The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has distanced itself from an international academic event after a controversial promotional flyer triggered outrage online. The poster, which depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the top of a capitalist pyramid under the caption “We fool you”, was linked to a workshop on South Asian Capitalism.
The matter came to light after social media user Harshil Mehta flagged the poster, questioning why a premier institute like IIT Bombay would be associated with an event carrying overtly political messaging. The flyer quickly went viral, sparking criticism from several quarters.
In its official clarification, IIT Bombay stated: “This workshop is to be held at the University of California, Berkeley, in partnership with UC Berkeley and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst for young scholars. IIT Bombay has a project related to the New Political Economic Initiative.”
A post regarding a flyer of a workshop on South Asian Capitalism was brought to the attention of the Institute authorities. This workshop is to be held at University of Berkeley in partnership with UC Berkeley and University of Massachusetts-Amherst for young scholars.
IIT Bombay… pic.twitter.com/BhMZV8A4Ds— IIT Bombay (@iitbombay) September 10, 2025
The institute further emphasised that it had no prior knowledge of the flyer’s content.
“Upon hearing about this post, we issued immediate instructions to the organisers to take down the flyer from all social media platforms and remove IIT Bombay’s name from everything to do with this event,” the statement added.
The details of the programme were subsequently removed from the website of the New Political Economy Initiative. IIT Bombay also clarified that none of its faculty members would be attending the conference.
“The Institute was not at all consulted about the flyer. We are deeply shocked and upset by its content. The Institute will cease to associate with these faculty members from UC Berkeley and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst going forward. Further investigation into the matter will be conducted,” the institute said in a post on X.
In a curious twist, Harshil Mehta, who had first drawn attention to the flyer, alleged that IIT Bombay’s official social media handle blocked him on X, even as the institute continued to face criticism over its associations and accountability.
The free-entry workshop, scheduled for September 12-13, claims it will examine how “capitalist accumulation is socially structured across South Asia.”
The event is organised by the New Political Economic Initiative (NPEI), a body functioning under IIT Bombay. NPEI is led by Anush Kapadia, a UK citizen serving as an Associate Professor at the institute. The initiative has reportedly received $4 million (around Rs 35 crore) in funding from the Ford Foundation.
What has raised eyebrows is Kapadia’s academic record. Despite holding a senior position, he has published only two journal papers in the last decade and has an H-index of just 7, a metric used to measure research productivity and impact.
The controversy has raised fresh debate over academic partnerships and the limits of political expression in scholarly discourse, with many questioning the role of premier Indian institutions in events perceived as politically charged.
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