Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Free world: On the deportation of Francesca Orsini

Free world: On the deportation of Francesca Orsini

India should be more welcoming (स्वागतयोग्य, आतिथ्यपूर्ण) of foreign scholars (विद्वान, पंडित) and experts

The free movement of people and ideas is integral (अभिन्न, आवश्यक) to a globalised world. But India continues to send out conflicting (परस्पर-विरोधी) signals on this count (इस कारण से, इस दृष्टिकोण से). On the one hand (एक ओर) it wants to welcome technology, capital and know-how (तकनीकी जानकारी) from all corners of the world (from all parts of the world) but on the other, it is also trying to insulate (protect, guard, shield, provide protection for, safeguard, defend, isolate, detach) itself, feeling insecure (असुरक्षित, आत्मविश्वासहीन) about an alleged (कथित, अनुमानित) global conspiracy (साज़िश, षड्यंत्र) against it. The deportation (निर्वासन) of Francesca Orsini, a scholar of Hindi and South Asian literature and professor emerita (retired female professor retaining her rank as an honor; honorary, retired) at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London, from Delhi airport on October 20, 2025 has to be seen in this context (प्रसंग, संदर्भ). She held a valid five-year e-tourist visa but was blacklisted (प्रतिबंधित करना) in March 2025 for violation (उल्लंघन, भंग) of visa conditions. Ms. Orsini had allegedly (कथित रूप से) engaged in (to take part in or be involved in an activity; participate in, involve in, take part in) academic activities during a visit in October 2024, which were, technically, a violation of the terms of her tourist visa. Her influential (powerful, significant, effective) work, The Hindi Public Sphere 1920-1940: Language and Literature in the Age of Nationalism, has significantly contributed to the understanding of Indian literary (relating to literature or books) and cultural history. She is one among the many foreign scholars who have devoted (to give one’s time, effort, or energy to something; dedicate, commit, apply) their lives to researching and writing on various aspects of India. The argument about violations may well be true, but also evident is the arbitrariness (the quality of being “determined by personal chance, whim (desire), or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle”; irregularity, changeability, inconstancy, fickleness, volatility) in deportation decisions. Foreign business leaders visiting India routinely make political statements praising the government, which can be termed a violation of visa conditions.

Those who see themselves as guardians (protector or defender of something; protector, custodian, defender) of India’s national security will have to think hard on the cost (concerning negative consequences or loss) and benefits of restricting the entry of international scholars into the country. Many people associated with the ideological (relating to a system of ideas or beliefs) ecosystem of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party believe that there is an international conspiracy to influence (to have effect on someone or something; affect, sway, impact) the thinking of Indians. This thought is reflected (express, or represent; indicate, demonstrate, reveal) in policy actions that restrict non-governmental organisations and scholars. There are various forces globally at play (active or having effect in a situation; operating, influencing, involved) at any given (particular, specific) point, some favouring (to support or prefer; support, prefer, back) India, and some not. While the country must have a strategy (plan of action (in order to achieve a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests)) to harness (to control and make use of effectively; put to use, employ, utilize, exploit, channel) the forces that help it and counter (to act against or oppose; resist, oppose, combat) those that do not, it cannot do this by fencing itself in. In Ms. Orsini’s case, there is nothing beyond the claim (statement that something is true; assertion, affirmation, allegation, contention) that she violated (to break or fail to follow a rule or law; breach, infringe, disobey) visa conditions, To begin with (used to introduce the first point; firstly, at the start, initially), visa conditions should be more welcoming of scholars, scientists and experts. It is also relevant in this context that there are several global leaders in many fields (area of study, work, or interest; discipline, domain, area) who are of Indian origin but are citizens of another country. A country that feels threatened by authors, scientists and thinkers will have little chance of realising its full potential (possibility, potentiality, promise, capability, capacity). Open societies have their vulnerabilities (weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility); but trying to fix them by turning into a closed society will stunt (to limit or slow growth or development; hinder, restrict, impede) progress without necessarily (inevitably, not always optional; inevitably, automatically, certainly) enhancing security.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.deportation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निर्वासन
English Meaning - expulsion, expelling, banishment, expatriation, exile, eviction, extradition, expatriation, repatriation; removal, dismissal.

2.welcoming (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्वागतयोग्य, आतिथ्यपूर्ण
English Meaning - friendly, affable, amicable, affectionate, pleasant, gracious, cordial, warm-hearted, neighbourly, wholehearted, hospitable.

3.scholar (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विद्वान, पंडित
English Meaning - academic, intellectual, learned person, expert.

4.integral (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अभिन्न, आवश्यक
English Meaning - essential, fundamental, basic, requisite, necessary, intrinsic, inherent.

5.conflicting (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - परस्पर-विरोधी
English Meaning - opposing, competing, disputing, opposed.

