Two A&T students were killed in an automobile accident Saturday, March 8, as they and four other international students headed to Orlando, Fla., on spring break, according to a South Carolina Highway Patrol report.

While traveling on Interstate 26 in South Carolina in a 2003 Dodge Caravan, the driver, Kollipara Srinivas, lost control of the van. Harsha Sri-aravind Rayadurgam and Mani N.R. Matlapudi, both from India, were thrown from the vehicle and were reportedly not wearing seatbelts.

The surviving passengers in the van were Umadevi Kallemprudi, Gayathri Sridharan and Sairavikrishna B. Theegala.

Rayadurgam, 24, was a graduate student majoring in electrical engineering and Matlapudi, 24, was a graduate student majoring in plant and soil science. She was expected to complete her master’s degree in May.

Rayadurgam was working for the Center of Power and Electronics Systems. He researched electro thermal modeling of IPEM’s.

Dr. Marwan Bikdash, Harsha’s advisor, remembered the hard working student.

“He was very intellectual and worked very hard,” Bikdash said. “His personality was always sunny and he was always friendly and respectful.”

Matlapudi was recently researching “Nutrient Dynamics in Integrated Animal and Cropping System” with Dr. G.B. Reddy.

“She was a very bright student”, said Dr. G.B. Reddy. “The department will miss her bright smile and her presents in the department.”

She wanted to fulfill her father’s dreams of getting a doctoral degree in biotechnology and was recently inducted into the Ph. D. program. She had just been accepted the Friday before spring break.

Rayadurgam was known for her interest in culture in dance and painting. Some of her work can be viewed at the website www.telugupeople.com.

The international student affairs office says they will deeply miss her.

“Every time she came in the office she would have a positive attitude and a smile on her face,” said Loreatha Graves, intern director of international students.

“She was sincere and had a big heart. She was always a friendly, open and exciting person,” Graves added.

Funeral services for Rayadurgam were held on March 12 and March 13 for Matlapudi, both by Forbis & Dick Funeral Homes Inc.

Memorial services took place in the Student Union Ballroom March 27 where prayer, songs of consolation, and personal testimonials took place during the service while attendants fought back tears and emotions.

A close friend of the two students, Suresh Adhikesavan, recalled their close friendship and how much he will miss his beloved friend.

“They were my neighbors. We spent a lot of time together and we use to go out bowling together, eat together, laugh and joke around together. Now everything is has changed. I don’t see them anymore,” said Adhikesavan, fighting back tears. “It has been almost two weeks since they have been gone. I know it is time to move on but it is hard to do,” Adhikesavan added.

Audley Darmand, president of the International Student Association, strives to keep their memory alive.

“I try not to get sad about it because they would not want us to remember them that way, but want us to remember the good times and to keep them alive in our memory,” Darmand said.