‘Do what it takes to remain safe…’: Ex-Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi urges Indian students in the US to be watchful

Former Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi has urged Indian students in the US to remain watchful and do whatever it takes to remain safe, amid a string of tragedies. She urged them to respect local laws and not to engage in drugs or excessive drinking. 

In a 10-minute long video, Nooyi said that she is concerned after reading and listening to cases where Indian students have found themselves in trouble. The video was posted on X by the Consulate General of India in New York on Thursday.

“The reason I'm recording this video is to talk to all of you, all you young people who are looking to come to the United States or are here already pursuing your studies, because I've been reading and listening to all the news about several examples of Indian students finding themselves in unfortunate situations,” Nooyi, 68, said in the video.

“It's up to you to make sure you do what it takes to remain safe.…stay within the law, do not venture out into dark places alone at night, do not engage in drugs or excessive drinking please. All of these are just formulae for disaster,” said Nooyi.

She further asked students to choose their university and course of study carefully. She underscored the “cultural sea change” awaiting students who move to the US for higher studies. 

“So when you come to the United States, be very watchful in the initial months of your landing here, in terms of who you select as friends, the new habits you develop and how you cope with cultural changes because it's very easy to get caught up with all the freedoms you have and think that you should experiment with everything. Be very, very careful.”

Nooyi cautioned students against usage of drugs. “This is lethal. Let me repeat, this is lethal,” she said, adding that certain harmful drugs impact both mental and physical health and are likely to be detrimental to career prospects. 

She also said that many international students are not aware of the laws and that it is important to get familiar with them. 

“You need to know your visa status and its permissibility towards part-time employment. Do not violate the law,” she said, adding that the students must know the “boundaries of what you can do as a foreign student in the United States,” she said.

Nooyi asked international students to “avoid shady neighbourhoods” or venture out late, at night, or alone at night. 

Indra Nooyi’s message comes amid a string of troubling cases pertaining to the safety and security of Indian students in the US. Since the beginning of this year, several cases of deaths among Indian and Indian-origin students have been reported.