Harvard University’s South Asia Institute has been targeted by intense student criticism for having organised a “Pakistan Conference” within days of the recent deadly terror strike at Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The event was denounced for purportedly legitimised accounts tied to state-sponsored terrorism as well as being insensitive to the victims of what students termed as a “targeted, religion-based massacre.
In response to ANI, Harvard student Surabi Tomar spoke out with concern and stated, “The heinous attack in Pahalgam was a religion-based targeted assault. When Harvard invites officials, particularly those who ideologically justify such acts, it risks giving legitimacy to state-sponsored terror narratives on our campus.”
| Cambridge, US: On Harvard’s South Asia Institute hosting a ‘Pakistan Conference’, Surabi Tomar, Harvard University Student, says, “We shouldn’t stay silent after a faith-based killing, that is our belief. We consulted our peers. There was a lot of support for us given by…
— ANI (@ANI)
Tomar explained that although the conference was pre-planned, the timing — five days after the Pahalgam attack — made it even more contentious. “Even if coincidental, we do not believe it is right for a university like Harvard to provide a platform to such voices,” she added.
Tomar also disclosed that the students have written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, requesting him to deny visas to ideologically extremist supporting officials. “We acted out of a shared moral obligation. This was not random violence. It was religious persecution. We urged Harvard to stand against Hinduphobia,” she added.
Another student, Rashmini Koparkar, was in the same vein, lambasting the insensitivity of the event. “We expected the guests to at least acknowledge the Pahalgam attack. A condemnation would have been a thoughtful gesture. Many of the speakers were officials from a country that has long harboured cross-border terrorism,” she stated.
Amid the row, Harvard’s South Asia Institute released a statement in support of hosting the conference. It expressed condolences to Pahalgam attack victims while reiterating that the event was independently organised by students and their faculty advisor.
“The Institute supports academic research and collaborates on multiple events annually. ‘The Pakistan Conference,’ held on April 27, 2025, was entirely student-driven. We did not consult any benefactor in the process,” the release stated. “We share the grief and anguish with our friends and colleagues in India affected by the April 22 attack, and we offer our heartfelt condolences.”
The scandal has fueled a broader controversy regarding academic responsibility, freedom, and limits of political sensitivity on university campuses across the world.
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