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Ahmedabad, India — In an escalating crisis that underscores the vulnerabilities of the growing diaspora of Indian medical aspirants overseas, a distraught family from Ahmedabad has made an urgent appeal to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Their son, Dhvanit Rajdeep, a 23-year-old MBBS student studying at Caucasus International University in Tbilisi, Georgia, has been missing under highly mysterious circumstances since May 14, 2026.
The case has ignited widespread anxiety among thousands of Indian families who send their children abroad for medical education, casting a harsh spotlight on the regulatory, logistical, and psychological pressures faced by foreign medical graduates.
The Disappearance: A Timeline of Coercion and Extortion
Dhvanit Rajdeep, an academically sound student originally from the Viratnagar area of Ahmedabad, was in his ninth semester—the final stretch of his MBBS journey—when he vanished just hours before he was scheduled to board a flight back home.
According to his father, Dr. Mayur Rajdeep, who runs a clinic in Odhav, the family’s last contact with Dhvanit was a brief, 20-second phone conversation on May 14 at approximately 1:30 PM. The call abruptly disconnected mid-sentence, and Dhvanit’s mobile phone has remained switched off ever since.
Behind the sudden disappearance lies a troubling history of alleged criminal harassment, extortion, and confinement. In detailing the events to local representatives and media, the Rajdeep family alleged that Dhvanit had been facing relentless mental and physical intimidation from his paying guest (PG) landlord in Tbilisi, identified as an individual named Anil, along with an associate named Manya and a local Georgian citizen.
Dr. Rajdeep revealed that the landlord had systematically targeted Dhvanit—stealing his food, clothes, and financial allowances. When Dhvanit attempted to relocate to alternative housing, the landlord reportedly refused to return his security deposit, locked him in a room, and forcibly seized his phone.
Through digital financial transfers, the perpetrators allegedly extorted approximately $6,500 from the student’s accounts before releasing him. Fearing for his immediate safety, his parents immediately booked him a flight ticket back to India. Dhvanit had collected his passport and was purportedly en route to Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport when his phone went permanently dark.
From War Zones to Foreign Lands: The Displaced Medical Student
Dhvanit’s educational journey epitomizes the severe geopolitical disruptions that have destabilized the lives of thousands of Indian medical aspirants. He had initially enrolled in a Ukrainian medical university to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a physician. However, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, his education was abruptly halted.
Like thousands of others, he was evacuated back to India under stressful conditions before utilizing regulatory pathways to transition to Georgia.
Data from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) indicates that Dhvanit belongs to a specific cohort of displaced medicos: approximately 3,964 Indian medical students received placement under Academic Transfer Programs, while another 170 were accommodated under Academic Mobility Programs globally to save their academic years following the Ukraine conflict.
This multi-layered displacement—from India to Ukraine, back to India, and then to Georgia—exposes these young adults to compounded academic stress and environmental vulnerabilities, isolated from their traditional familial safety nets.
Diplomatic Mobilization and Institutional Inaction
Frustrated by what they describe as a absolute lack of cooperation from the local Georgian police and university administration, the Rajdeep family has mobilized multiple political and diplomatic channels.
Dhvanit’s elder brother, Mihir, has flown into Tbilisi from Canada to coordinate ground search operations. Locally, Ahmedabad West Member of Parliament (MP) Dinesh Makwana has formally intervened, escalating the case to the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
“The family suspects foul play occurring precisely while the student was on the phone,” MP Makwana stated, confirming that urgent diplomatic communications have been dispatched to the Indian Embassy in Tbilisi. Organizations like the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) have also petitioned the MEA, demanding daily updates on the investigation and structural support frameworks for the family.
The Broader Context: Why India’s Future Doctors Fly Out
This critical incident highlights broader vulnerabilities surrounding the estimated 1.2 million Indian students studying across various disciplines overseas. Georgia has rapidly emerged as a premier hub for Indian medical education. The attraction of Eastern European and Eurasian nations is driven by sharp socioeconomic realities:
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Socioeconomic Guardrails: Private medical seats in India can cost upwards of ₹80 lakh to ₹1 crore, making foreign universities—where total tuition fees often range between ₹25 lakh and ₹40 lakh—the only viable alternative for middle-class families.
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The Qualifying Bottleneck: With over 2 million students competing annually for limited government medical seats via the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), thousands are forced to look outward.
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Simplified Access: Educational consultancies heavily market Georgia, citing English-medium instruction, simplified entry requirements, and promotional claims of maintaining a “top-tier, low-crime environment.”
However, this case underscores a growing gap between promotional brochures and the ground reality of safety and regulatory oversight. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has repeatedly issued stringent advisories warning aspirants about foreign entities. Regulatory guidelines dictate that all foreign medical graduates must strictly comply with the Foreign Medical Graduate Licensure (FMGL) Regulations, which mandate a minimum 54-month course duration, an explicit English medium, and verified clinical clerkships in the host nation.
Public Health Implications: The Hidden Cost of Medical Migration
Beyond the legal and diplomatic dimensions, public health experts emphasize that international student safety is an urgent welfare issue. International medical students operate under a distinct matrix of psychological stressors:
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The Academic Pressure Cooker: Medical curricula are notoriously rigorous, and when combined with the pressure of clearing licensing exams back home (like the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination or NEXT), the cognitive load is immense.
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Acculturative Stress: Navigating foreign legal landscapes, language barriers, and distinct socio-cultural norms without immediate protection can lead to severe anxiety and systemic isolation.
The Government of India has established emergency safety nets, though their utilization remains under-promoted. Platforms like the MEA’s MADAD Portal allow real-time student grievance registration, while the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is structurally designated to provide emergency legal, board, and psychological counseling assistance to citizens in distress abroad. For internal psychological crises, the Ministry of Health’s Tele MANAS helpline (14416) offers 24/7 confidential mental support.
Public Health Guidelines for Families and Aspirants
As the search for Dhvanit Rajdeep continues, medical education analysts and public health bodies urge families to move away from relying solely on commercial education consultants and implement strict safety protocols before sending students abroad:
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Pre-Departure Registration: It is vital to register with the Indian Embassy or Consulate in the host nation and log details on the MEA MADAD portal prior to departure.
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Verification of Regulatory Compliance: Cross-verify that the foreign university strictly meets all current NMC FMGL regulations to prevent academic stagnation.
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Independent Accommodation Audits: Rely on verified institutional housing or perform independent safety checks on private rentals, avoiding isolated or unregulated paying guest facilities.
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Emergency Protocols: Ensure students are fully aware of local emergency telephone numbers, the location of the nearest Indian diplomatic mission, and maintain preset check-in times with family.
Medical Disclaimer
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making any health-related decisions or changes to your treatment plan. The information presented here is based on current research and expert opinions, which may evolve as new evidence emerges.
References
Primary Sources
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India Today. (2026, May 25). Ahmedabad medical student missing in Georgia for 12 days; family seeks PM’s help.
For a detailed video breakdown of the case details, family allegations, and the ongoing diplomatic efforts to locate the missing student, you can watch this India Today Group video report. This media report outlines the specific timeline of Dhvanit’s disappearance and explains the nature of the allegations raised by his father to the central authorities.
