsuit claimed the university’s reaction to their cultural food was a manifestation of deeper prejudice.

In September 2025, the university settled, awarding the students $200,000 and conferring their Master’s degrees, but barring them from future enrollment or employment at the university. Both Prakash and Bhattacharyya have since returned to India.

(Source：Ndtv Profit)