On January 23, 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula was killed in Seattle after being hit by a speeding police car driven by Officer Kevin Dave while crossing the road legally at a crosswalk. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center but succumbed to her injuries. Preliminary investigations found Dave was driving at about 119 km/hr when he hit the brakes just 1 second before impact, slamming into Kandula at 101 km/hr and throwing her over 100 feet. The posted speed limit was only 40 km/hr. Police concluded the vehicle's excessive speed was the main factor in the collision, not providing enough time for Dave or Kandula to avoid the hazard. The tragic incident raised concerns over road safety and police driving protocols.

Jaahnavi Kandula was a bright young Indian girl from Andhra Pradesh with a bright future ahead. The 23-year-old was pursuing her Master's degree at Northeastern University in Seattle after going to the US in 2021 through a student exchange program. She was due to graduate in December when her life was tragically cut short. Jaahnavi, the beloved daughter of a single mother, was killed in January by a police vehicle while crossing a road. The distressing video of a cop laughing about her death has compounded the grief of her heartbroken family. Her memory lives on as a symbol of the unrealized promise of the many Indian students who go abroad to study each year.

The family of Jaahnavi Kandula, the Indian student killed by a police car in Seattle, is distressed over newly released bodycam footage. In it, an officer callously laughs about the incident, saying the 23-year-old had "limited value" and was worth only an 11,000-dollar payout. The insensitive remarks have compounded the grief and trauma faced by Ms. Kandula's parents. Her grandfather questioned why this footage wasn't shared earlier and rejected claims the police vehicle wasn't speeding. The family statement affirmed Jaahnavi's invaluable life and condemned comments belittling the tragic loss. Ms. Kandula was a Northeastern University student due to graduate soon. She was hit by a police car in January while crossing a road.

The Biden administration assured India of a prompt investigation after its ambassador to the US sought action over a video showing a Seattle police officer laughing about the death of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula. The 23-year-old was killed by a speeding patrol car. Indian officials expressed shock and horror over the incident. They have been assured that the matter is being taken very seriously and monitored from Washington DC to ensure accountability. Earlier, India's consulate in San Francisco called the matter "deeply troubling" and said it was taken up with authorities.

Indian-origin Singaporean Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be sworn in as Singapore's ninth president on Thursday. The 66-year-old economist and former deputy prime minister, who has served Singapore in public service throughout his life, won 70.4% of the popular vote in the September 1 election. Shanmugaratnam, of Tamil heritage, received an overwhelming endorsement from the predominantly Chinese society in Singapore's first contested presidential poll since 2011. The elected president serves a 6-year term. Shanmugaratnam will succeed outgoing President Halimah Yacob. He is also the first president of Indian heritage since SR Nathan (1999-2011).

UK-based academic Nandini Das and US-based Kris Manjapra are among the authors shortlisted for the 2023 British Academy Global Cultural Understanding Book Prize. Das is nominated for 'Courting India', examining England's first 17th-century diplomatic mission to India. The India-born author studied at Kolkata's Jadavpur University before moving to England. Her work offers insights into historical power dynamics. Meanwhile, Carribean-born Manjapra's book 'Black Ghost of Empire' analyses slavery's demise and failed emancipation. The £25,000 prize celebrates works furthering cross-cultural discourse. 

Senior Indian diplomat Gopal Baglay was appointed the next High Commissioner to Australia. Baglay, currently serving as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, will succeed Manpreet Vohra. A 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Baglay has held various positions in the Ministry of External Affairs including spokesperson and joint secretary handling Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran affairs. He also served as joint secretary in the Prime Minister's Office before taking over the Colombo assignment in May 2020. The 1966-born Baglay holds a Masters in chemistry and speaks several languages including Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit, Ukrainian, and Russian. [Image: ANI]

The NIA has identified 15 people involved in the violence at the Indian High Commission in London during protests in March. After releasing photos of 45 suspects earlier, the agency will now prepare to issue Look Out Circulars against the identified 15. This is part of the NIA's probe into the attack on India's mission. In related news, 4 Khalistan supporters who targeted the San Francisco consulate in July have also been identified. An NIA team will visit Canada next month to investigate the Khalistani attack on the High Commission there. Getting the UK to act against identified suspects will be challenging due to lack of laws like India's UAPA.

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative that promotes domestic manufacturing. At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin said Russia could learn from partners like India on encouraging local production. He remarked that PM Modi was doing the right thing by urging people to use India-made products. Putin highlighted that India is focused on boosting cars and vessels manufactured domestically. He said Russia should also prioritize domestic industries. The 'Make in India' campaign has been a cornerstone of Modi's agenda since 2014.

A Seattle police officer is under investigation after bodycam footage showed him joking about an Indian student, Jaahnavi Kandula, who was killed by a patrol car driven by a fellow officer. In the video, officer Daniel Auderer is heard laughing and saying the 23-year-old had "limited value" and that a small settlement cheque could be written. The remarks sparked outrage as insensitive and discriminatory. Kandula was hit by officer Kevin Dave's vehicle traveling 74mph in a 25mph zone while responding to another call. The Seattle Police Department released the video for transparency and an investigation is underway by the Office of Police Accountability. (Video courtesy: Daily Mail)