Bahison Ravindran always identified as Indian, born to Sri Lankan refugee parents in Tamil Nadu, India. A web developer, he believed his status was secure, holding an Indian passport and various government-issued identity documents. However, in April, his certainty was shattered when police arrested him, claiming his passport was invalid.

The shock came when authorities revealed that he was not considered a citizen by birth due to both his parents being Sri Lankan refugees who fled to India in 1990 amid their country's civil war. Ravindran, born in 1991 shortly after his parents' arrival, is now embroiled in a legal battle as India's citizenship laws have changed over the decades. A significant amendment in 1987 stipulates that at least one parent must be an Indian citizen for children born after July 1 of that year to automatically acquire citizenship.

After being informed of these regulations, Ravindran promptly applied for citizenship through naturalization. However, this path has not provided immediate relief, leaving him classified as stateless. His predicament underscores the plight faced by many Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who fled the violence in their homeland during the 1980s.

According to Tamil Nadu government statistics, over 90,000 Sri Lankan Tamils reside in the state, both in refugee camps and integrated into the communities. Yet, the descendants of these refugees, like Ravindran, face uncertainty regarding their citizenship status. Currently, there are more than 22,000 individuals in a similar situation, born in India to Sri Lankan Tamil parents after 1987, and their rights hang in limbo.

India is not a signatory of international refugee conventions and categorizes these refugees as illegal migrants, complicating their quest for citizenship. Notably, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019, which expedites citizenship for non-Muslim minorities from neighboring countries, specifically excludes Sri Lankan Tamils from its provisions.

Political discussions around resolving the citizenship status of Tamil refugees have been ongoing, yet for most, tangible solutions remain elusive. The first instance of Indian citizenship granted to a Sri Lankan Tamil after the citizenship policy shift occurred in 2022. Since then, a handful of others have followed, but thousands like Ravindran continue to face hurdles.

Ravindran's struggle intensified after he sought a new passport to include his wife’s name, an act that precipitated his arrest. Following a 15-day custody ordeal, he was released on bail but now waits for a court decision regarding his citizenship. His case is framed against the backdrop of enduring uncertainty for many Sri Lankan Tamils, a community whose historical ties to India are strong yet unresolved in legal standing.

In all these years, no one ever told me I was not Indian, Ravindran conveyed to the media. His plight signals the broader challenges surrounding identity, belonging, and the complexities of nationality in today's world, particularly for individuals born into tumultuous histories.