A 35-year-old Indian student says he was told that curry stinks, but sandwiches do not.
Aditya Prakash and his fiancée, Urmi Bhattacheryya, won a settlement of $200,000 from the University of Colorado Boulder in a story dripping with progressivism.
‘My food is my pride, and notions about what smells good or bad to someone are culturally determined.’
The BBC described the ordeal as a case of “food racism” while outlet Indian Express said Prakash was the “target of racism” over his microwaved food.
Ate crime
The couple reportedly claimed they faced a series of “microaggressions and retaliatory actions” after a staff member at the university — who was British, according to the BBC — complained about the “smell” of the food Prakash had in the microwave.
The staffer allegedly said the food was giving off a “pungent” odor and informed Prakash there was a rule against heating foods that have strong odors. Prakash reportedly claimed there was no such rule publicly stated and said, “It’s just food. I’m heating and leaving.”
The Indian also said he later inquired what foods were considered pungent. He was allegedly told that smelly foods included curry but not sandwiches.
In a pickle
The couple claimed they soon lost their research funding and teaching roles, and a lawsuit followed. Prakash claimed it was not about money, though.
“It was about making a point — that there are consequences to discriminating against Indians for their ‘Indianness,'” he said.
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Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images
Prakash also claimed he was a victim of “systemic racism” because his department “refused to grant” his Master’s degree.
“That’s when we decided to seek legal recourse,” he said.
The May 2025 lawsuit alleged discriminatory treatment and a “pattern of escalating retaliation” but was settled with the university that September. The terms reportedly include giving the students their degrees while denying all liabilities and banning them from studying or working at the school in the future.
Paneer miss
The dish at the center of the controversy is called palak paneer, which, according to cooking website Hooked on Heat, contains some strong ingredients.
The main parts of the dish include spinach and paneer, a soft white cheese considered to be the Indian version of cottage cheese. Also added to the dish are onion, ginger, garlic, chili powder, garam masala (Indian spices), and more.
Prakash reportedly argued that his food only stinks according to some people.
“My food is my pride, and notions about what smells good or bad to someone are culturally determined,” he posited.
Cruciferous context
A counterargument he allegedly faced was that even broccoli is not allowed to be heated because of its odor, but Prakash claimed that “context matters,” before adding, “How many groups of people do you know who face racism because they eat broccoli?”
His fiancée says that President Trump’s re-election has caused a “narrowing of empathy” toward foreigners.
“Institutions talk a lot about inclusion, but there is less patience for discomfort, especially if that discomfort comes from immigrants or people of colour,” she claimed.
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Currying favor
The university told BBC that while it cannot comment on the specifics of the claims due to privacy laws, it is “committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all students, faculty and staff regardless of national origin, religion, culture and other classes protected under U.S. laws and by university policies.”
“When these allegations arose in 2023, we took them seriously and adhered to established, robust processes to address them, as we do with all claims of discrimination and harassment,” the school continued. “We reached an agreement with the students in September [2025] and deny any liability in this case.”
The couple has reportedly not since returned to the United States, with Prakash saying he is willing to start over.
“If this case can send out a message that this (‘food racism’) cannot be practiced with impunity, that we, as Indians, will fight back, that would be the real victory,” he said, per Indian Express.
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