On paper, Australia looks like an ideal choice for young Indians
seeking to further their education. The nation’s vibrant democracy, high educational standards, and a perceived low
crime rate have made it something of a mecca for students from the
sub-continent — with some 93,000 attending courses in everything
from hospitality to engineering.
But over the last few weeks, a disturbing side to Indian student life
down-under has come to light, sparking allegations of widespread racism in Australian society, and a failure by law enforcement authorities to act. The first incident occurred in the early hours of May 24 at a suburban party in Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city
in the country’s south. Indian student Sravan Kumar Theerthala, a guest at the birthday party, was confronted by party-crashers, one of whom stabbed him in the head with a screw driver allegedly without provocation.
