Call for Applications | NLSIU Research Fellowships (Multiple Positions)

The National Law School of India University (NLSIU) invites applications for the following NLSIU Fellowships on a contract basis:

1. Graduate Research Fellowship (10 positions)
2. NLSIU Postdoctoral Fellowship (5 positions)
3. University Research Fellowship (5 positions)

NOTE: Two of the Graduate Research Fellowships will be supported by the JSW Centre for the Future of Law at NLSIU. Applications for the JSW Centre Fellowships will be advertised at a later date. Please follow the NLS website for further updates.

About the Fellowships

In 2020–21, the University developed a Grand Challenges Model of research. Five grand challenges were identified for the 21st century. These are: Climate Justice; Labour and Work; State Capacity and Reform; Law and Technology; and Access to Justice and Legal Reform.

The NLSIU Research Fellowships Programme starting AY 2025-26 further responds to the grand challenges model. Its goals are to contribute to the creation of original knowledge in law, social sciences, public policy, and cognate disciplines, and cultivate a robust research community that both drives and benefits from the intellectual life on campus. The programme includes fellowships of varying duration and scope that will be offered annually to researchers with different levels of academic and professional experience. All Fellows will get an opportunity to be part of NLSIU’s rich intellectual environment, participate in its workshops and seminars, avail of its extensive library and digital resources, and publish widely, including for NLS platforms (NLSIU blogs, peer-reviewed journals, and website).

Aim and Objectives of the Fellowships

  • To respond to and institutionalise research and policy interventions responding to the grand challenges identified by the University;
  • To diversify and expand interdisciplinary research in legal studies, social sciences, public policy, and cognate disciplines;
  • To develop a robust research community at the University comprising faculty, fellows, and researchers, working in collaboration with each other, and building on each others’ work;
  • To achieve and sustain leadership in knowledge creation, use and dissemination through collaborations with global leaders in these fields.

To know more about the Fellowships, visit our Research Fellowships page

Location

Fellows are ordinarily expected to be on campus during their fellowship period. The University may on a case-to-case basis offer flexibility for presence on campus.

Remuneration

Between Rs. 55,000 to 65,000 per month for the Graduate Research Fellowship; between Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 1,50,000 for the NLSIU Postdoctoral Research Fellowship; and between Rs 1,70,000 to Rs 2,00,000 for University Research Fellowship.

How to Apply

Please use the Google form for the relevant fellowship:

1. Graduate Research Fellowship (10 positions)
2. NLSIU Postdoctoral Fellowship (5 positions)
3. University Research Fellowship (5 positions)

Deadline

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with three rounds of review. The deadline for the first round of applications is 5 PM (IST), September 15, 2025. 

About NLSIU

NLSIU was established in 1987 to be a pioneer in legal education. Over the last three decades the University has consistently been an innovative leader in legal education and research in India and has been ranked first among Law Universities in the National Institute Ranking Framework for the last seven years.

The Karnataka Devadasi Bill, 2025: A Landmark Framework | By Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, NLSIU

The Karnataka State Cabinet has approved the transformative and comprehensive model legislation for the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Redress and Rehabilitation) Act, 2025 submitted by the Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru. Karnataka State Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and Tourism Department, Shri H.K.Patil, has said that the Bill will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly.

The draft proposal, which repeals the Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibition of Surrender) Act, 1982 and the Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibition of Surrender) (Amendment) Act, 2009,  had been submitted to Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Karnataka for consideration by the Cabinet agenda.

The proposed law represents a holistic and rights-based strategy to dismantle the Devadasi system — an oppressive and illegal social practice still prevalent in parts of Karnataka despite historical bans.

About the Bill

The draft law reflects seven months of field research, consultation, discussion and dialogue initiated by the Talasamudaayagala Adhyayana Kendra at NLSIU in collaboration with Devadasi Community members, Government of Karnataka, NGOs, State universities and activists working for the empowerment and emancipation of the Devadasi community for erasing the Devadasi practice in its intent and practice. Students from the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP) at NLSIU provided research support for the initiative.

More than 15,000 Devadasi women and community members participated during the district and taluk devadasi research consultations in the districts of Koppala, Raichur, Bellary, Bagalakote, Yadgiri, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Vijayapura, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadaga, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Shimoga, and Vijayanagara.

