Two Indian PhD students, Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya, have won a $200,000 settlement from the University of Colorado, Boulder, after facing discrimination linked to a food incident. The dispute began in September 2023 when Prakash heated palak paneer, a popular Indian dish, in a campus microwave. A staff member complained about the "pungent" smell, citing a rule against heating smelly foods that was not published anywhere. According to the couple, this led to a series of "microaggressions and retaliatory actions," including loss of research funding, teaching roles, and PhD advisers. They filed a civil rights lawsuit in May 2025 alleging discrimination and escalating retaliation. The university settled with the students in September 2025, agreeing to grant their degrees but denying liability and banning them from future study or work there. The university said it took the allegations seriously and works to foster an inclusive environment. Prakash said the lawsuit’s aim was to show that "there are consequences to discriminating against Indians for their 'Indianness'." The case sparked a wider conversation about "food racism," where people face bias or shame due to their cuisine, both abroad and in India. The couple shared past experiences of being isolated or insulted for their food. Bhattacheryya pointed out similar attacks on public figures like Kamala Harris. Both have returned to India and say they may never return to the US due to systemic discrimination. Prakash said, "No matter how good you are at what you do, the system is constantly telling you that because of your skin colour or your nationality, you can be sent back any time."