Mysuru: A Mysuru-based entrepreneur shot dead his wife and child in the United States before taking his own life. The couple’s younger son, aged seven, survived by sheer luck, as he had stepped out of the house at the time of the incident.

Harsha Kikkeri, also known as Harshavardhan (57), CEO of ‘HoloWorld’ located in Vijayanagar Third Stage, Mysuru, committed the tragic act on Thursday night (US time), fatally shooting his wife Shwetha and one of their sons before turning the gun on himself.

According to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO), the incident occurred at a townhome in Newcastle, Washington. Deputies were called to the 7,000 Block of 129th Street following a 911 call. First responders found three people deceased inside the residence.

After securing the scene, deputies determined there was “no additional concern” for public safety. Law enforcement, while confirming an “open and active” investigation, has yet to officially disclose the manner of death.

News crews at the scene reported seeing a child being escorted from the home and comforted by investigators. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released the identities of the children.

Investigations are ongoing, and the exact reason behind the tragedy remains unknown. Police have not issued any further official statements.

A successful businessman

Originally hailing from Kikkeri village in K.R. Pet taluk, Mandya district, Harsha earned an engineering degree from Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE) in Mysuru. He later worked for several years at Microsoft in the United States (US), where he was involved in building robots.

After returning to India in 2017, Harsha and his wife Shwetha founded ‘HoloWorld,’ a robotics start-up in Mysuru. In 2018, the company developed ‘HoloSuit,’ the world’s first affordable, lightweight, bi-directional, wireless full-body motion capture suit, catering to industries such as sports, healthcare, education, entertainment and skill development.

While Shwetha served as Chairperson, Harsha was the CEO. The company’s products gained international demand, with exports to the US, UK and Israel. Former cricketer Yuvraj Singh was the brand ambassador for HoloWorld.

Harsha had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss deploying robots in sensitive border areas, envisioning them as 24×7, extreme, all-weather operational soldiers. As a member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Harsha had delivered lectures on robotics at entrepreneurial conferences in Mysuru.

Despite advancing successfully in his entrepreneurial journey, the reasons behind Harsha’s devastating act are yet to be uncovered through Police investigations.

Neighbours shocked

Neighbours described the family as friendly but reserved. “I only knew them in passing,”  Alex Gumina, President of the Home Owners Association, told news reporters. “We would exchange greetings, and I often saw the wife walking her children to school. She was super nice.”

Another neighbour said, “She was always cheerful and easy to talk to. Her younger son was very affectionate and would run up to hug me. We’ve heard of nothing even remotely close to this happening in this neighbourhood. What has happened is heartbreaking and beyond words.”

Neighbours said, they’re planning an event this weekend to come together as a community and commemorate the family.

Business began in 2018

The corporate headquarters of ‘HoloWorld’ — specifically its division ‘HoloEducation’ — is located at #970, Ganapathi Temple Road, opposite Nirmithi Kendra, Vijayanagar 3rd Stage, Mysuru. After establishing the company, Harsha couple had returned to  US. Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, the building owner said that the company began operations on the first floor of the building in 2018 and functioned well until 2022.

“After 2019, COVID pandemic struck, and the ‘HoloEducation’ setup closed in 2022. I have not heard from them since, and the premises have remained vacant. I do not have any of their contacts, and I heard about the tragedy only yesterday,” the building owner said. The incident has left the business community shocked. Many entrepreneurs, including Bhaskar Kalale, Chairman of EqualizeRCM – India and President of TiE Mysuru Chapter, have expressed their deepest condolences.