This legislation aspires to go beyond relief – to recognition, justice, accountability, and institutional transformation – laying the final foundation for the eradication of the Devadasi system in Karnataka.

Read the Draft

Reflections

Dr. Chandrashekar R. V., Coordinator, Drafting Committee, and Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, NLSIU, said:

“Heartfelt congratulations to the Devadasi mothers and children who have tirelessly led this movement. Many organisations and subject matter experts have supported and guided us throughout this journey. Based on the collective input of all stakeholders, the 2025 Bill is now a step closer to reality.

This is a historic moment for Karnataka – a law truly made by the people. Unlike the traditional approach where laws are created and imposed by governments, experts, and researchers, this Bill was envisioned, shaped, and demanded by the people themselves. For the past eight years, Devadasi mothers, children-led groups, and allied organisations have worked relentlessly to make this happen.

Congratulations to everyone – those who have directly or indirectly contributed to this transformative process. Special thanks to the Chief Secretary Dr. Shamla Iqbal Department of Women and Child Welfare and all the officials who have worked continuously to bring this Bill to the Cabinet. We also extend our gratitude to those who supported and reported on this journey.

Thanks to the collective cooperation, encouragement, and support of so many, this law now stands on the threshold of implementation.

A sincere thanks to the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaiah and the Chief Secretaries for supporting this people’s Bill to be brought forward for Cabinet discussion.”

Key Highlights of the Bill

1. Anchored in Constitutional and Social Justice Values

  • The Bill upholds the core constitutional principles of equality before law (Article 14), prohibition of discrimination (Article 15), and protection of human dignity (Article 21). It is aligned with Karnataka Government’s AHINDA vision, reaffirming the State’s duty to dismantle caste- and gender-based oppression through inclusive and rights-based governance.

2. Community-Led, Inclusive Legislative Process

  • Developed through an unprecedented participatory process led by Talasamudaayagala Adhyayana Kendra of National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru, the Bill integrates insights from over 15,000 Devadasi women, their children, and community leaders across 16 districts.

3. Prohibition and Criminalisation of the Devadasi System

  • Establishes strong legal safeguards to eliminate the Devadasi system in all its manifestations. Reinforces punitive measures while promoting preventive strategies through education and awareness.

4. Comprehensive Relief and Rehabilitation

  • Guarantees time-bound access to essential entitlements—healthcare, housing, education, pensions, and livelihood opportunities. Introduces Charters of Relief and institutional mechanisms at taluk, district, and state levels for effective implementation.

5. Protection of Children’s Rights

  • Ensures children born to Devadasi women can claim paternal identity, inheritance, and maintenance. Institutionalises safeguards against stigma and exclusion in public institutions.

6. Empowerment through Community Governance

  • Promotes democratic inclusion by institutionalising the participation of Devadasi women and youth in decision-making bodies and monitoring committees. Enables community ownership of implementation and accountability.

7. Accessible and Rights-Based Legal Design

  • The Bill is structured in community-friendly language and design, modelled on RTI principles, ensuring usability and awareness at the grassroots level. Recognizes Devadasi families as rights-holders, not passive recipients.

Evolution of Legal Framework

There has been an evolution in legal thinking from punitive to rights-based and participatory frameworks. The 2025 Bill has  transformative potential in addressing structural, intergenerational injustices experienced by Devadasi women and their families. For a comparative analysis of the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Relief, and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2025 vis-à-vis the earlier legislations—The Karnataka Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act, 1982 and its 2009 Amendment (Act 1 of 2010), read more.

For more details, please contact
Dr. Chandrashekar R. V., Coordinator, Drafting Committee
Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, NLSIU
Email:

In the Press

Related Media

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NLSIU Wins The 25th International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot (IMLAM)

We are proud to share that the NLSIU team has won the 25th International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot (IMLAM), hosted by the University of Sydney, Australia from July 6-11, 2025. The team comprised Vedika Warrier (Vth year BA LLB), Vrinda Sinha (IVth year BA LLB) and Advaith Anand (Vth year BA LLB). They competed against National University of Singapore in the finals.

The Problem

This year’s IMLAM problem dealt with shipowners’ indemnities against the charterer for cargo damage claims—under the Inter-Club Agreement, with a particular focus on the precondition of ‘proper settlement’, and under an implied indemnity in a time charter party. The problem can be found here.

