NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Sacramento, CA, April 8, 2026: An Indian student pursuing higher education in California has died after remaining in a coma for more than a year following a hit-and-run accident, bringing a tragic end to a case that had drawn attention in both India and the United States.
Neelam Tanaji Shinde, 35, a graduate engineering student at a California State University campus, passed away on March 28 after never regaining consciousness from injuries sustained in the February 14, 2025 accident in Sacramento. Authorities had earlier said she suffered severe head trauma and multiple injuries after being struck by a vehicle that fled the scene.
Shinde underwent emergency surgery and remained on life support in a Sacramento hospital for nearly 14 months. According to reports, doctors ultimately withdrew life support after determining there was no meaningful improvement in her condition.
The case had also highlighted the challenges faced by families of international students during medical emergencies. Shinde’s family, based in Maharashtra, India, reportedly struggled initially to secure timely U.S. visas to be by her side, prompting intervention from officials to expedite the process.
In a final act of generosity, Shinde’s family honored her wish to donate her organs, including her corneas and skin, offering hope to others even in death.
Shinde was described in reports as a promising student who had interned with NASA, underscoring the loss felt by both her family and the academic community.
The hit-and-run incident that led to her injuries remains under investigation, with no widely reported closure in the case at the time of her death.
