In honour of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed in a hate crime, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback declared March 16 ‘Indian-American Appreciation Day’, Kansas City Star reported. “Kansas will remain committed to standing with the Indian community,” Brownback said at an event on Thursday.

Kuchibhotla was shot dead at a Kansas City bar on February 22 by a Navy veteran, Adam Purinton. His friends Alok Madasani and an American Ian Grillot were also shot at by Purinton. Eyewitnesses had heard the assailant shout “Get out of my country” before he started shooting at the men, who he had believed to be Arabs.

Brownback also invoked the Sanskrit mantra “Satyamev Jayate” before declaring March 16 as the Indian American Appreciation Day, PTI reported. He said Kansas will always reject any act of violence and hatred. “We will not let it [the incident] define us as people,” he added.

He thanked the Indian community for their “unique contribution” in making Kansas a “better place”. Grillot and Madasani were also present at the event. “It means a lot to all of us and we really appreciate it,” Madasani said.

On March 1, the White House had called the Kansas shooting an “act of racially motivated hatred” after the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed that it was a hate crime.

After Kuchibhotla’s murder, there have been at least two more cases of suspected hate crimes in the US. A store owner of Indian origin was found dead outside his residence in South Carolina days after the Kansas incident. In Seattle, a masked gunman shot a man from the Sikh community, shouting “go back to your own country” on Saturday.

On Friday, Delaware decided to proclaim April as ‘Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month’, reported The Indian Express. The State Assembly has passed a resolution to the effect. “We have fear mongering going on at the national level, and stereotyping…and all of that,” said Governor John Carney. “It is an embarrassment on America as a country.”