Awards

  • Winners:
    • Finals: Against the National University of Singapore (NUS)
    • Semifinals: Against the University of Copenhagen
    • Quaterfinals: Against the University of Versailles (Paris-Saclay)
    • Preliminary rounds: Against NLU Jodhpur, Symbiosis Law School Pune, NUS, and the University of Sydney
  • Best Female Speaker (Final Round): Vrinda Sinha
  • Best Female Speaker (General Rounds): Vedika Warrier

The Team’s Mooting Experience

Reflecting on the experience, Vrinda Sinha told us:

“I quite enjoyed the issues I worked on, and getting to argue out some subtle points about the common law was, as always, super thrilling, and doubly so when you get questioned by judges who (in the words of one of the organisers) ‘know everything about maritime law.’ Needless to say, the teamwork and collective brainstorming was challenging and taught me a lot. It was quite a hectic preparatory month for us in June, since all of us were interning, too. In hindsight it’s incredible that we managed to get as much practice in as we did—I think the credit for that goes fully to the team being very understanding with each other and proactive about the moot.

My heartfelt thanks to the library staff, who helped us with finding books and resources in this area of the law, and also many seniors who helped us with oral rounds’ preparation, and alumni, particularly Mr. Ashwin Shanker (NLS BA LLB 2000) who coached us, took many rounds for us, and walked us through the fundamentals of maritime law.”

‘Walking Experience of Footpaths’ | A Workshop by MPP Alumna Genesia Rodrigues

NLS alumna Genesia Rodrigues (NLS MPP 2019), Senior Manager – Public Policy, Kazam, conducted a workshop on ‘Walking Experience of Footpaths’ at NLS between July 28 to 30, 2025. Genesia, who works in the space of urban mobility, had previously conducted a similar workshop on urban infrastructure at NLS. This latest workshop saw the participation of second-year students of the Master’s Programme in Public Policy (MPP), facilitated by Dr. Sony Pellissery, Professor and Co-Director, Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, NLSIU.

Here’s a short interview with Genesia.

What has been your professional journey since graduating from the MPP Programme at NLS?

I graduated in 2019 and I have been working in the space of urban mobility for the last seven years.

I started my career in urban mobility as a volunteer and I remember finding it very difficult to use buses in Bengaluru. At that time, I used to go to various NGO meetings and found one where they wanted volunteers – the Bangalore Bus Prayaanikara Vedike (BBPV). BBVP works for the mobility rights for government workers, low income groups, domestic workers, sex workers, etc. and questions how we can build inclusive mobility.

I also worked as a consultant to the Government of Karnataka for a time. After that, I was a public policy manager at Namma Yatri, which is a ride hailing application. Currently, I am Senior Manager – Public Policy at an EV tech company, Kazam. Here we are looking at the electrification of mobility and how to make it more accessible for the gig economy, two-wheeler users, delivery fleets and also buses.

Can you tell us more about the workshop?

The workshop focussed on the walking experience of footpaths.

There are certain guidelines for how footpaths should be designed and we looked at whether those guidelines are translating in real life. We also analysed the lived experiences of people.

Footpaths essentially have different uses. Street vendors use them differently. An elderly person, a woman or a child will experience it very differently. So we looked at footpaths from those different lenses. We did a qualitative and a quantitative study, asking:

  • What’s the width of the footpath?
  • What’s the height of the footpath?
  • How much area of the footpath meets policy requirements?
  • How many number of trees and street lights are present?

I had conducted a similar workshop a couple of years ago at NLS. It was a ward level exercise, where we tried to look at the infrastructure available. (I think Sony Sir still has a chart and creative content from that workshop.) We asked:

  • Are there schools?
  • Are there hospitals at a walking distance?
  • What are the different types of land uses?
  • How are the lived experiences of a lower income group area versus a higher income group?
  • What are the different types of infrastructure available for both groups?

How does it feel to come back to your alma mater? What brings you back here?

