ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
India-origin engineer succumbs to Valley Fever in California
37-year-old Chiranjeevi Kolla is survived by his wife, Pavani Marella, and their 5-year-old son, Vihan.
-
Jeffin T. Kaleekal - Sun, 10, May 2026
- 01:42 EDT
- 20
Chiranjeevi Kolla / Chiranjeevi Kolla via X
An Indian-American engineer, Chiranjeevi Kolla, passed away in California after a 30 day battle with Valley Fever, on May 5, his family said via a fundraiser.
37-year-old Kolla, was admitted to Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek, California, with Valley Fever and subsequent respiratory failure.
In early April, Kolla was hospitalized after what initially appeared to be a routine flu rapidly worsened. He was first diagnosed with severe pneumonia, but further tests revealed he was suffering from Valley Fever, a fungal infection caused by the Coccidioides organism commonly found in California’s soil.
Valley Fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal infection caused by inhaling spores of the Coccidioides fungus found in the soil of certain arid regions, particularly the southwestern United States.
ALSO READ: ICE arrests Indian nationals convicted in U.S. cases
Most people exposed to the fungus experience no symptoms or mild flu-like illness, but in some cases it can lead to severe pneumonia and lung complications, especially among those with weakened immune systems.
The infection severely affected Kolla’s lungs in this case. He was intubated and placed on a ventilator. However, the lung condition worsened over time.
Kolla is survived by his wife, Pavani Marella, and their 5-year-old son, Vihan.
Talking about Kolla, his cousin Rama Koteswara Rao, who set up the fundraiser, said, “If you knew Chiranjeevi, you already know what we lost. He was the kind of person who never raised his voice, never cut a corner, and never made anyone feel small.”
Rao continued, “He gave the very best of himself to two things: the company he worked for, and the family he came home to. Everyone who worked with him respected him. Everyone who knew him loved him.”
Rao’s fundraising attempts seek to ease the family’s woes after the demise of its sole bread-winner.
Rao noted that Kolla’s wife, Marella, will use the donations for the funeral and final rites in California and India, along with hospital out-of-pocket costs from a 30-day ICU and ventilator stay, twelve months of living expenses for her and their 5-year-old son Vihan and a 529 college fund for Vihan in his father's name along with a small reserve for estate and administrative paperwork.
Kola was a Lead Engineer at apree health in San Francisco Bay Area for the past three years. Before joining apree health, he was associated with Bay area-based Castlight Health for seven years. He has also held several positions in Hyderabad, India, till 2019, before moving to California.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login