The controversy began on September 5, 2023, when Prakash (34), a PhD student in the Anthropology Department, was heating his lunch of palak paneer in a shared microwave. A heated dispute over a traditional Indian dish, palak paneer, has led to a significant victory for two Indian PhD students at the University of Colorado Boulder in the United States. Aditya Prakash and Urmi Bhattacheryya were awarded USD 200,000 (approximately Rs 1.8 crore) in a civil rights settlement after facing systemic discrimination over their cultural food choice. The controversy began on September 5, 2023, when Prakash (34), a PhD student in the Anthropology Department, was heating his lunch of palak paneer in a shared microwave. In September 2025, the University of Colorado Boulder settled the case, paying USD 200,000 (approximately Rs 1.8 crore) to Prakash and Bhattacheryya and conferring their master's degrees.

Source: dna January 14, 2026 07:49 UTC