I think NLS gave me a lot. It gave me a good starting point to kick off my public policy career because I came from an engineering background. The way I looked at policies actually changed in my two years here. It gave me good networks to start with. I have kept in touch with Prof. Babu Mathew (Co-Director, Centre for Labour Studies) and Prof. Sony Pellissery. They both helped me reach out to a lot of NGOs when I was doing my dissertation. I had a very technical dissertation but over the course of time and with their guidance, the ‘people element’ started coming in.

I got a lot from NLS, so I want to give back a little.

Glimpses from the Workshop

Open Challengers 2025 | By Moot Court Society, NLSIU

Over the course of three weeks in July 2025, the Moot Court Society (MCS) at the National Law School of India University successfully conducted four Open Challenger (OC) rounds to select representative teams for some of the most prestigious international moot court competitions. These include The Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the International Bar Association International Criminal Court Moot, and The John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition.

Here are the teams that will represent NLSIU at the following competitions:

  • IBA ICC Moot Court Competition 2026: Lohith Reddy B (BA LLB IInd year), Ayesha Khan (BA LLB IInd year), Pradnesh Kamat (BA LLB IInd year), Aayushi Yadav (BA LLB IIIrd year)
  • John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition 2026: Gurnoor Singh (BA LLB IIIrd year), Chahat Bhambri (BA LLB IIIrd year), Bhumika Bansal (BA LLB IIIrd)
  • 33rd Willem C. Vis (Vienna) International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2026: Aumita Mishra ( BA LLB IVth year), Dewanshee Singh (BA LLB IIIrd year), Arushi Singh (BA LLB IVth year), and Abhyudaya Singh (BA LLB IVth year)
  • 23rd Vis East (Hong Kong) Moot 2026: Akshat Agarwal (BA LLB IVth year), Namya Gambhir (BA LLB IVth year), Aditya Bhargava (BA LLB IVth year), and Viraj Thakur (BA LLB IIIrd year)
  • The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition: Anoushka Kothari (BA LLB Vth year), Anshu Varahagiri (BA LLB Vth year), Kartik Kalra (BA LLB Vth year), Rishab Deviah (BA LLB Vth year)

About the Open Challenger

The Open Challenger format for all four competitions, introduced for the first time this year, was conceived as an intensive, simulation-based selection mechanism conducted at the very beginning of the academic year. With two rounds held on campus and two online, the format was tailored to reflect the procedural structure, complexity, and advocacy standards of the actual competitions. Despite tight schedules, the OCs drew participation from over 80 students across batches and were executed with academic rigour and logistical precision.

The orals rounds for the competitions happened on the following days:

  • Jessup OC: July 13, 2025
  • Vis (Vienna and Hong Kong) OC: July 19 and 20, 2025
  • ELSA: July 12 and 13, 2025
  • IBA ICC: July 5 and 6, 2025

Drafting Problems

Each OC problem was meticulously crafted to align with the subject matter and procedural expectations of the respective moot. The drafting team – Ms. Sanya Kishwar, Ms. Ronjini Ray, Dr. Ajar Rab, and Mr. Arnav Sharma, designed problems that challenged participants to engage with complex issues in international law, commercial arbitration, trade, and criminal procedure. These problems served not only as evaluative tools but as pedagogical exercises, exposing participants to realistic case analysis under pressure.

Adjudication

The rounds were adjudicated by a panel of 16 accomplished legal professionals, many of whom are distinguished alumni of NLSIU and veterans of the international mooting circuit. Their assessments combined doctrinal depth with advocacy expertise, offering participants substantive feedback on argument structure, legal reasoning, and courtroom presentation. All the rounds were marked by high-calibre performances, evidencing participants’ intellectual agility, research clarity, and courtroom composure.

The Judging Panel across the challengers comprised Aniruddha Basu, Ashika Jain, Devyani Gupta, Akshay Sapre, Sneha Bhandary, Sapna Khajuria, Dr. Priya Pillai, Mihir Naniwadekar, Rishabha Meena, Dr. Bipin Kumar, Gauri Tyagi, Anand Nandakumar, Harshit Kothari, Dr. Rashmi Salpekar, Sameena Syed, and Rohit Gupta.

A Note from MCS

Beyond the competitive dimension, the Open Challengers served as a vital learning platform. For many participants, these rounds constituted their first significant engagement with international-style mooting. The experience enabled students to develop practical advocacy skills, refine their understanding of comparative legal systems, and receive structured guidance from seasoned professionals. Even the teams that may not have won the challengers emerged with a clearer sense of direction, enhanced skillsets, and a deeper appreciation for the demands of global mooting.

