NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Newcastle, WA, April 30, 2025: A tech entrepreneur of Indian origin allegedly shot and killed his wife and 14-year-old son at their home in Newcastle, Washington, before turning the gun on himself.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased last week as Harshavardhana Kikkeri, 57, his wife Shwetha Panyam, 44, and their teenage son, Dhruva. A younger child, believed to be the couple’s 7-year-old son, was found unharmed at the scene and is now in protective care.
Deputies from the King County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a shooting in a townhouse on the 13800 block of Southeast 79th Place. Upon arrival, they discovered the three victims with fatal gunshot wounds. Authorities have ruled the deaths of Shwetha and Dhruva as homicides and confirmed that Kikkeri died by suicide.
The motive for the killings remains under investigation.
Kikkeri, originally from Mandya in Karnataka, India, held a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University. He had previously worked at Microsoft, focusing on robotics, before launching several tech startups, including HoloWorld and HoloSuit, which he co-founded with his wife. He had received several accolades over his career, including Microsoft’s Gold Star Award and the Infosys Excellence Award. Over the course of his career, he held 44 international patents across the U.S., Europe, China, Japan, and other countries. His accolades included the Gold Star Award from Microsoft, the Excellence Award from Infosys, the Bharat Petroleum Scholarship, and numerous chess championships. He was also a TEDx speaker.
Shwetha Panyam was also actively involved in their entrepreneurial ventures.
The devastating incident has renewed calls for greater attention to mental health and well-being, particularly in high-pressure professional environments.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out. In the U.S., the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 support.
