Dr Shamika Ravi exposes Pawan Khera’s lies over funding from Soros

New Delhi: Dr. Shamika Ravi, a prominent member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, on Tuesday exposed Congress leader Pawan Khera’s lies over receiving funds from American billionaire George Soros.

Responding to the allegations levelled by Khera, Dr Ravi clarified the nature of funding she received during her tenure at the Indian School of Business (ISB).

Khera suggested she received direct grants from the Open Society Foundation, an organisation founded by Soros.

BJP's allegations linking Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi with Soros-funded organisations involved in "anti-India" activities promted Khera to implicate Dr Ravi but the attempt appeared to have misfired. 

Dr Ravi stated, "The statement below is entirely incorrect. In 2006/7, The Open Society funded ISB (for work on financial inclusion) - where I was an assistant professor teaching & researching on the topic. No money comes directly to any faculty member."

The statement below is entirely incorrect. In 2006/7 The Open Society funded ISB (for work on financial inclusion) - where I was an assistant professor teaching & researching on the topic. No money comes directly to any faculty member.
18 years later, I joined the EAC-PM. I have… https://t.co/mQFQ0G8zW0

— Prof. Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) December 10, 2024

Earlier, Khera questioned Dr. Ravi's association with the Open Society Foundation, hinting at potential conflicts of interest and calling for an inquiry into her activities. 

In her defense, Dr. Ravi highlighted her academic and professional journey, noting that it was only 18 years after the initial funding to ISB that she joined the EAC-PM.

The BJP intensified its attack on the Congress leadership, demanding Sonia Gandhi disclose her role as the "co-president" in a George Soros Foundation-funded organisation.

BJP chief J P Nadda also called for a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the issue, asserting it is a matter of internal and external security.

The Congress has dismissed the allegations, accusing the BJP of putting at stake India's ties with another country to divert attention from the charges against Gautam Adani, and continued its protests for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe against the business tycoon.