A 23-year-old Indian student, Rajyalakshmi (Raji) Yarlagadda, from Karanchedu in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district, was found dead in the United States on November 7. A recent MS graduate from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, she had been actively searching for a job after completing her studies. The cause of her death is under investigation, according to reports.
Her roommates discovered her body on the morning of November 7. According to a GoFundMe campaign started by her cousin, Chaitanya Yvk, Raji had been suffering from a severe cough and chest pain for two to three days before her death.
Raji had completed her undergraduate degree in engineering at a private college in Vijayawada before leaving for the US in 2023 to pursue her master’s in computer science. Family members told the media that she had spoken to them three days before her death, mentioning that she was feeling weak, with symptoms of a cold and fatigue.
In the GoFundMe appeal, Chaitanya described Raji as “a bright, hopeful soul” who had gone abroad to create a better future for her family, who depend on their small farmland in Karanchedu. “She dreamed of helping her parents continue their farming journey and build a better tomorrow,” the message read.
The fundraiser seeks to raise money to cover funeral costs, repatriation of her body to India, education loans, and to provide financial support for her grieving family. “As Raji’s family grieves this unimaginable loss, we are reaching out to friends and loved ones for support,” Chaitanya wrote.
Authorities in the US have conducted a medical examination to determine the exact cause of death, which remains unconfirmed.
Raji’s death adds to a concerning trend — in 2023 alone, at least 11 Indian and Indian-origin students died in the United States under various circumstances, highlighting growing anxieties among families of students pursuing education abroad.
