Who Is Nitasha Kaul, The Indian-Origin Professor Denied Entry Into India From The UK?

Nitasha Kaul, a UK-based professor of Indian origin at the University of Westminster, claimed that she had been denied entry into India and was sent back to London from the Bengaluru airport, on Sunday.

It was stated that her denial of entry was based on "orders from Delhi". Nitasha Kaul had reportedly been invited by the Karnataka government to participate as a speaker in the two-day 'Constitution and National Unity Convention - 2024' organized on February 24 and 25.

Case of Indian-origin UK-based professor Kaul

It was alleged by Nitasha Kaul that she was refused entry due to her opinions on "democratic and constitutional values". Additionally, references to her earlier criticism of the RSS were reportedly made by airport officials, as reported by Hindustan Times.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Indian-origin professor expressed her experience, stating, "I was given no reason by immigration except 'we cannot do anything, orders from Delhi'." She further mentioned that her travel and logistics had been arranged by Karnataka, and she possessed the official letter for participation. However, she received no prior notice from Delhi regarding the denial of entry.

Detailing her ordeal, she described spending 12 hours in a flight from London to Bangalore, followed by several hours at immigration where she received no information on the process. Subsequently, she spent 24 hours in a holding cell under direct CCTV surveillance with restricted movement and limited access to amenities like food and water. Despite making numerous calls to the airport for basic necessities like a pillow and blanket, she claimed they were refused. Finally, she endured another 12-hour flight back to London.

Emphasizing her stance, she clarified, "I am not anti-India but anti-authoritarian and pro-democracy." She highlighted her global reputation as an academic and public intellectual advocating for liberal democratic values, gender equity, challenging misogyny, sustainability, civil and political liberties, and the rule of law, citing decades of work in support of her position.

Who is Nitasha Kaul?

Nitasha Kaul is a professor of politics, international relations, and critical interdisciplinary studies at the University of Westminster in London. She holds a BA Honours in economics from SRCC, Delhi University, and a masters in Economics with a specialisation in Public Policy, along with a Joint Ph.D. in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Hull, UK (2003).

From 2002 to 2007, she was employed as an assistant professor of economics at the Bristol Business School. In 2010, an associate professorship in creative writing at the Royal Thimphu College in Bhutan was held by her, reported Hindustan Times.

Additionally, Kaul is recognized as a novelist, writer, and poet. Her first book, a scholarly monograph on economics and philosophy titled 'Imagining Economics Otherwise: encounters with identity/difference' (Routledge, 2007), was authored by her. She also served as the co-editor of a special Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) volume in 2018 on 'Women and Kashmir'.

Furthermore, she co-edited 'Can you Hear Kashmiri Women Speak? Narratives of Resistance and Resilience' (Women Unlimited, 2020) and provided expert testimony as an academic at the US Congress on Kashmir and Human Rights following the 2019 revocation of autonomy for the region.