Cheistha Kochhar, An Ex-NITI Aayog Employee Dies in London Accident

In a tragic incident, Cheistha Kochhar, a 33-year-old Indian student and former NITI Aayog employee, was killed in a road accident in London last week. Cheistha Kochhar, who was pursuing her PhD at the London School of Economics, was cycling back to her home when she was hit by a garbage truck on March 19.

Cheistha Kochhar had previously worked with the public policy think-tank NITI Aayog in India. Amitabh Kant, the former CEO of NITI Aayog, shared the news of her untimely death in an online post. He remembered Cheistha Kochhar as a bright, brilliant, and brave individual who was always full of life. “She worked with me on the #LIFE programme in @NITIAayog. She was in the #Nudge unit and had gone to do her PhD in behavioural science at #LSE. Passed away in a terrible traffic incident while cycling in London. Gone away too early. RIP,” wrote Mr Amitabh Kant.

Cheistha Kochar worked with me on the #LIFE programme in @NITIAayog She was in the #Nudge unit and had gone to do her Ph.D in behavioural science at #LSE
Passed away in a terrible traffic incident while cycling in London. She was bright, brilliant & brave and always full of… pic.twitter.com/7WyyklhsTA

— Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) March 23, 2024

At the time of the accident, Cheistha Kochhar’s husband, Prashant, was cycling ahead of her. He rushed to her aid, but unfortunately, she died on the spot. Her father, Lt Gen SP Kochhar (retired), who is currently in London to collect her body, shared a link on LinkedIn for friends and acquaintances to post testimonials and memories of her.

“I am still in London trying to collect the remains of my daughter, Cheistha Kochhar. She was run over by a truck on 19 Mar while cycling back from LSE, where she was doing her PhD. It has devastated us and her large circle of friends,” he wrote.

Before moving to London in September to pursue her PhD in organizational behaviour management at the London School of Economics, Kochhar lived in Gurugram, India. She had studied at Delhi University, Ashoka University, and the Universities of Pennsylvania and Chicago. From 2021 to 2023, she served as a senior advisor at the National Behavioural Insights Unit of India at NITI Aayog, according to her LinkedIn profile.

This tragic incident has left a void in the hearts of those who knew Cheistha Kochhar, and she will be deeply missed. Her contributions to the field of behavioural science and her vibrant spirit will be remembered by all.

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