Visa is a privilege and not a right, but when a scientist that is invited by Smithsonian is refused visa then the host country has some explaining to do.
Biologist Faiyaz Khudsar, PhD was the only person in a delegation of 11 that didn’t get visa for travelling to the United States.
He is not sitting quietly and has contacted Indian ministers to argue his case. Here is a copy of the letter that he wrote to the US Ambassador to India.
To,
Mr. Timothy J. Roemer
US Ambassador to IndiaDear Sir,
I would like to inform you something very unpleasant which actually heart me a lot. I am a scientist (wildlife biologist), working in a very ambitious project for Delhi “ Biodiversity Parks Programme” in University of Delhi.
I was selected for a “Training of the Trainer Program of Smithsonian Institution, Virginia focussed on tiger conservation which is one of the most importantant coservation issues in our coutry today. Part of this training program was delivered in India and final modules were scheduled to be held in Smithsonian Institution, Virginia, USA from 1st June 2010 to 15th June 2010. There were 25 persons selected from seven tiger range countries, in which 11 persons were from India.
I attended six weeks training program in India and subsequently scheduled to attend the rest at Smithsonian Institution, Virginia, USA.
Keeping in view the formalities involved I applied for a visa with United States Embassy, New Delhi well in advance on 07 April 2010 via confirmation no. AA0008H46B and was interviewed on 05 May 2010 in New Delhi. After the interview, I was informed that I would be getting visa but it will take some time for administrative processing. When I requested that my scheduled departure for Smithsonian is 01 June 2010, I was assured by the embassy that visa will be sent to me before the departure date and given a case no. 2010125-838-1. But unfortunately I kept waiting and didn’t hear anything regarding my visa till date.
When I did not receive visa till 2nd week of June 2010, I requested US embassy, New Delhi to send my passport back which I received on 19th June 2010 without assigning any reason for none processing of visa. .
I wonder when 10 people out of 11 from India were given visa for the same invitation from Smithsonian Institution, why I was not given visa. I therefore, request you to please let me know the reason behind non-processing of my visa application.
Sincerely,
Faiyaz A. Khudsar, Ph.D.
Scientist Incharge
Yamuna Biodiversity Park
CEMDE, School of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi
Delhi-110007
[Photo of Dr. Khudsar: DelhiGreens.com
It is sad on the part of the rejection of visa. Invariably the experience of many aspirants who want to to to usa, is that embassy official in the location does most of the decision. Invariably they are whimsical and very prejudiced. However once the decision is made, the organization tries to defend the decision of the individual at the end of the organization.
I know a case where they rejected a old lady who was going to see his cousin children and she is wealthy and has no business to stay. Personally, till now, i have not tried any visa business in USA because of their extreme prejudicial look at the third world country citizens.
And further with the incidence in time square, the intelligentia is talking about middle class violence. Till last year india, inspite of having large number of muslim had never been vindicated for any violence abroad in the name of religion or caste but for the case of a guy based out of bangalore.
India has got its own discriminatory behaviour. One of my srilankan colleague was mentioning that the srilankan are asked to wait back for hours in chennai airport without assigning any reason and he will neither land or leave India through chennai airport.
Hope it was some silly American procedure and not religious discrimation that was responsible for this. By the way, it would have interesting to know if the lot which got the visa included any muslims.