Who is Nilam Shinde? Indian student battling for her life in US hospital after accident

Nilam Shinde is fighting for her life in a US hospital after being struck by a fast-moving vehicle while walking in California on February 14. She sustained multiple severe injuries, including fractures to her legs and left arm, as well as a skull fracture and a traumatic brain injury.
Who is Nilam?
Nilam Shinde, a 35-year-old woman from Maharashtra's Satara district, had traveled to the United States to pursue higher education and build a promising career. With a strong academic background, she aimed to advance her expertise in data analytics and technology.
Shinde's family background
Shinde last met her father, Tanaji Shinde, in Satara in February last year, shortly after her mother’s passing. The visit was a bittersweet reunion, marked by grief and shared memories of their loss.
Academic status
Nilam Shinde completed her Computer Science degree from Savitribai Phule Pune University.
She pursued a postgraduate degree in Data Analytics from San Jose State University.
Nilam is currently a fourth-year student at California State University.
Early career experience
During her career, Shinde gained experience through internships as a software engineer at HCL and as a data science intern at NASA Ames Research Center. Her professional journey included roles at Infosys and San Jose State University. She later joined Visa, the digital payment company, where she served as a software engineer for 11 months in 2022.
Intervention by Supriya Sule
Baramati MP Supriya Sule intervened on behalf of the distressed father after former Karad North MLA and minister Balasaheb Patil brought his plight to her attention. As a member of the NCP (SP), Sule swiftly took up the matter with the Ministry of External Affairs, urging prompt action to expedite the visa process.
Father’s urgent travel
"Nilam's father flew from Mumbai to the US on March 2 and after landing there, rushed to the UC Davis Medical Center near Sacramento in California," Nilam's maternal uncle Sanjay Kadam said.
"My son Gaurav, who works with an IT firm in Pune, accompanied Nilam's father from Mumbai onwards," Kadam, who lives in Satara district, said.
"They reached the hospital where she has been in a comatose condition since the accident last month. The hospital authorities will be holding a meeting tomorrow morning to decide on the further line of treatment," Kadam said.