Latest news with #MIT
Mint
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Mint
Indian-origin Megha Vemuri trolled after 'hijacking' MIT event with pro-Palestine speech: 'Rude, disrespectful'
Megha Vemuri, an American student of Indian origin and President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Class of 2025, is facing intense criticism on social media following a pro-Palestine speech delivered during her graduation ceremony. The remarks, made as part of her official address, have sparked massive debate online, drawing both support and condemnation. Among those criticising Vemuri is Israeli entrepreneur Ouriel Ohayon, CEO of a cryptocurrency firm, who posted a strongly worded message on X (formerly Twitter) condemning her comments. Ohayon took issue with Vemuri's denunciation of MIT's associations with Israel and her call for solidarity with Palestine. 'Make that b*tch famous. May she never find any career path and be humiliated for what she just did and did before that. Ps: Megha, if you really want to sound cool, work on your 'rrrrrhaazzzza' accent,' Ohayon wrote. He further shared a link to Vemuri's LinkedIn profile, which has since been deactivated. Political commentator Megyn Kelly also criticised Vemuri, accusing her of 'hijacking' the ceremony. She wrote, 'So this woman hijacks the MIT graduation to make the whole thing about her personal beliefs about Israel, any insult to the Jewish students or others in attendance be damned. Selfish, self-aggrandising, disrespectful & RUDE.' Imtiaz Mahmood added: 'This is what Harvard, MIT, Oxford, UCLA, and others are producing—woke zombies. Here is MIT's class president, Megha Vemuri, a brainwashed Hindu girl, giving her graduation speech bashing Israel.' A fourth user commented, 'You don't have to call her names. Trust me, her views are not reflections of Indians at large in the US or India. She is one of those woke types. We are equally pissed at her.' 'The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with. This means that Israel's assault on the Palestinian people is not only aided and abetted by our country, but our school,' Vemuri said during her address. According to a report by NBC News, MIT stated that the student's speech at the graduation ceremony differed from the version she had previously submitted to the university. As a result, she was barred from participating in the remainder of the event. "While that individual had a scheduled role at today's Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today's events," said university spokesperson Kimberly Allen. 'MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organisers and leading a protest from the stage, disrupting an important Institute ceremony,' Allen added.
Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Time of India
MIT bars Indian-American student from graduation commencement after pro-Palestine speech
Indian-American student Megha Vemuri was barred from attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) commencement ceremony on Friday after a speech in support of Palestine was delivered from the stage during an earlier event. Vemuri, who was scheduled to serve as the marshal for the graduation, was informed of the decision by MIT Chancellor Melissa Nobles on the morning of the ceremony, according to a report by the Boston Globe. 'Participation in Commencement activities is a privilege,' Nobles wrote in an email to Vemuri. 'You deliberately and repeatedly misled Commencement organizers. While we acknowledge your right to free expression, your decision to lead a protest from the stage, disrupting an important institute ceremony, was a violation of MIT's time, place and manner rules for campus expression.' The Boston Globe reported that Vemuri and her family were not allowed on campus for most of the day. Vemuri responded to the email, stating that her speech was indeed a protest but described the response by MIT as 'an overreach.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm An MIT spokesperson said in a statement that the institute stands by its decision to ban Vemuri from campus. The official also noted that the speech delivered 'was not the one that was provided by the speaker in advance.' (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) The incident drew protest from other students. During the commencement ceremony on Friday, Chancellor Nobles had to pause her speech due to chants from students opposing the decision to bar Vemuri. 'Excuse me, I respect that you have a message to send but this is not the time or place,' Nobles said. 'Today is about our graduates and their families. Please respect them and allow me to continue.' Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ Harvard holds commencement while facing pressure from Trump administration What is social media vetting? The new policy that could decide international students' futures in the US US to revoke visas of Chinese students linked to Chinese Communist Party or critical fields, Marco Rubio announces « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT In her speech on Thursday, Vemuri criticized MIT's ties with Israel , claiming the institute was 'directly complicit in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people.' She addressed the graduating class by saying, 'You have faced the obstacle of fear before and you turned it into fuel to stand up for what is right. You showed the world that MIT wants a free Palestine,' which was met with loud applause.
