A 26-year-old Indian doctoral student, Aaditya Adlakha, died after he was shot at inside a car in the US’ Ohio State. The incident took place on November 9 in Cincinnati, and he died two days later.
Adlakha was a fourth-year doctoral student in a molecular and developmental biology programme at the University of Cincinnati Medical School, said a university statement, which called his death ““sudden, tragic and senseless”.
On November 9. Lt. Jonathan Cunningham of the Cincinnati Police said that the police found Adlakha in critical condition inside a bullet-riddled vehicle that had crashed into a wall on the upper deck of the Western Hills Viaduct in Cincinnati. Passers-by had alerted the police after seeing a body inside the crashed car. Adlakha was shifted to the UC Medical Centre, but was declared dead two days later. No arrests have been made in the case, according to local media reports.
Condolences poured in from Adlakha’s college professors in Delhi following the news, with Ramjas College, where Adlakha had completed his bachelor’s degree in Zoology in 2018, holding a prayer meet in his memory.
Ramjas College held a prayer meet for Adlakha. “He was wonderful student, always ready with good grades and a bright smile,” said Dr. Mayanglambam Ojit Kumar Singh, associate professor at the college’s Zoology Department, adding that Adlakha’s loss felt “personal”.
“One thing I’ll remember are his assignments. Professors keep only a few students’ practical files and assignments for years. because they are extraordinary and will remain an example for years to come. Aaditya was one of those students,” Mr. Singh said, adding that he would remain a “brilliant example of the department forever”.
“There are a lot of things that one could remember about somebody who is that extraordinary,” said Smita Bhatia, who headed the Zoology Department during Adlakha’s time in college. Ms. Bhatia, who taught him physiology - a subject he later completed his master’s in from AIIMS in 2020 - said that Adlakha told her he was inspired by the subject and always thanked her for helping him study.
“Aaditya would sit in the front row only to ask the professor a question” Ms Bhatia added.
Adlakha was also mourned by the University of Cincinnati Medical School. “Those who knew him [Adlakha], along with fellow students and others who may not have had the fortune to have met Aaditya, may experience a wide variety of reactions, which are understandable and expected,” Senior Vice President of Health Affairs and Dean, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Andrew Filak said.
“He was much-loved, exceedingly kind and humorous, intelligent and sharp, whose research was described as novel and transformative. The focus of his work was to better understand neuroimmune communication and how neuroimmune interactions might contribute to pain and the inflammatory landscape in ulcerative colitis.” added Mr Filak.
Published - November 23, 2023 11:26 pm IST