6.on this count (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - इस कारण से, इस दृष्टिकोण से
English Meaning - for this reason, in this regard, in this respect, on this point, in this context, on this topic, on this issue, on this matter.

7.on the one hand (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - एक ओर
English Meaning - it is used to introduce the first of two contrasting different, points, facts, or ways of looking at something. It is always followed later by “on the other hand” or ‘on the other’.

8.know-how (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तकनीकी जानकारी
English Meaning - knowledge, expertise, skill.

9.insecure (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - असुरक्षित, आत्मविश्वासहीन
English Meaning - lacking confidence, vulnerable, unconfident, self-effacing, unforthcoming, weak, vulnerable, feeble, fragile, unsound.

10.alleged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कथित, अनुमानित
English Meaning - stated without proof; supposed, reported, speculated, assumed, suspected, ostensible, purported, claimed, presumed.

11.conspiracy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - साज़िश, षड्यंत्र
English Meaning - (unlawful) plan/plot, intrigue, collaboration/deception, collusion.

12.context (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रसंग, संदर्भ
English Meaning - circumstances or background of an event; setting, situation, environment

13.blacklist (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंधित करना
English Meaning - ban, bar, prohibit, dismiss, reject, rule out.

14.violation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन, भंग
English Meaning - breach, contravention, infringement, breaking, non-observance.

15.allegedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कथित रूप से
English Meaning - reportedly, supposedly, purportedly, ostensibly, apparently.

16.engage in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to take part in or be involved in an activity; participate in, involve in, take part in.

17.send out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - give out, release, deliver, issue, transmit.

18.count (noun)

English Meaning - a point for discussion or consideration.

19.all corners of the world (phrase)

English Meaning - from all parts of the world.

20.insulate (verb)

English Meaning - protect, guard, shield, provide protection for, safeguard, defend, isolate, detach.

21.Emerita (noun/adjective)

English Meaning - retired female professor retaining her rank as an honor; honorary, retired.

22.The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) (noun)

English Meaning - a public research university that specializes in the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Founded in 1916, it is the only higher education institution in the UK focused on these regions and is a constituent college of the federal University of London.

23.held past tense/past participle of hold (verb)

English Meaning - to possess or have.

24.influential (adjective)

English Meaning - powerful, significant, effective.

25.literary (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to literature or books.

26.devote (verb)

English Meaning - to give one’s time, effort, or energy to something; dedicate, commit, apply.

27.arbitrariness (noun)

English Meaning - the quality of being “determined by personal chance, whim (desire), or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle”; irregularity, changeability, inconstancy, fickleness, volatility.

28.guardian (noun)

English Meaning - protector or defender of something; protector, custodian, defender

29.on the cost (phrase)

English Meaning - concerning negative consequences or loss.

30.cost (noun)

English Meaning - loss. damage; disadvantage, penalty, sacrifice

31.ideological (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a system of ideas or beliefs.

32.ecosystem (noun)

English Meaning - complex situation/environment; system where different parts interact and depend on each other.

33.influence (verb)

English Meaning - to have effect on someone or something; affect, sway, impact

34.reflect (verb)

English Meaning - express, or represent; indicate, demonstrate, reveal.

35.at play (phrase)

English Meaning - active or having effect in a situation; operating, influencing, involved.

36.at any given point (phrase)

English Meaning - at any particular moment; at any time, in any instance, at a moment.

37.given (adjective)

English Meaning - particular, specific.

38.favour (verb)

English Meaning - to support or prefer; support, prefer, back.

39.strategy (noun)

English Meaning - plan of action (in order to achieve a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests).

40.harness (verb)

English Meaning - to control and make use of effectively; put to use, employ, utilize, exploit, channel.

41.counter (verb)

English Meaning - to act against or oppose; resist, oppose, combat.

42.fence oneself in/fence in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to limit or isolate oneself; confine, restrict, isolate.

43.claim (noun)

English Meaning - statement that something is true; assertion, affirmation, allegation, contention.

44.violate (verb)

English Meaning - to break or fail to follow a rule or law; breach, infringe, disobey.

45.to begin with (phrase)

English Meaning - used to introduce the first point; firstly, at the start, initially.

46.field (noun)

English Meaning - area of study, work, or interest; discipline, domain, area.

47.potential (noun)

English Meaning - possibility, potentiality, promise, capability, capacity.

48.open society (noun)

English Meaning - society encouraging freedom, diversity, and exchange of ideas; liberal society, democratic society.

49.vulnerability (noun)

English Meaning - weakness, defencelessness, unprotectedness, susceptibility.

50.stunt (verb)

English Meaning - to limit or slow growth or development; hinder, restrict, impede.

51.necessarily (adverb)

English Meaning - inevitably, not always optional; inevitably, automatically, certainly.

52.enhance (verb)

English Meaning - to improve or make better; improve, strengthen.