NLSIU Masterclass | Introduction to Political Philosophy through Plato’s Republic
NLSIU Campus, Bengaluru
Register here | This session is designed for higher secondary students.
Saturday, August 8, 2026, 10:00 am
The National Law School of India University will be organising Masterclasses during the academic year 2026-27. These sessions designed for high school students, will introduce to them our rigorous academic pedagogy across the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Public Policy. Students will engage deeply with diverse intellectual domains along with a range of interdisciplinary topics.
Applications for the first session in our series of Masterclasses can be found here.
Session I: ‘Introduction to Political Philosophy through Plato’s Republic’ with Dr. Nigam Nuggehalli, Professor of Law, NLSIU.
8 August 2026 | 10 AM to 1 PM | NLSIU Campus, Bengaluru
This is an in-person session.
About the session:
The session is designed for high school students in their Grade 11 and 12 to appreciate the importance of Philosophy as a discipline with a focus on Political Philosophy.
Prof. Nigam will use extracts from Plato’s Republic, one of the most influential works in the history of philosophy. Written around 380 BCE, it is a dialogue in which Socrates (Plato’s teacher and main speaker in the text) explores a fundamental question: What is justice, and how should society be organized to achieve it?”
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the nature and scope of political philosophy.
- Explain the historical context of Plato and Classical Athens.
- Identify the key themes of Plato’s Republic.
- Analyze Plato’s conception of justice, governance, and the ideal state.
- Critically evaluate the relevance of Platonic political thought today.
Eligibility:
- This session is designed for students in Class 11 and Class 12.
- Students pursuing Social Sciences, Humanities, Science, Commerce are eligible to apply.
Interested candidates can apply online here: https://forms.gle/CGAEBQWC4VhjDUnD6
Registration on a first come first serve basis. Limited capacity.
On verification of the application, they will receive an email to pay the participation fee of Rs.2000/- to confirm their registration to attend the Masterclass. There will be no refund once the payment has been made.
All supporting materials will be provided by the University. Students have to arrange their own transport to attend the session. Outstation students must arrange their own accommodation.
Important Dates:
Applications Open : 09 July 2026
Last date to apply : 4 August 2026 (After applying, students will receive the payment link within 48-72 hours.)
Masterclass date : Saturday, 8th August | 10 AM to 1 PM with a break.
After the session, participants will also have the opportunity to see the NLSIU Campus through a guided campus tour. Lunch will be provided at no additional cost. Detailed session agenda will be shared with the participants closer to the session.
Masterclass Faculty
Prof. Nigam was appointed as Chair Professor, Department of Revenue Chair in September 2025. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Registrar of NLSIU since August 2021, where he was responsible for the administration of the University. He brings with him nearly three decades of academic and professional experience as a taxation law specialist.
Prof. Nigam Nuggehalli has held the position of Dean, School of Law at the BML Munjal University, Gurugram. He has also taught as Associate Professor in the School of Policy and Governance at Azim Premji University (2014-18), during which time he headed the University’s newly founded LL.M programme. Previously, he was a Principal Lecturer at BPP Law School, London where he taught tax law and commercial law. He also led a team of academics in delivering undergraduate programmes in jurisprudence and postgraduate programmes in commercial law and international tax law.
Before joining academia, he worked as a tax lawyer in New York and is a member of the New York Bar and the India Bar (Karnataka). As a lawyer and as a law academic, Prof. Nigam has practiced and taught a variety of legal subjects (contracts, commercial law, corporate law, taxation) with reference to the legal regimes in the United States, the United Kingdom, and India.
He has extensive research and publication experience in legal issues relating to international taxation, commercial law, and statutory interpretation. He is the author of a leading text on Indian international taxation. He is also a member of two government committees – the General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR), and the Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI).
Contact Us
For any queries, please write to communications@nls.ac.in.