Latest news with #JayantSharma
NDTV
6 days ago
- NDTV
22-Year-Old Solo Traveller Shares Struggles Of Travelling With An Indian Passport
Travel is a thrilling experience. It broadens our horizons and sparks our souls. But for those holding an Indian passport, the journey can be complicated. Recently, a 22-year-old solo traveller shared his experience of travelling the world with an Indian passport. In a post shared on Instagram, Jayant Sharma claimed that holding an Indian passport means facing far more scrutiny than most. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jayant Sharma (@jaystravelblog) The vlogger wrote, "The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling. It's not in the guidebooks. Not on the reels. Not in the sunsets, the flights, or the airport lounges. It's in the stares. The silence. The paperwork that makes you prove your humanity." He further stated that immigration is more than simply a checkpoint for hime, it is a site where Indian passport holders are asked additional questions, extensively monitored and often made to feel like a risk rather than a tourist. He claimed that for young travelers like himself, the main challenge isn't deciding where to go, but rather proving that they would return. "It's in the fact that I've had to justify why I deserve a 7-day trip. That I've spent more time convincing embassies I'll 'come back' than planning where I'll go. That a border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat — before I've even said a word. It's in how 'travel' is sold to the world as freedom, but for some of us, it starts with suspicion," Jayant wrote. He concluded the post, writing, "This is not a pity post. It's a reality check. For every Indian traveller who has felt humiliated, delayed, dismissed — I see you. And I hope someday we don't have to fight to prove we simply want to explore. Because we don't want special treatment. We just want the right to dream without borders." The post went viral on Instagram, with several people thanking Jayant for speaking out about a relatable experience for most Indian travellers. Others applauded his honesty and praised him for shedding light on an aspect of travel that is rarely seen on social media.
News18
6 days ago
- News18
‘Treated Like Threat': Indian Solo Traveller's Note On Passport Discrimination
Last Updated: Treated with suspicion, more than planning his trips, he claimed he was forced to spend hours proving his identity to the airport authorities and assuring them of his return. A 22-year-old vlogger and solo traveller grabbed the internet's attention, as he detailed the ordeals faced while carrying an Indian passport. Jayant Sharma, who goes by 'jaystravelblog' on Instagram, revealed his travelling struggles and how he was subjected to greater scrutiny than other foreign travellers. 'The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling," he captioned the post, which highlighted the disrespect faced by many Indian travellers. Treated with suspicion, more than planning his trips, Sharma claimed he was forced to spend hours proving his identity to the airport authorities and assuring them of his return. He wrote in his viral post, 'It's in a fact that I've had to justify why I deserve a 7-day trip. That I've spent more time convincing embassies I'll 'come back' than planning where I'll go. That a border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat — before I've even said a word." 'It's not in the guidebooks. Not on the reels. Not in the sunsets, the flights, or the airport lounges. It's in the stares. The silence," wrote the vlogger, underlining how it is not all hunky-dory for solo Indian travellers as it may seem. Like Sharma, many Indians are subjected to excess scrutiny on arrival in another country. The vlogger said the immigration refuses to be a checkpoint and becomes a scary place, where Indian passport holders are bombarded with questions and are observed more closely by the security personnel, made to feel as if they have committed a crime. 'No one says it, but I know: They don't always see a traveller. They see a risk. A potential overstayer. A brown skin man with a passport is trying to pass through. And what hurts most is… we know this. We prepare for it. We dress a certain way. Speak softer. Carry more documents. Plan escape routes through countries that are 'easier". We smile too much — not out of joy, but out of fear of being misunderstood," wrote Sharma. It seems that for young solo travellers, the real headache is not choosing where to go but proving that they will come back. Sharma's post touched many other Indian travellers, who related to his struggles and felt sorry that he was subjected to such treatment repeatedly. 'This is such a needed post! Thank you for writing this. As a fellow travel enthusiast, this hits hard," commented one user under the post. Another one added, 'Definitely true. Deep topic, pros and cons, but one part is certainly true: no one deserves to be treated that way and questioned because of where they come from." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
6 days ago
- NDTV
Content Creator Highlights "Ugly Side" Of Travelling With Indian Passport, Sparks Discussion
A content creator has sparked an online discussion after shedding light on the challenges of travelling with an Indian passport. "The ugly side of travel I had to come across as an Indian passport holder who loves travelling," Jayant Sharma wrote in the caption of his Instagram post. In it, he listed several points to explain how Indian passport holders often face stricter scrutiny. Instead of simply planning his trips, he said he spends more time proving that he intends to return home. "It's not in the guidebooks. Not on the reels. Not in the sunsets, the flights, or the airport lounges. It's in the stares. The silence," he wrote. "It's in the fact that I've had to justify why I deserve a 7-day trip. That I've spent more time convincing embassies I'll 'come back' than planning where I'll go. That a border control officer, with a 3-second glance, can make me feel like a threat - before I've even said a word," the content creator continued. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jayant Sharma (@jaystravelblog) Further, Mr Sharma said that every time he hands his passport to an immigration officer, he also hands over the "burden of assumptions". According to him, an immigration office is a place where Indian passport holders are asked more questions, observed more closely and often made to feel like a "risk" instead of a tourist. "And what hurts most is... we know this. We prepare for it. We dress a certain way. Speak softer. Carry more documents. Plan escape routes through countries that are "easier." We smile too much - not out of joy, but out of fear of being misunderstood," he wrote. "This is the ugly side of travel. And I carry it with me - every time I board a plane. Every time I pass through immigration. Every time I see someone else just walk through while I'm being questioned. This is not a pity post. It's a reality check. For every Indian traveller who has felt humiliated, delayed, dismissed - I see you. And I hope someday we don't have to fight to prove we simply want to explore," he added. Since being shared, Mr Sharma's post has gone viral. While some users praised him for his honesty, others thanked him for speaking out about an experience they have also gone through. "This is such a needed post! Thank you for writing this. As a fellow travel enthusiast, this hits hard," one user wrote. "I felt this post to my core as a third world traveler . It's so true just because of the passport we hold. We go through every passport control ready for scrutiny. Thank you for sharing," commented another. "Thanks for putting it out there so honestly. The world needs to reflect on these things," expressed a third user. "Passport privilege is a real thing. Its wild to me that so many people don't need visas or even their passports to cross borders," said another. "Definitely true. Deep topic, pros and cons, but one part is certainly true: no one deserves to be treated that way and questioned because of where they come from. Sure some differences and reality caused this, but it's a problem to be solved," one user said.
