Aishwarya Thatikonda, a 26-year-old engineer who was killed in the shooting at a mall in Allen Texas, made a final journey back to India over the weekend.
According to NBC News, Thatikonda’s body was flown back to her loved ones Telangana, India, where she will cremated. Her family plans to hold a traditional Hindu funeral ceremony for her.
“The purpose of the funeral ceremony is to honor the body that hosted the soul in this birth,” Pandit Chandra Mouli, a Hindu priest based in Allen, told NBC News. “It also includes prayers for the soul until it attains its next birth.”
Thatikonda was one of nine people killed during a shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets on Saturday, May 6. According to FOX 4 News, family representative Ashok Kolla spent all day Sunday searching for her after her roommates told the family she did not come home. They learned that she was dead after checking with the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Thatikonda came to the U.S. to attend Eastern Michigan University and study engineering. She moved to Texas after graduation to start a job. Family and friends said she was building a life in the area.
“This young woman came from India to go to school for better education and seeking a better life,” Madhu Bommineni, president of the American Telugu Association, told NBC News. “And without a thought, she was at the mall and now her family is grieving their loss.”
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