US refuses visa to ex-IISc chief, member of PM panel
Goverdhan Mehta 'Most degrading experience,' says top scientist, US Embassy
staff suggested he's linked to chemical warfare
PALLAVA BAGLA
Professor Goverdhan MehtaNEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 16 Questioning his
internationally acclaimed credentials and suggesting that he was working in
"chemical warfare and bioterrorism," the United States has refused an entry
visa to Professor Goverdhan Mehta, former director of the Indian Institute
of Science, Bangalore, and one of the world's top scientists in organic
chemistry.
This despite the fact that Mehta, a member of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's Scientific Advisory Committee, has been to the US 20 times, the most
recent being May 2005 when he delivered a lecture at the National Academy of
Sciences in Washington, DC.
And in 2004, when he participated in the Indo-US S&T Forum Governing body
meeting under the aegis of the White House.
"This is the most degrading experience of my life," Mehta told The Indian
Express, "it's reminiscent of the (current) American ignorance and
arrogance." Mehta has informed the university declining its invitation.
Mehta applied for the visa in Chennai after he was invited as a visiting
professor by the University of Florida at Gainesville, and for a lecture at
the American Chemical Society.
On February 9, Mehta appeared for the visa interview. He said he was
"repeatedly humiliated" by the consular officer who accused him of "hiding
things" suggesting that Mehta's work related to chemical warfare and
bioterrorism.
Look who's a threat
to the US
. A Fulbright scholar, Mehta is member of the governing board of Indo-US
Science and Technology Forum
. A former member of the governing board of the United States Educational
Foundation in India (USEFI)
. President, International Council of Science, a world body of national
science academies
. Has been to the US 20 times, lectured at National Academy of Sciences in
Washington in May 2005
. Paul Tarrant Distinguished Professor at University of Florida in 2001
Confirming that Mehta was turned away without grant of a visa, David
Kennedy, spokesman for the US Embassy in New Delhi, said it was a "pretty
standard affair to ask for more information."
Mehta said he told US officials that all his academic research was in the
public domain and related to "new molecular entities" and "by no stretch of
imagination (could be) related to chemical warfare."
"At one point he (the consular officer) even asked me about my PhD research
carried out 40 years ago. I tried to plead that I have been invited by a
university as visiting professor."
"Distressed" over the treatment meted out to one India's top scientists, R A
Mashelkar, president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), said
this was a "very unfortunate" incident.
Ironically, the Paris-based International Council of Science, of which Mehta
is the president, is a global organisation committed to the rights of the
free movement of scientists. It's the oldest and largest federation of
science academies with over 100 national academies including the US Academy
as its members.
Earlier before taking over as president of ICSU, in a 2004 piece in Science
magazine, Mehta had written: "All scientists should have the possibility of
participating without discrimination."
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=88076
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