CALIFORNIA/HYDERABAD, December 29, 2025: The dream of building a future in the United States ended in tragedy for two young women from Telangana after they were killed in a road accident in California, leaving their families and the Indian student community in deep shock.
The victims have been identified as Pullakhandam Meghana Rani and Kadiyala Bhavana, both aged 24. The two were close friends and roommates in California and were reportedly returning from a holiday trip with friends when the fatal accident took place. The exact circumstances of the crash are currently under investigation by local authorities.
Meghana, fondly known as “Chikki,” was the daughter of Nageshwara Rao, who runs a Mee-Seva centre in Garla. Bhavana hailed from Mulkanoor village, where her father serves as the Deputy Sarpanch. Both families received the devastating news on Monday, triggering grief across their villages and among relatives and well-wishers.
The tragedy is particularly heartbreaking as both Meghana and Bhavana had recently completed their Master’s degrees and were preparing to begin the next phase of their professional lives in the US. Friends described them as ambitious, hardworking, and full of hope about their future.
Efforts are currently underway to bring their mortal remains back to India for last rites. Given the high cost involved in repatriation, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Meghana’s family. The appeal urges members of the community to contribute so that the young woman can be given a dignified farewell in her homeland.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by Indian students abroad and has sparked an outpouring of condolences from across Telangana and the wider Indian diaspora in the United States.
