The following is a letter to the editor giving details about his humiliating experience in the US. It is written by Dr Vijaykumar R Boinapally, a medical practitioner:
I’m Dr. VIJAYKUMAR R. BOINAPALLY, a medical doctor. I believe my case merits your attention. I went to the USA legally in August 1992. I was accepted into the 3-year Internal Medicine residency program at the University of Buffalo, NY in June 1994 on H1 visa. I faced disparate treatment and hostility due to my immigrant status. Half way through the program, in December 1995, I was lied to and cheated out from the program after a couple of racist and envious Jewish faculty conspired against me and fabricated a fraudulent paper trail since I admonished an intern, who happened to be Jewish, in the line of duty. All my performance evaluations were in the good to excellent range.
There were several other Asian immigrant resident doctors who had grievances against the university. I and two other immigrant resident doctors with similar experiences filed lawsuit against the university in Federal Court. Media coverage included:
SPECTRUM
BUFFALO ALT-PRESS
INDIA ABROAD
The “reputed” attorney, who took our case on a contingency basis, was invited by the University for a Guest Lecture. Disillusioned with the system and unable to sustain ourselves, we went our respective ways. I did not settle with the university although the university wanted to settle for another residency program in writing.
After much struggle and hardships, I was accepted into the Anesthesia residency program at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, in June 1997 on H1 status. Halfway through the tenure, in October 1998, I was abruptly dropped from the program after a couple of envious, unprofessional, white supremacist faculty conspired against me in retaliation after coming to know of my earlier lawsuit in Federal Court in Buffalo, NY. Throughout my tenure at UT Memphis, I was subjected to a hostile and offensive atmosphere that included derogatory remarks about my Indian national origin and immigrant status, besides mocking my religion, accent and appearance. A few examples:
“YOU INDIANS USE COPPER KETTLES” (FOR ANESTHESIA)
“DO YOU PAY TAXES?”
“MY SON CAN’T GET A JOB AT FEDEX BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOUR (INDIAN) ENGINEERS THERE”
“YOU HAVE AN INDIAN MIND”
“YOU COME FROM AN INDIAN MEDICAL SCHOOL”
“YOU WERE BETTER THAN I WAS (IN THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM), THAT’S WHY I DIDN’T LIKE ‘YA!”
Media coverage included:
INDIA WEST December 10 1999
INDIA ABROAD December 24 1999
NAI DUNIA December 1999
TRI STATE DEFENDER March 18-22 2000
FOX TELEVISION NETWORK March 30 2000
SAJA NETWORK April 2nd Week
AMERICAN MEDICAL NEWS May 08 2000
REDIFF.COM US EDITION July 07 2000
TANA PATRIKA August First Week 2000
LA VOZ HISPANA March 14 2001
I fought against this gross intolerance, hate crime, conspiracy and for equality and justice in Federal and State courts representing myself in Memphis for two years. I did not settle with the university although the university wanted a memorandum of understanding with me. The university had lost SEVEN discrimination lawsuits before.
Unable to sustain myself, I moved to California Bay Area in August 2001 where I worked as a part time ACLS instructor on a work permit. Following 9/11, in a clear instance of victimization, in Jan 2003, Fremont city police had me convicted and jailed based on frivolous and trumped-up charges about a Gun related offence and I was detained by the INS/DHS. My rights were blatantly violated by the INS/DHS too. I was forcibly put on a plane back to India despite having pending legal battles in US courts and adjustment of status to Green card. I’m unable to return to the US now.
The ordeal for equality and justice in the US caused extensive and irreparable damages to my professional career, personal and marital lives.
I request your help in fighting this gross injustice and inequality towards immigrants in the US. I request you to help me with contacts in the US and Indian media who can create awareness and contact information of attorneys who can vindicate this cause of equality and justice for immigrants to the US. I can be reached at the following contact information.
Dr. Vijay R. Boinapally, MD (USA)
E-mail: [email protected]
(The views expressed above are that of the writer)
