Family of hospitalised Indian student Neelam Shinde granted visa to travel to U.S.

U.S. Embassy grants visas to family of injured student Neelam Shinde in California, Maharashtra family to travel urgently.

The U.S. Embassy on Friday (February 28, 2025) granted visas to the family members of Neelam Shinde, a student who is admitted to a hospital after suffering serious injuries in a road accident in California.

The Ministry of External Affairs had on Thursday taken up with the U.S. a request for an urgent visa by the family.

Neelam Shinde from Maharashtra's Satara was critically injured in the accident on February 14 and has been in a coma at a hospital since then. Ms. Shinde reportedly suffered severe injuries to her head, hand and chest.

Her father Tanhaji Shinde said the family would leave for the U.S. on Saturday to be with her.

“I received a phone call from her roommate on February 16. However, she didn’t tell me about the accident. Later, she informed Neelam’s uncle about it. She is still in coma, however, her condition has improved slightly,” he told PTI.

“We came [to the embassy]. They took our interview and granted the visa in half an hour. We will leave (for the U.S.) tomorrow. Both the Central and Maharashtra government helped us a lot. The media also helped us.

“My daughter is in coma, we can’t do much. I just wish she gets well soon,” he said.