Indian Covid hero honoured by Queen faces deportation from UK
London (PTI): A residents' group from south-east London has pledged to fight on after a "beloved community member" lauded by the late Queen's representative for his services over the COVID pandemic lost a legal visa battle and now faces deportation to India.
The Rotherhithe Residents group have gathered over 177,000 signatures through an online petition in support of Vimal Pandya, who came to the UK from India on a student visa but was left in limbo after his education institution lost its licence to sponsor foreign students.
The 42-year-old lost a hearing at the immigration tribunal recently and is now said to be in talks with his lawyers for a way forward.
"We are devastated. He is devastated. But we will not give up the fight, if any path forward can be found," the residents said in a Change.Org petition update last week.
"Vimal has always shown how much he cares about the Rotherhithe community where he's lived for 11 years. So many of us have benefited from his help and support over the years, which is why we are fighting to stop him being unjustly deported," they say.
Having arrived in the UK from India in 2011 to study, Pandya was refused re-entry following a return home in April 2014 to take a seriously ill relative back to her parents.
UK Border Force officials informed him that the college at which he was enrolled had lost its right to sponsorship, but neither the college nor the Home Office had reportedly informed him of this.
Then without access to his original passport and other documents he faced an uphill struggle to address the issue. Since then, he has spent thousands of pounds attempting to regularise his immigration status and complete his education, in addition to the many thousands of pounds in lost college fees and a mounting debt burden.
"While awaiting permission to continue his studies, Vimal has become an integral part of the Rotherhithe community. Now he is truly indispensable, and we don't want him to leave," the group of his local supporters said.
During the pandemic, Pandya was employed as a local shopkeeper and is said to have worked tirelessly by dedicating "every waking hour" to ensure those in self-isolation during the national lockdown received regular food and essential supplies.
His community service brought him to the attention of Sir Kenneth Olisa, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, who wrote to him in February last year on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, offering thanks for his extraordinary efforts.
"Everything has gone through the legal boundaries and we should respect the decision of the country but if somebody has given so much to the country, having been rewarded by the Queen, I don't know why they should be moved," a resident told Southwark News'.
The local member of Parliament for Bermondsey and Old Southwark in London, Neil Coyle, spoke at a recent hearing powerfully in favour of Pandya but the judge noted that the tribunal was bound by "the laws that are passed rather than the view of one MP".
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KKR defeat LSG via Super Over
Lucknow (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants via Super Overs in a battle between two bottom-placed teams in the IPL, here on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 156, LSG suffered a batting collapse and managed to tie the contest and take it to Super Over with No. 9 Mohammed Shami striking a last-ball six against a wayward Kartik Tyagi, who leaked 16 runs in the final over.
But Sunil Narine bowled a stunning Super Over conceding just one run and taking two wickets to give KKR an easy target.
Rinku Singh then finished the chase with a boundary off first ball from Prince Yadav.
Earlier the KKR were in deep trouble with 93/7 in 15 overs but Rinku smashed a sensational 83 not out from 51 balls including four sixes in a row in the final over to lift them to 155/7.
Cameron Green (34) was the only other batter to reach double-digit scores as KKR suffered a familiar batting meltdown with Mohsin taking his maiden fifer.
In reply, LSG continued their dismal show with the bat to succumb to their fifth loss in a row.
Brief Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 155/7; 20 overs (Rinku Singh 83 not out, Cameron Green 34; Mohsin Khan 5/23). Lucknow Super Giants 155/8; 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 42). KKR won via Super Over.
