Renowned UK-Based Hindi Scholar Deported from Delhi Airport

Francesca Orsini, a celebrated professor of Hindi literature from SOAS, University of London, was denied entry into India and deported from Delhi airport despite holding a valid visa. Government sources stated she had been blacklisted in March 2025 for allegedly violating visa conditions during a previous visit by participating in academic activities on a tourist visa. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from prominent Indian academics and opposition figures, who condemned it as a blow to academic freedom and international scholarship.