NEW YORK, NY — August 21, 2026 — The Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) USA Telangana
Chapter expresses deep disappointment and concern over the Central Government’s decision
to deny political clearance to the Honorable Chief Minister of Telangana, Shri A. Revanth Reddy,
for his planned official visit to the United States.
The Chief Minister’s highly anticipated U.S. tour, which included a major public reception in New
York as well as high-level engagements with leading American academic institutions, has been
canceled following the Ministry of External Affairs’ decision that “clearance from political angle is
denied.”
In accordance with the administrative directive, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has decided to
curtail his international tour and return directly from London to Hyderabad on Sunday, August
23, 2026, foregoing his scheduled engagements in Boston and New York.
Advancing Telangana’s Academic Vision Despite Political Roadblocks
The principal objective of the Chief Minister’s U.S. visit was to advance Telangana’s ambition to
make Hyderabad a global center for education, innovation, skills, and research through
partnerships with some of the world’s leading universities.
Responding to the MEA’s decision, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy emphasized that his mission
transcended partisan politics and was fully aligned with the broader goal of nation-building:
“The only purpose of the visit was to, as part of the New Education Policy of the Centre, bring
the world’s best institutions to India, to Telangana, to Hyderabad. They would have been an
answer to our youth’s aspirations to get education, skills, and training from the best Ivy Leagues
and top global institutions. I have always believed we should all think beyond politics and
elections when it comes to nation-building and the future of the youth.”
George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of IOCUSA, said that efforts to advance education,
employment, investment, and opportunities for India’s youth must remain above partisan
politics. He questioned the denial of clearance to the Telangana Chief Minister while the Gujarat
Chief Minister is permitted to visit the United States, calling the unequal treatment a troubling
and unmistakable double standard.
Despite the setback, the Chief Minister has instructed the delegation of Telangana government
officials to proceed to the United States as scheduled and continue the planned engagements.
The delegation is expected to pursue the scheduled Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)
and partnership initiatives with leading institutions, including Harvard University, the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern University, and Virginia Tech.
United Kingdom Engagements Continue
Before returning to India, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will continue the United Kingdom
portion of his official itinerary. His scheduled engagements include interactions with academics
and institutional leaders at Oxford, Cambridge, the London School of Economics (LSE), London
Business School (LBS), and the University of London, as well as discussions with leading British
sports and skills-development institutions.
Reaffirming his commitment to bringing world-class educational opportunities closer to ordinary
Indians, Chief Minister Reddy stated: “My resolve and endeavor to make Hyderabad one of the
top global cities, where any common Indian can get education and certificates from Harvard and
Oxford, or an MIT and LBS or LSE, is because while most leaders have wanted to send their
children abroad, I want to bring the world’s best to India.”
IOC USA: “Development Must Rise Above Politics”
The IOC USA leadership — Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President, IOC USA; Pradeep Samala,
Working President, IOC USA National; Rammohan Gadula, Chairman, Telangana Chapter;
Rajeshwar Reddy Gangasani, President, Telangana Chapter; Sharath Chandra Vemuganti,
General Secretary, IOC USA National; Narendar Yelmareddy, General Secretary, Telangana
Chapter — together with the event committee, extends its heartfelt gratitude to the thousands of
NRIs across North America who registered within hours to welcome Chief Minister Revanth
Reddy.The extraordinary response from the Indian diaspora demonstrated the enthusiasm
surrounding Telangana’s development agenda and the growing international interest in the
state’s future.
The IOC USA strongly condemns the use of political or administrative mechanisms to impede
legitimate initiatives aimed at promoting education, investment, innovation, and economic
development. Political rivalry should end where the interests of India’s youth and the
development of its states begin.
The IOC USA stands firmly with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his vision of transforming
Telangana into a globally competitive destination for education, technology, innovation,
investment, and skills development. Political clearance may be denied, but Telangana’s
aspirations cannot be denied. The momentum behind #TelanganaRising will continue.
Imran Pasha, President of the IOC USA New York Chapter, confirmed that the scheduled public
Meet & Greet event in New York has been officially canceled. Registered attendees will receive
email and text notifications regarding the cancellation.
