Indian PHD Student, 33, Killed In Bicycle Accident In London

An Indian student pursuing her PhD at the London School of Economics was killed in a bicycle accident on March 19. Cheistha Kochhar, 33, who hailed from Gurgaon, died after being hit by a lorry while returning to her home in the English capital.

The accident took place on Clerkenwell Road, near the junction with Farringdon Road. Her husband was cycling a few meters ahead of her when the incident happened. Despite efforts from police and paramedics, Cheistha passed away at the scene, the Police said in a statement. The driver of the lorry involved, believed to be a garbage vehicle, cooperated with authorities during the investigation. No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing.

‘Gone too soon’

“Anyone who witnessed the incident or road users with dashcam footage which may have captured the events have been asked to contact the Met Police. Cheistha Kochhar worked with me on the #LIFE [Lifestyle for the Environment] programme in NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, former NITI Aayog CEO said in a post on X. “My super talented and super special friend @cheisthakochhar was meant to be a newsmaker of a different kind. Terrible tragedy. Gone too soon…,” Cheistha’s friend Prasanna Karthik said in a social media post on X.

The Bareilly-born Behavioural Strategist earned her Masters from the University of Chicago after studying at Ashoka University and Delhi University and completing her schooling in Delhi and various Army schools around India.

“She made her mark in all these institutions and is still remembered very fondly for her creativeness, spontaneity, compassion, helpfulness, smiling demeanour and yet excelling in academics and co-curricular activities like debating, drawing and dramatics,” shared her father in his tribute to Cheistha.

(With agency inputs)