Critical Indian Student's Varsity Calls Her Father To US For Her "Medical Decisions"

Nilam Shinde, a 35-year-old Indian student from Maharashtra's Satara district, is battling for her life at a hospital in the United States' California after an accident earlier this month. According to her family, there is a minor improvement in her health, but she remains in a critical condition.

Ms Shinde is a final-year postgraduate student at California State University. She met with a very serious accident on February 14, while she was out on an evening walk. A car hit her from behind, leading to critical injuries to both her arms, legs, head and chest. 

She is currently admitted in a comatose state at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California. However, to move forward with her treatment, the hospital has requested father come to America as soon as possible to assist with her medical care planning decisions. 

"Ms Shinde is in critical condition with an uncertain prognosis and is receiving care in the Intensive Care Unit," the California State University in a letter to the family. 

"The patient's father must assist the UC Davis Medical Center care team with making Ms Shinde's medical care planning decisions. Ms Shinde is not able to communicate due to the nature of her injuries and because she is currently intubated, on a life support ventilator, and cannot communicate for herself," the letter read further.

Visa Request Moves Forward

Ms Shinde's family, who was informed about her accident after two days, applied for a visa on February 16, but the application has been pending since. However, since NDTV reported the incident, the family said the government has approached them and promised help as soon as possible. 

"Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Baramati MP Supriya Sule have called us and promised all possible help as soon as possible," Ms Shinde's uncle Gaurav Sanjay Kadam told NDTV. 

Moreover, India has reached out to the United States government over a visa application for relatives of Nilam Shinde, the 35-year-old who is in a coma in a California hospital after a road accident earlier this month.

Sources told NDTV that the External Affairs Ministry's Americas Division has contacted the American administration to issue a visa or at least an emergency travel permit.

Improvement on Condition

Mr Kadam also informed that since yesterday, there has been a slight improvement in Ms Shinde's condition, but she still remains critical. 

"Her brain pressure has reduced since yesterday and is normal now. Her blood pressure has also increased and is maintained at a normal rate, but she is still in a coma," he said.

Earlier, the family said that the hospital had requested the immediate presence of a blood relative to seek permission to operate on Ms Shide, who remains in a comatose state. Therefore, the family is seeking an emergency visa for her father and uncle. 

"She lost her mother a year ago to a brain tumour and her father is very old," said Mr Kadam, who will be accompanying Ms Shinde's father, Tanaji Shinde, to the US.