News18
an hour ago
- Politics
- News18
Indian-American MIT Student Deletes LinkedIn After Pro-Palestine Speech Stirs Row
Last Updated: In her speech, Megha Vemuri had condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and criticized MIT's research ties with the Israeli military Megha Vemuri, an Indian-American student and president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Class of 2025, has deactivated her LinkedIn profile following intense online backlash over her pro-Palestine speech during her graduation ceremony. In her speech, Vemuri had condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and criticized MIT's research ties with the Israeli military. She stated, 'The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with," suggesting that the university's affiliations contributed to the violence against Palestinians. Following the speech, Vemuri's LinkedIn profile was deactivated, with users on social media platforms noting its absence. One user on X, identified as Ouriel, shared screenshots of the link to her LinkedIn profile and wrote, 'Make that b*tch famous. May she never find any career path and be humiliated for what she just did and did before that ps: Megha if you really want to sound cool, work on your 'rrrrrhaazzzza" accent." Make that b*tch she never find any career path and be humiliated for what she just did and did before that ps: Megha if you really want to sound cool, work on your 'rrrrrhaazzzza" accent . — Ouriel 🇮🇱 (@OurielOhayon) May 30, 2025 Additionally, Ouriel shared a conversation with X's AI chatbot, Grok, where he inquired, 'Was Megha Vemuri banned from graduation ceremony today?" The AI responded affirmatively, stating that Vemuri was barred from attending the ceremony due to her deviation from the approved speech and alleged disruption. 'MIT Chancellor Melissa Nobles informed Vemuri via email that she and her family were barred from campus for most of Friday, citing that Vemuri 'deliberately and repeatedly misled Commencement organizers" and violated MIT's rules by leading a 'protest from the stage," disrupting the ceremony," it added. Vemuri, who wore a red keffiyeh during her address as a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, has not publicly commented on the deactivation of her LinkedIn profile. Additionally, MIT has not publicly responded to the content of her speech or the status of its research affiliations with Israeli institutions. Born and raised in Alpharetta, Georgia, Vemuri is of Indian origin and has been a prominent figure in student life at MIT. She recently completed her undergraduate degree in computer science, neuroscience, and linguistics, and served as president of the graduating class. Beyond her academic work, Vemuri was involved in campus advocacy and research, leading the Written Revolution initiative and working at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research. First Published: May 31, 2025, 12:24 IST
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
British YouTuber tracks stolen AirPods in Pakistan after a year, plans recovery mission: ‘Storm the area'
A British YouTuber, Lord Miles, has taken to social media with a dramatic plan to recover his stolen AirPods Pro — a full year after they were allegedly taken from his hotel room in Dubai. According to the content creator, the wireless earbuds were tracked to Jhelum, Pakistan, thanks to Apple's Find My tracking system. Also read: Indian YouTuber recounts terrifying hiking experience in Norway, praises volunteers for swift rescue: 'Angels do exist' Sharing the story on social media platform X, the YouTuber posted a screenshot from the Find My app showing the exact location of the AirPods near '2nd Wife Restaurant' on Defence Road in Jhelum. The device had been active just 31 minutes before the screenshot was taken, indicating that it is still in use. In his post, the YouTuber wrote, 'My AirPod Pros have been lost for a year in Pakistan and guess who's going to go there next week and get his property back!' He added, 'They got stolen from my hotel in Dubai and made their way to Pakistan. I enabled lost mode and keep playing the 'find me' noise when he's using the AirPods.' He now plans to involve local law enforcement in the retrieval, vowing to film the entire experience for his audience. 'I'm going to get a police officer and storm the area, get back my AirPods and film it all. Don't like thieves!' he said. The post has sparked widespread interest online, with many following the story to see how the unconventional tech recovery mission unfolds. A user commented, '…wouldn't it be easier and, i would think, cheaper, to just buy a new pair? ' Another added, 'revenge is priceless" One user noted, 'You're gonna have to bribe whatever police officer you bring with you, and it's gonna take a lot of money to get them to take action... At least $3.75 USD" Also read: Indian-American Megha Vemuri faces vicious trolling after pro-Palestine MIT speech, deactivates LinkedIn profile
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
‘Hardly any savings left': Indian IT professional torn between US stability and job offer in India
The H-1B visa programme, long regarded as a pathway for skilled professionals to establish careers in the United States, is facing increasing scrutiny, with Indian nationals—who constitute over 70% of recipients—being the most affected. Also read: Amazon hire unable to start job due to this H-1B visa hurdle, Reddit weighs in Recent developments, including a controversial executive order by US President Donald Trump, have intensified concerns. The order revokes birthright citizenship for children born in the US to parents on temporary visas like the H-1B—'unless at least one parent is a US citizen or holds a green card.' This major policy change has left many immigrant families uneasy about their future, already strained by employment uncertainty, challenges in renewing visas, and long green card backlogs. Amid this atmosphere of insecurity, a Reddit post by an Indian engineer has shed light on the emotional and practical struggles shared by many. The anonymous user revealed that after spending most of his professional life in the US, he was recently offered a job in India with decent pay and the added comfort of being based in his home state. He currently resides in the US with his wife and two young children, 'one of whom is in kindergarten.' Although his current salary just meets household expenses, he values the work-life balance and family time that living in the US affords. However, the idea of moving back to India brings its own concerns. 'I like the family time and weekend joys with my family,' he wrote. 'I may not get that in India where the work demands more additional work time.' The post sparked a wide range of reactions. One user commented, 'It's a hard choice, and honestly, no one can really help you decide. You just have to commit to one option, not look back, and accept that you can't have the best of both worlds.' Others raised concerns about children's future adjustments. 'Move back before the kids grow up. Getting adjusted will be difficult as they get older,' one person advised. Also read: Indian-American Megha Vemuri faces vicious trolling after pro-Palestine MIT speech, deactivates LinkedIn profile Some viewed it from a financial standpoint, stating, 'If you can't increase your salary in the U.S. and can live comfortably in India with additional savings, then it makes sense to move back,' adding, 'Your expenses will only rise once both kids start school.' Several voices in the thread spoke of the emotional and cultural benefits of returning home. 'India is the happening place. I'd want to connect with my dear ones and let my kids enjoy family affection. I would think long term and switch back,' one comment read.
