Indian Student With $100,000 Columbia Scholarship Denied US Visa. Here's Why

NDTV World ^ | 10/7/2025 | Sanstuti Nath

[marcusmaximus]

Kaushik Raj, a 27-year-old journalist from Delhi, was all ready to live his American dream with a $100,000 (approximately Rs 89 lakh) scholarship in hand to pursue a master's degree in data journalism at Columbia University. But all his plans came crashing down when the United States' immigration department denied his student visa.

Raj, who completed all the visa formalities, including the interview, believes the rejection was linked to his social media activity. Under the Donald Trump administration, social media vetting has become an integral part of the visa selection process.

Speaking to The Washington Post, Raj claimed he wasn't very active on social media and "refrained from publicising his personal feelings about hot-button global issues, such as Israel's war in Gaza."

However, he said that in four years of his journalistic career, he often focused on hate crimes, which was reflected in his social media activities.

Raj's semester at Columbia University was set to start in August, but around that time, he received a letter from the US Embassy in New Delhi telling him his application had been rejected.

The letter said that Raj, who was born and raised in India, had not demonstrated sufficient ties to the country that would “compel” him to return home after his time in the United States. The letter made no mention of his online activity.

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[kiryandil]

It’s his New Troll.

The Ukraine is imploding, and mucus don’t wanna be caught holding the bag.

It’s an interesting analysis, figuring out what he’s up to.

No donations to Free Republic - except painting us as pro-Ukrainian grift, and xenophobic reactionaries.

[Colt1851Navy]

This guy was an up and coming CNN creep, probably.

[Gen.Blather]

Their politics is horrendous. Also, their government is corrupt. None of this has anything to do with engineering.

[Retain Mike]

"Washington maintains that the social media vetting was critical for America's national security. According to White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly, the screening process helps identify applicants who might pose threats or attempt to undermine US foreign policy interests."

So, when we have another Obama/Biden administration people will be screened out, because of their support for Israel or for un-Marxist attitudes? Social media is such a cesspool to dip into for rejections of a political agenda. According to the FBI parents at school board meetings pose a threat.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

“India produces approximately 1.5 million engineering graduates annually, making it the largest producer of engineers globally, followed by the United States, which produces around 238,000 engineering graduates each year. This indicates that India has a significantly higher number of engineering graduates compared to the US.”

And yet, India remains the backwater $#!+hole country that it's always been.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Make India great again Raj.

[Albion Wilde]

What is “data journalism”, anyone?

[Salman]

A journalism degree has nothing to do with real learning and Columbia is terrorist madrassa.

[marcusmaximus]

And who paid his $100,000 “scholarship”?