Political Desk: Ranjani Srinivasan has returned to India — not with a degree, but with disillusionment. A suitcase in hand, a shadow of regret on her face, and a lesson learned the hard way about the difference between “freedom of speech” and reckless activism.
An accomplished student on paper, Ranjani held a Fulbright scholarship, pursued a PhD in Urban Planning at Columbia University, and had academic stints at Harvard and CEPT University. But despite her education, she failed to recognize that student visas and public-funded institutions abroad come with expectations — and limits.
Ranjani assumed that the kind of unchecked activism seen in parts of India — open insults to religious groups, aggressive political slogans, and ideological extremism rewarded with political posts — would also be tolerated in the U.S.
That assumption backfired.
After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, there was hardly any reaction from student groups in American universities. But as soon as Israel responded with military action, protests began across many campuses. At Columbia University, one such protest — where Mohammed Khalil was actively involved — turned aggressive. Protesters took over Hamilton Hall without permission, damaged university property, and wrote slogans on the walls that many people called anti-Semitic.
America, however, draws a firmer line.
With Donald Trump back in office, the message was clear: “We will not allow our universities to become schools of fundamentalists.” Federal funding to Columbia — amounting to $500 million — was cut. Organizers faced legal action. And foreign students, including Ranjani, were given two choices: leave voluntarily or face prosecution. The U.S. government even launched a “self-deport” app to streamline the process.
Facing no real legal ground to stand on, Ranjani — along with over 40 others — packed up quietly and left.
At Delhi airport, she was overheard saying:
“There’s no country where people can bark more freely than in India.”
The question now is: In the name of progressivism, is India nurturing individuals who openly support terrorists?
What will India do with Ranjani now?
Will she be celebrated like a pickle on the shelf or punished with jail time?
A Message to all Students who go abroad to study
Let this also be a message for young Indian students, especially girls, who go abroad to study. Don’t get influenced by people like Mohammed Khalil, who hide behind the labels of ‘liberal’ or ‘secular’ but drag others into dangerous political activism. You’re there to build a career — not someone else’s ideology. If you lose focus and try to shine through controversial politics instead of your studies, you might end up like Ranjani Srinivasan — leaving the country with a deportation stamp and no degree in hand.
