Now Reading: SFI seeks termination of UoH professor over alleged casteist emails
-
01
SFI seeks termination of UoH professor over alleged casteist emails
The Story in Brief
The Students' Federation of India (SFI) unit at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) has demanded the immediate termination of associate professor Vijaya Ramadas over alleged casteist, classist and discriminatory remarks in emails to a former student. The SFI cited email correspondence dated around 14 to 16 April 2026, in which Ramadas allegedly referred to people from Bihar and Jharkhand as 'poverty-ridden idiots' and used a caste-based slur. The emails reportedly followed a disagreement over revisions to a book chapter for an edited volume to be published by Bloomsbury.
The SFI alleged that Ramadas threatened to discourage academics across India from supporting the student and said he would contact the University of Manchester and the student's PhD supervisors to withdraw recommendations. The affected former student, who completed his MA at UoH in 2017-19 and is now at the University of Nottingham, has approached the university administration and the Reservation and Coordination Cell. UoH confirmed it is reviewing the documents but had not issued a statement on the allegations.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both The Hindu and Deccan Chronicle report the same event as straight news copy, with no discernible slant. Deccan Chronicle adds more context: the student's current PhD status at Nottingham, the specific dates of email correspondence, and Ramadas's threat to contact the University of Manchester and the student's supervisors. The Hindu focuses on the text of the alleged remarks and the SFI's complaint. Neither outlet provides Ramadas's response or a university statement, leaving the allegations unrebutted. The key point to watch is whether UoH issues a statement or initiates an inquiry after reviewing the documents it has confirmed receiving.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): thehindu.com (neutral report), deccanchronicle.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
