HoloWorld Co-Founder Harshavardhan Kikkeri Shoots Wife, Teen Son Before Suicide In US; Second Son Survives

Harshavardhana S Kikkeri (57) allegedly shot dead his wife Shwetha Panyam (44) and their 14-year-old son before dying by suicide at their home in Newcastle, Washington, United States, on April 20.

According to reports, the couple’s other son escaped unharmed as he was not home at the time of the incident.

Police escorted the boy from the house, as per reports.

Authorities are still investigating what triggered Kikkeri to take such an extreme step.

Neighbours of the deceased described the family as friendly but reserved.

A tech entrepreneur from KR Pet Taluk in Mandya district, Harshavardhan S Kikkeri co-founded and led HoloWorld, a Mysuru-based robotics startup, with his wife as co-founder.

After establishing HoloWorld in 2017 upon their return to India, the business shut down in 2022 due to challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, leading Kikkeri to relocate to the US.

At the peak of his career, he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss robotics applications for border security.

A robotics expert, Kikkeri had previously worked at Microsoft while living in the US.

Published on: Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 08:55 PM IST