Between 2024 and 2025, a wave of pro-Palestine activism by Indians abroad has drawn global attention, sparking debates on free speech, academic freedom, and political accountability. From university campuses in the United States to red carpets in Europe and even the tightly regulated streets of Singapore, Indian-origin students, artists, and professionals have voiced solidarity with Gaza in diverse and often controversial ways. Their actions ranging from fiery speeches and essays to symbolic gestures and disruptive protests have not only highlighted the intensity of global outrage over the Israel-Palestine conflict but also triggered sharp institutional and political responses. In this report, we compile 10 such instances.
#1 Filmmaker Anuparna Roy Voices Support for Palestine at Venice Film Festival
At the 82nd Venice Film Festival on 7 September 2025, Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy made headlines by using her Best Director acceptance speech to express solidarity with Palestine. Hailing from Purulia in West Bengal, Roy declared that every child deserves peace and freedom, including those in Palestine. Acknowledging her words could upset her country, she said it “doesn’t matter anymore.”
The remarks were widely reported in India and abroad, sparking heated debate on whether cultural platforms should be used for political statements. The filmmaker’s bold stance has since gone viral, drawing both praise and criticism on social media.
#2 MIT Bans Indian-American Student Megha Vemuri After Pro-Palestine Speech
On 29 May 2025, MIT’s Class of 2025 President Megha Vemuri, an Indian American student, was banned from the graduation ceremony after a fiery pro-Palestine speech. Addressing peers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she accused MIT of maintaining ties with Israel’s military, which she linked to atrocities against Palestinians. Vemuri said MIT was complicit in attempts to “wipe Palestine off the face of the earth.”
MIT’s class president, Megha Vemuri, spent her graduation speech bashing Israel.
Then President Sally Kornbluth spoke immediately after and oh boy was that awkward. pic.twitter.com/PjsBNEQxmy
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) May 29, 2025
#3 Georgetown Scholar Badar Khan Suri Arrested Amid Pro-Palestine Activity
On March 20, 2025, Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center, was arrested outside his Virginia home on charges of promoting Hamas propaganda under the guise of pro-Palestine activism. Married to a U.S. citizen from Gaza, Suri had been vocal about Gaza’s plight through academic and online forums. U.S. authorities accused him of spreading extremist content, triggering deportation proceedings. His arrest has sparked criticism from civil liberties groups, who argue that dissent is being criminalised. Supporters insist his work was academic in nature, while detractors view it as a front for radical propaganda.
#4 Columbia Student Ranjani Srinivasan Self-Deports After Visa Revocation
On 15 March 2025, Columbia University doctoral student Ranjani Srinivasan left the U.S. after her visa was revoked over alleged support for pro-Palestine protests. The Indian-origin student in urban planning had participated in campus demonstrations against Israel’s actions in Gaza. U.S. authorities accused her of supporting Hamas, a claim she denied. Facing deportation, she voluntarily self-deported on 11 March 2025. Her case has drawn widespread attention as part of a broader crackdown on campus activism in the U.S.
#5 MIT Scholar Prahlad Iyengar Suspended Over Pro-Palestine Essay
In December 2024, MIT suspended Indian-origin PhD scholar Prahlad Iyengar for publishing a controversial essay titled On Pacifism in the student journal Written Revolution. The piece featured images linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a designated terror group, and language that officials said “could be interpreted as a call for violent protests.” MIT barred Iyengar from campus, sparking a debate over the boundaries of academic freedom. While some defended Iyengar’s right to express dissent, others said he crossed into glorification of violence.
#6 Actress Kani Kusruti Shows Solidarity with Palestine at Cannes 2024
At the Cannes Film Festival on 24 May 2024, Indian actress Kani Kusruti made a symbolic statement of solidarity with Palestine by carrying a clutch shaped like a sliced watermelon. The fruit has become a global emblem of the Palestinian cause due to its resemblance to the Palestinian flag’s colors. Kusruti, attending the screening of her film, instantly drew global media attention. While some lauded her courage, others accused her of politicising the red carpet. She later faced trolling online but defended her gesture as an act of conscience. The Cannes spotlight amplified the visibility of her protest worldwide.
#7 Shruthi Kumar Speaks for Pro-Palestine Students at Harvard
On 13 May 2024, Shruthi Kumar, an Indian-origin student from Harvard University’s Class of 2024, publicly criticised the institution during its commencement ceremony for barring 13 classmates from graduating due to pro-Palestine protests. Addressing the audience, Kumar said she could not celebrate while her friends and their families suffered injustice.
“Solidarity is not dependent on what we know”: In Harvard graduation speech, Indian American student, Shruthi Kumar, stands with Gaza, pro-Palestine protesters
Watch: pic.twitter.com/FE185WFUEq
— Maktoob (@MaktoobMedia) May 28, 2024
#8 Indian Student Leads ‘Azadi’ Chants for Palestine at Columbia
On 21 April 2024, an Indian student at Columbia University became the face of viral campus protests by leading chants of “Azadi” (freedom) for Palestine. Videos showed her shouting slogans such as “Palestine ki Azadi” and “Chheen ke lenge, Azadi” during mass demonstrations.
An Indian student leads the chants demanding freedom for Palestine at Columbia University. pic.twitter.com/ygkfsisUqo
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) April 21, 2024
#9 Microsoft Engineer Vaniya Agrawal Protests Gaza War at Company Event
On 6 April 2025, Indian-origin Microsoft engineer Vaniya Agrawal disrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration in Redmond, Washington, by accusing its leadership of enabling Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Addressing tech giants including Bill Gates and Satya Nadella, she alleged Microsoft’s AI technologies were being used to “murder 50,000 Palestinians.”
#10 Indian Woman Charged in Singapore for Pro-Palestine Procession
On 1 June 2024, 35-year-old Indian woman Annamalai Kokila Parvathi was formally charged in Singapore for organising a pro-Palestine procession without a permit earlier that year. Despite the city-state’s strict protest laws, she and two others led a march to express solidarity with Gaza. Authorities imposed additional bail conditions, though the court later allowed her to visit her grandparents in Kerala after posting an extra SGD 10,000. The case underscores Singapore’s zero-tolerance stance on unauthorised protests.
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