Who is Francesca Orsini, the JNU and London University scholar denied entry at Delhi airport?

A UK-based academic, Francesca Orsini, was on Monday denied entry into India at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Orsini, Professor Emerita at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, was reportedly deported upon her arrival from Hong Kong. According to unnamed officials familiar with the matter, Orsini was travelling on a tourist visa and had violated its conditions. According to media reports, Orsini said she held a valid visa but was not allowed to enter India and was sent back to Hong Kong. Literary historian with a focus on multilingualism in South Asia Francesca Orsini is an Italian scholar who specialises in South Asian literature, particularly Hindi and Urdu. She holds a PhD from SOAS, University of London, where she retired as Pr