A dispute that began over a heated lunch escalated into a landmark civil rights settlement for two Indian PhD scholars at the University of Colorado Boulder, who were awarded $200,000 after accusing the institution of cultural bias and unfair treatment.

The case traces back to September 2023, when Aditya Prakash, then a doctoral student in anthropology, was warming up an Indian meal in a shared microwave at his department. According to Prakash, a staff member objected to the aroma of the food and asked him not to use the appliance, calling the smell “too strong.” Prakash argued that the kitchen was a common facility and that personal discomfort with certain foods was shaped by cultural perspectives.

The disagreement did not end there. Prakash said the incident snowballed into repeated meetings with senior faculty, during which he was accused of making staff uncomfortable. His partner, Urmi Bhattacheryya, who supported him during the dispute, later alleged that she lost her teaching assistant role without any clear explanation.

The couple also claimed that the department refused to award them master’s degrees that doctoral students typically receive during the course of their PhD programmes. They said this decision, along with what they described as a hostile academic atmosphere, severely affected their studies and wellbeing.

Believing the actions were rooted in prejudice against international students and cultural practices, Prakash and Bhattacheryya approached the US District Court in Colorado. Their lawsuit argued that the university’s response to their food habits reflected deeper institutional bias and resulted in academic and professional setbacks.

In September 2025, the university agreed to a financial settlement of $200,000 and formally granted the couple their master’s degrees. The resolution, however, included a clause preventing them from enrolling or working at the university in the future.

Following the settlement, Bhattacheryya shared her experience on social media, describing the emotional and physical toll of the ordeal and framing the legal victory as a stand for dignity, cultural identity and the right to speak up against discrimination.