Indian students score $200K ‘food racism’ payout from UC Boulder
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.
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.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.