Hyderabad: Amid US authorities revoking the SEVIS of dozens of Indian students, the Telugu community has stepped in to help those affected. From legal aid and financial support to counselling, multiple social groups — along with individuals from the community — are going all out to support students in dealing with the aftermath.
The Global Telangana Association (GTA), for instance, is assisting students with sourcing funds to meet their legal expenses while also conducting daily symposiums and guidance sessions — both in-person in Washington DC and virtually — to address each case individually.
“We are getting as many as 100 distress calls every day,” said Vishnu Kalavala, president of GTA, adding, “The cases range from students facing SEVIS revocation for either being caught driving under the influence of alcohol, shoplifting, overspeeding, or even physical altercations with roommates that resulted in manhandling.”
He said the GTA is also organising “emotional counselling sessions” for students who are uncertain about their prospects of staying in the US. “Where we see an opportunity, we are helping students with legal assistance. But if we know there is no hope, we are helping them with understanding their departure process,” Kalavala added.
Similarly, the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) has created a pool of lawyers from within the community who are taking up the students’ cases pro bono. “The lawyers are helping students file lawsuits or reinstatement applications,” said Niranjan Srungavarapu, president of TANA.
Incidentally, filing a reinstatement application can cost a student anywhere between $1,000 (Rs 85,775 approx) and $2,000 (Rs 1,71,550 approx).
“Many of these students are in extremely vulnerable state. They are alone without their families, and the pressure is immense. We are trying to be their support system in every way possible — right from gathering information and coordinating with stakeholders to offering moral guidance,” he added.
Connecting with DSOs
To be able to reach out to as many students as possible, the Texas-based American Telugu Association (ATA) has also connected with Designated School Officials (DSOs) across multiple universities. The organisation has requested DSOs to redirect affected Indian students to ATA for assistance. “We are talking to universities and addressing each case individually,” said R Lothumalla, a representative from ATA. “Our focus right now is universities in Texas. But we are receiving calls from students all over the country. We are connecting them to lawyers and helping them with paperwork necessary for filing reinstatement applications,” he added.
ATA is also laying the groundwork for a long-term support system through a proposed ‘Center of Excellence.’ This initiative aims to assist Indian students across every stage of their academic journey — from admissions and housing to legal assistance and job placements.
For many students, these associations have become lifelines. One such student, whose SEVIS status was revoked following a shoplifting case, shared his experience with TOI. “I don’t have any family here. The community associations were my only option,” he said. “I’ve shared all the necessary documents from my side, and the lawyer I’m working with told me that since my case was dismissed last year, there’s still a chance that I won’t have to go back,” he added.
