An Indian graduate who recently completed her studies in the United States was killed in a car crash in upstate New York, leaving her family in Andhra Pradesh mourning her sudden death.
Prasanna Atluri, 25, a graduate of Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, died after the vehicle she was riding in was struck from behind by another car, according to her family.
The crash occurred on July 5 as Atluri and her friends were traveling to a temple. Family members said their vehicle was stopped at a traffic light when it was hit by a speeding car from the rear.
A second woman traveling with Atluri also died in the collision. A third passenger suffered serious injuries and remains hospitalized, where she is receiving treatment.
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Atluri was from Moolapadu village in Andhra Pradesh’s NTR district. She came from a farming family, with her father, Atluri Vasantha Rao, working as a farmer and her mother operating a small bag manufacturing business.
According to her family, Atluri had recently graduated from Pace University and was preparing to begin her career in the United States before the fatal accident.
In the wake of the tragedy, Atluri’s family has launched a fundraising campaign to cover the costs of bringing her body back to India and supporting expenses related to her death.
The fundraiser was created by her cousin, Ravi Kumar Atluri, who described Prasanna as the backbone of her family.
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“Prasanna was the pillar of her family and the person everyone relied on for guidance, emotional support, and financial stability. Even while managing her own student loans, she never hesitated to help others,” he wrote on the campaign page.
As of Thursday, the fundraiser had raised more than $40,000 toward its $75,000 goal. According to the campaign, the money will be used to cover funeral expenses, the transportation of her remains to India, travel costs for family members, and her outstanding student loans.
Her family has also appealed to the authorities for assistance in completing the required procedures to repatriate her body so she can be laid to rest in her hometown in Andhra Pradesh.