Francesca Orsini: Why was UK Hindi Scholar Denied Entry to India?

The arrival of Francesca Orsini, a respected scholar of Hindi and South Asian literature from the UK’s SOAS, University of London, was cut short on Monday when she was denied entry and deported from New Delhi. Airports officials reportedly cited violations of her visa regulations as the basis for her exclusion and placement on the government’s ‘black list’. Sources within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) indicated that Orsini has been subject to this blacklisting since March, stemming from alleged contraventions of her tourist visa stipulations. This measure is presented as a standard response to visa condition breaches, in line with international practices. Orsini, an Italian scholar, possesses a profound academic history with Hindi and Urdu literature, having completed significant parts of her education in India at institutions such as the Central Institute of Hindi and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Her scholarly output, including seminal works on the Hindi public sphere and popular literature, has significantly advanced the study of South Asian culture. While in India for research and personal connections, Orsini was not slated to attend any official academic events. Her deportation has been met with sharp condemnation from various Indian commentators and academics, who decry the action as a sign of governmental insecurity and a blow to intellectual openness.