Class president Megha Vemuri’s remarks draw cheers and flag-waving at MIT commencement ceremony
Indian-American student Megha Vemuri, class president at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), delivered a bold pro-Palestine speech during the university’s graduation ceremony on Thursday. Her statement, “MIT wants free Palestine,” echoed across the campus as attendees waved Palestinian flags in support, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Her remarks came amid a backdrop of growing unrest across American universities over the war in Gaza and institutional ties with defence agencies and research entities. Vemuri acknowledged the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, saying, “There is a lot of fear in many of our hearts,” and described universities as being “shrouded in a dark cloud of uncertainty.”
Vemuri criticizes MIT’s stance on Gaza protests, calls on students to act against injustice.
Vemuri noted that MIT’s undergraduate body and graduate student union had “overwhelmingly” voted to sever ties with what she called the “genocidal Israeli military.” She criticised MIT’s administration for opposing student-led pro-Palestinian protests and ended with a powerful call to action: “We carry with us the obligation to do everything we can to stop it.”
Immediately after Vemuri’s speech, MIT President Sally Kornbluth took the podium and diplomatically responded: “We value freedom of expression at MIT, but today’s about graduates.” The incident reflects the broader tensions on U.S. campuses, where student activism on the Israel-Gaza conflict has ignited debates on academic freedom, institutional neutrality, and student safety. Vemuri’s speech, though controversial, underscores the growing political consciousness among students in elite institutions.