Devarshi Deka, an Indian international student who was left paraplegic following an alleged attack in Hobart, has been granted permanent residency in Australia. Late on Sunday, outgoing Immigration Minister Andrew Giles approved the visa, a decision that brought immense relief to Mr Deka and his supporters.
Rick Kaushik, a friend and advocate for Mr. Deka, shared the emotional moment on social media. “Dev was so happy … he was in tears. And now he doesn’t have to go back to India, his care can be taken care of,” Mr Kaushik said.
He added, “I was just with his family … it’s been a struggle. It was not easy. It tested every bit of everybody involved in this process. We had to work really, really hard, but at the end, we did get the result.”
The announcement came just an hour after Mr Deka’s student visa expired. Mr Kaushik recounted the moment the news arrived.
“His parents cried out really loud, they were thanking him [the government officer], thanking the government,”
he said.
Mr Deka, a 33-year-old University of Tasmania student, was placed in an induced coma last November following an alleged assault during a night out with friends in Hobart. Upon waking months later, he was found to have lost significant brain function, was gradually losing his sight, and was unlikely to walk again.
Since the incident, Mr Deka has been receiving care at Hobart’s repatriation hospital. However, his family and friends were deeply concerned about his future, particularly given that his student visa did not grant access to Centrelink or the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The fear was that without these supports, returning to India might be his only option.
Rick Kaushik led efforts to secure Mr Deka’s permanent residency, including raising funds through crowdfunding and advocating through a community campaign.
“In the last few weeks, things have moved very quickly. They (the department) have asked for documents from Dev … for the ministerial intervention,” Mr Kaushik explained.
The campaign saw support from various quarters, including Tasmanian Labor MP Josh Willie and Greens MP Helen Burnett.
Minister Giles had sought a briefing on visa options for Mr Deka in June, and in what appeared to be one of his final acts as Immigration Minister, he granted the visa via ministerial intervention.
“This is not just a visa, it’s an entire life,” Mr. Kaushik emphasised.
“They’ve actually given him a second life by keeping him here and giving him the care he deserves.”
The decision to grant permanent residency to Mr Deka underscores the importance of compassion and support for those in vulnerable positions. As Mr. Kaushik poignantly noted, this move by the federal government is about more than legal status; it’s about giving someone a chance at a better quality of life.
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