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Who was Sreeja Varma? Hyderabad student killed in accident in Illinois

Sreeja Varma was killed in an accident on August 11, when a truck hit her from behind.

Updated on: Aug 15, 2025, 09:06:39 IST
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Sreeja Varma, a student from Hyderabad, was tragically killed in an accident in Illinois. The incident took place on August 11, when a truck hit her from behind.

Sreeja Varma was headed to dinner when the truck hit her. (GoFundMe)
Sreeja Varma was headed to dinner when the truck hit her. (GoFundMe)

She was headed to dinner at the time, and was rushed to Carle Hospital, which was nearby. However, doctors were unable to resuscitate her, and she succumbed to severe internal injuries which had affected her critically.

Also Read | ‘100 feet down the hillside’: Witness describes scene of crash that killed Indian-origin family in US

The 24-year-old was a MS graduate pursuing studies, looking towards a ‘bright future’ in Champaign, Illinois, as per the GoFundMe page started to support her family after the accident.

“We are deeply saddened to share the devastating news of the tragic passing of Sreeja Varma,” the page says. It notes how her untimely demise has left her parents and younger sister devastated. As per the page, any funds raised will go to help the family with outstanding student loans and other urgent needs.

Who was Sreeja Varma?

Varma was born and raised in Srikrishnanagar, near the Gandi Maisamma Crossroads in Medchal-Malkajgiri district. Her roots trace back to Ramarukala village in Telangana's Siddipet district.

Hailing from a humble but hardworking family, Varma's father, Srinivas, is a driver, and mother, Hemalatha, works in a private firm. She has been described as ‘immensely driven and deeply committed’ to her education.

Varma dreamed of having a successful career that would uplift her family and inspire others from her community. She arrived in the US by dint of dedication and hard work, and wanted to pursue advanced studies. Varma hoped to create a better future for those she loved most, her GoFundMe page read.

Earlier this month, four Indian-origin family members, who went missing during their road trip in New York, were found dead in a tragic car accident. Asha Divan (85), Kishore Divan (89), Shailesh Divan (86), and Gita Divan (84) were travelling from Buffalo in New York to Prabhupada's Palace of Gold in West Virginia. The family had been missing since July 29.

  • Shuvrajit Das Biswas
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shuvrajit Das Biswas

    Shuvrajit has over seven years of experience covering US, India, and world news. An English Literature postgraduate from Jadavpur University, Shuvrajit started off covering entertainment, gaming and all things pop culture. There were brief periods away from the media industry, with short stints in content marketing, ed-tech and academic editing. However, the newsroom beckoned and over the last few jobs, Shuvrajit has exceedingly focused on team functioning as well, including tracking news and assigning tasks, working on everyday breaking news, framing detailed coverage plans, and creating immersive and data-driven stories. In his time as a digital journalist, he has covered a Lok Sabha election, multiple state elections, Union Budgets and award ceremonies. He has also helped in planning content for company event panels in the past. For work, Shuvrajit enjoys dabbling with data visualization, editing tools, and AI chatbots and attempts to incorporate AI workflows in everyday tasks. He is deeply interested in geopolitics, sports, films and music. Prompting is a new fascination for Shuvrajit now. Apart from that, he can be found doom-scrolling, sharing memes, or cheering on his favorite football team.Read More

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