Indian-origin Megha Vemuri who the limelight as she chose to speak against Israel at the MIT commencement ceremony received a lot of hatred on social media. As the class president, Vemuri condemned the university’s ties to Israel’s military and defense industry and called it a ‘shame’ that MIT is a part of it. “Megha Vemuri, President Class of 2025, MIT & a woke deracinated Hindu used her graduation speech podium to speak for “Palestine” instead of talking about her batch. It’s incredible how these same woke Hindus choose to ignore plight of Bangladeshis Hindus,” one wrote. “What does the Israel-Palestine conflict have to do with a graduation speech? Has bashing Israel become a fashion statement or a shortcut to fame? I hope she gets blacklisted and never lands a job. Or even better, deport her to Gaza to serve them,” another hate comment read.“What does this kind of performative activism actually achieve, aside from launching yet another activism career built on commodifying tragedy?” a third user wrote. People pointed out the red keffiyeh that she wore, being a Hindu — in solidarity with Palestine. Vemuri’s speech also opened a larger debate that Harvard is not the only ‘problem’. “Don’t forget that Harvard isn’t the only openly antisemitic university in Boston: MIT & Megha Vemuri made sure to remind you, MIT is just as bad. Plus Sally Kornbluth made an a** out of herself immediately after. Man I hope these Engineers don’t build bridges and/or buildings,” one wrote. President Sally Kornbluth spoke after Vemuri and said MIT values freedom of expression, but the occasion was for the graduates. Born in Georgia to immigrant parents, Megha Vemuri graduated from Alpharetta High School in 2021. At MIT, she pursued majors in Computer Science, Neuroscience, and Linguistics, graduating in 2025.
