US Fire Mishap Claims Life of Telugu Cyber Expert

Sahaja Reddy Udumala, a 24-year-old cybersecurity professional originally from Telangana, India, tragically died following a severe house fire at her residence in Albany, New York, on the morning of December 4. Udumala, who had moved to the US three years ago to pursue her Master's in Cybersecurity and had recently started working, suffered critical burn injuries in the blaze.

The fire broke out around 11 a.m. (US time) while Udumala was reportedly asleep. While two other occupants of the building escaped with minor injuries, Udumala sustained extensive burns. She was first treated at an Albany hospital before being transferred to a specialized burn center in New York, where she succumbed to her injuries after approximately 15 hours of treatment. The building reportedly housed several Telugu students.

Udumala's family, hailing from Jangaon district in Telangana, confirmed the devastating news. Her uncle, Udumala Bala, who serves as the Archbishop of Vizianagaram, has appealed to the Telangana government to provide assistance in repatriating her mortal remains to India. The family is currently receiving support from the Telugu community in the US during this difficult time.