Francesca Orsini Deported From Delhi Airport Despite Valid Visa | AI News Digest
Francesca Orsini, a respected Hindi scholar and professor emerita at SOAS, University of London, was reportedly barred from entering India when she arrived at Delhi Airport on October 21, despite possessing a valid five-year e-visa. Orsini, who had just participated in an academic conference in China, was told by immigration officials that she would be deported immediately, with no reason provided for the decision. This incident highlights a disturbing pattern, as she becomes the fourth foreign academic in recent years to encounter similar circumstances, igniting concerns over academic freedom in India. Scholars and experts have condemned the government's actions, arguing that these deportations indicate a growing atmosphere of insecurity and hostility toward foreign academics and dissenting opinions in the country.
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