Last week, I heard the most heartbreaking story at a conference in New York: Rajeev is blind. He moved from India to attend business school at Columbia University. He’d graduated and was working in Seattle, trying to repay his student loans.
His only sister, also blind, was getting married and he hoped to be home to attend. Their father had phased away. It meant everything to him to be with his mother and sister for this celebration.
But. There were no H-1B visa appointments. He tried everything: writing to the consulate, politicians, anyone who would help him. It didn’t work.
He missed the wedding.
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This is the story of Rajeev Krishna Annapragada. It brought me to tears. I would’ve gladly volunteered my own slot to Rajeev if I could. I share this story because, regardless of your views on immigration, there are real people with real lives that suffer. Rajeev has shown resilience many of us can only dream of. But the system let him down.
Why should he, after all the things he’s been through, have to choose between getting his dream education and being there for his family? We can do better.