Ian Grillot, the 24-year-old man wounded while trying to save two Indian engineers from a racist shooter at a Kansas bar, was invited to visit India by the government.
In the February 22 incident, Grillot took two bullets from 51-year-old Adam Purinton, who targeted the engineers because he thought they were “Middle Eastern.” Of the two victims of the attack, Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed while Alok Madasani was injured.
Sustaining gunshots to the chest and hand, Grillot was immediately hospitalized and released on February 28. In a statement, the University of Kansas Health System said (via The Kansas City Star), “He has been through many hurdles since the shooting and still faces physician appointments and other critical meetings in the days ahead.”
Two days later, Grillot was invited by Indian diplomats to visit the country. Houston-based consul general Anupam Ray assured, “We will stand with you.”
Ray, together with consul RD Joshi and vice consul Harpal Singh, said Grillot’s “bravery and kindness speaks louder for and is more representative of America than the violence” that occurred.
Speaking for the whole of India, Ray said “they would celebrate Grillot and forever remember his actions,” The Hindustan Times reported.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj also commended Grillot in a tweet, “India salutes the heroism of Ian Grillot! Best wishes for a speedy recovery.”
For Grillot, who has been wanting to visit India, it seems now is the perfect time. He told The Hindustan Times previously:
“It’s the one place I always found very interesting growing up as a kid – the heritage and the culture. I’ve always wanted to take a journey there. I think I’ve found myself a good reason to go there now. So I’d definitely have to be making a trip there sometime in the near future.”
