NLSIU’s BA LLB Student Receives Rhodes Scholarship for 2026 | Manhar Bansal
December 4, 2024
We congratulate our student Manhar Bansal, a final year student of the 5-year BA LLB (Hons) programme for receiving the Rhodes Scholarship for 2026!
Six Rhodes Scholars-Elect for India 2026 have been selected this year, marking the culmination of a rigorous national selection process.
Manhar joins the list of 26 NLSIU scholars who’ve been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship so far (including this year). He will be heading to the University of Oxford in October 2026 to join a cohort of more than 100 scholars from around the world to undertake fully funded post-graduate studies and become part of a strong community of people determined to make a positive difference in the world.
In an official statement, Professor Sir Rick Trainor, CEO of the Rhodes Trust, said: “The Rhodes Trust is delighted to introduce the extraordinary 2026 Class of Rhodes Scholars Elect who represent cultures and perspectives from every corner of the world. For more than a century, the Rhodes Trust has brought exceptional individuals to Oxford and fostered a vibrant global community. We eagerly anticipate the invaluable contributions these Scholars will make, not just during their studies, but throughout their lives as they join the community of Rhodes Scholar alumni who are creating a more equitable and sustainable future for the world.
The Trust is committed to ensuring that the world’s diversity of background and thought is reflected at Rhodes House, which has expanded the Rhodes Scholarship to include the Global Scholarships and new constituencies in recent years, including West Africa, East Africa, China, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon & Palestine and the United Arab Emirates.”
About Manhar Bansal
Hailing from Muktsar, Punjab, Manhar Bansal is a final year BA LLB (Hons) student at NLSIU, Bengaluru with an interdisciplinary focus in philosophy and literature. In his words, “his work seeks to theorise the possibility of a human self that is attuned but not reducible to its socio-historical specificities.” His academic writing has been published in multiple venues and has received recognition by the Society for Humanistic Anthropology and the South Asian Studies Association of Australia. At NLSIU, he served as the chief editor of a student journal, headed a student-led academic support programme, and co-convened a theory reading group. He has also been learning French, writes for his public newsletter, and enjoys dancing and swimming. Manhar aspires to a public-facing academic career with the aim of introducing humanistic education to young people. At Oxford, he intends to pursue the MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation.
Reflecting on his scholarship, Manhar said: “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to receive the Rhodes Scholarship to study at the University of Oxford which will allow me to develop my academic and intellectual interests. I want to study literature and philosophy at Oxford. NLS has been an increasingly interdisciplinary University, and my degree is not just in the law but also the social sciences and the humanities. First year onwards, as I sat in the classrooms, I understood the expanse of possibilities which humanities offers; it allows you to contemplate the human condition, in all its terror and beauty, and that’s what draws me to it. NLS has been the most transformational four years so far of my life – both inside and outside the classroom – of learning about yourself, about the world, and what you didn’t know existed.
Among the many people I’d like to thank, I would like to mention Dr. Atreyee Majumder, Dr. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, and Dr. Samyak Ghosh from NLSIU; my schoolteacher Ms. Swati Verma, and my French teacher Ms. Vibha GK for supporting my application. I also want to thank other faculty at NLS for their time and encouragement.”
We wish Manhar the very best for his academic journey ahead!
About the Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship is the world’s preeminent and oldest graduate fellowship since 1903, and is awarded by the Rhodes Trust, an educational charity based at the University of Oxford. The Scholarships for India began in 1947 and have been awarded to five outstanding applicants each year.
After a competitive application process and two rounds of preliminary interviews, shortlisted finalists were interviewed and six were chosen to receive the prestigious scholarships for 2026. This includes a sixth scholarship this year – ‘Rhodes Scholarship for India in partnership with the Radhakrishnan-Rajan Family.’
“Students from anywhere in the world can apply for a Rhodes Scholarship and many find that taking part in our rigorous selection is a profoundly positive experience which leaves them well placed to go on to a Rhodes Scholarship or other opportunities worldwide. The Rhodes selection process aims to choose young people with proven academic excellence who also show exceptional character, leadership, the energy to use their talents to the full and a commitment to solving humanity’s challenges. The selection process includes a rigorous review process before the finalists’ interview with a selection committee composed of renowned experts and leaders in diverse fields.
Rhodes Scholars form a lifelong community of people in many fields and careers, united by a commitment to having a positive impact on the world. Scholars from India have gone on to pursue careers ranging from public policy, literature, law, medicine, scientific research, etc. This year’s winners continue the fantastic legacy of excellence.,” said an official statement from the Rhodes Trust.
The applications for the 2027 Rhodes Scholarships will open in June 2026. More information about the Scholarship application can be found at: www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/apply.
The official press release from the Rhodes Trust is available here.