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Sunayana Dumala launches scholarship in memory of her husband who was killed in Kansas racist attack
On March 10, Kuchibhotla’s birthday, the scholarship, which is inspired by the meaning of his name—Sri (light) and Nivas (house), was launched to reflect his enduring spirit as a guiding light for others.
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Ishani Duttagupta - Sun, 15, Mar 2026
- 00:24 EDT
- 9
Sunayana Dumala / Courtesy: Ishani Duttagupta
Sunayana Dumala, whose husband Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed in a racist attack by a gunman in Olathe, Kansas, on Feb. 22, 2017, has recently launched a scholarship to honor her late husband’s life and the “light he brought to those around him."
Making the announcement about the Lighthouse Legacy Scholarship on social media, through the Forever Welcome Foundation, which she launched in 2023, Dumala said that on her late husband's 42nd birthday, the foundation was proud to share something that continues his light.
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“Beginning this year, the program will award five $1,000 scholarships to students across the United States who demonstrate determination to overcome challenges while pursuing higher education or trade school as a pathway toward economic prosperity.”
Dumala, who relocated from the home that she and Kuchibhotla had shared in Kansas to start afresh in Orlando, Florida, has set up the Forever Welcome Foundation that works towards fostering inclusion and diversity in America. “The foundation is working towards fostering inclusion and diversity in the US through education and understanding,” Dumala had said in an interview.
Sunayana Dumala with her husband Srinivas Kuchibhotla / Courtesy: Ishani DuttaguptaOn March 10, Kuchibhotla’s birthday, the scholarship, which is inspired by the meaning of his name—Sri (light) and Nivas (house), was launched to reflect his enduring spirit as a guiding light for others. “On a day that would have marked his birthday, we are grateful to carry his light forward by supporting the dreams and futures of others,” Dumala said. Applications for the scholarship open on March 15.
Dumala, who grew up in a humble middle-class family in Hyderabad, Telangana, had married Kuchibhotla in 2012, after a six-year courtship. She worked as a database developer/data integration engineer while her husband pursued a career as an aviation systems engineer with Garmin.
They bought a home in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe and were looking to start a family. After her husband was shot to death at a local tavern when a gunman walked in and yelled, "Get out of my country," Dumala began a new journey as an advocate for fighting discrimination and ignorance.
She established the nonprofit organization Forever Welcome, focused on increasing awareness about immigrants and their positive contributions. Forever Welcome works to facilitate dialogue to create understanding and more inclusive communities across the United States.
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