The successful execution of the Open Challengers would not have been possible without the exceptional commitment and coordination of the members of the Moot Court Society and the Convenors. Operating under tight timelines and managing multiple complex moots back-to-back, they ensured that every aspect, from problem-setting and judge coordination to logistics and evaluation, was handled with precision and professionalism. Their ability to deliver high-quality rounds within a compressed schedule is a testament to their dedication, efficiency, and deep understanding of the mooting ecosystem at NLSIU.

This initiative reflects the Moot Court Society’s commitment to evolving mooting pedagogy at NLSIU by bridging doctrinal excellence with realistic simulation, and by cultivating not only competitive strength but also intellectual discipline and collaborative learning. As the selected teams now begin their preparations to represent NLSIU at global forums, they carry forward a legacy grounded in academic integrity, procedural excellence, and institutional pride.

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Stakeholder Consultation on Legal Protection for Domestic Workers | By Centre for Labour Studies, NLSIU & Human Rights Collective

The Centre for Labour Studies, and Human Rights Collective at NLSIU, in collaboration with the Domestic Workers Union and Stree Jagruti Samiti, organised a day-long Stakeholder Consultation on Legal Protection for Domestic Workers, in hybrid mode, on August 2, 2025, at the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, from 10 am to 5 pm.

This consultation forms part of an ongoing initiative aimed at bringing together diverse perspectives to formulate a legal framework for domestic workers within India.

View the Schedule

About the Consultation

The impetus for this consultation has been significantly influenced by the Supreme Court’s judgment in Ajay Malik v. State of Uttarakhand [2025 INSC 118]. This judgment mandated the establishment of a national committee to propose legislative measures for domestic workers. Despite this directive, no such committee has yet been constituted.

In response to this, the Human Rights Collective at NLSIU, in partnership with the Centre for Labour Studies, NLSIU, Domestic Workers Union and the Stree Jagruti Samiti, has initiated a series of independent consultations. These consultations are designed to foreground worker experiences and address existing legal gaps. As part of this effort, the team has prepared a position paper critically analysing the current legal landscape and conducted a worker consultation in Bengaluru on July 16, 2025, with a follow-up consultation with union leaders on July 19, 2025.

Notes from the Conference

This consultation was attended by domestic workers’ unions, activists from central trade unions, civil society groups, leading academics, labour lawyers, officials from the state government and law students.

The attendees emphasised on the need for adoption of a separate law for domestic workers and deliberated on the minimum protection that the legislation must guarantee to ensure dignity and rights. They also demanded for immediate compliance with the SC directive in relation to the judgment in Ajay Malik v. State of Uttarakhand.

Dr. G Manjunath, Additional Labour Commissioner, Government of Karnataka said that the Labour Department is working on a Draft Bill on regulating domestic work. The participants welcomed this initiative and called upon the government to release the draft bill for public consultation.

In the News

The Hindu | Position paper by NLSIU calls for legal recognition of domestic workers 

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Book Talks@NLS Library | ‘Queer Judgements’ | With QAMRA and Queer Judgments Project

NLSIU’s Queer Archive for Memory Reflection and Activism (QAMRA) in collaboration with the Queer Judgements Project (QJP), hosted a book discussion at the NLS Library on ‘Queer Judgements,’ an edited collection which was published by Counterpress in January 2025.

The book discussion was moderated by Dr. Siddharth Narrain, Faculty Director, QAMRA Archival Project, NLSIU, with panellists:

  • Vinay Chandran, Executive Director, Swabhava Trust
  • Aishwarya Birla, Assistant Professor of Law, NLSIU
  • Raju Behara, Researcher, Queer Judgements Project
  • Deedee, Impact Consultant
  • Radhika Chitkara, Assistant Professor of Law, NLSIU

QAMRA also displayed a small part of its collections for attendees to engage with at the NLS Library.

Abstract

The Queer Judgments Project is an initiative that evolved from disparate conversations between the current co-editors about how legal judgments related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics could have been written in different terms in light of relevant legal frameworks. This project brings together friends, colleagues, scholars, and activists who are interested in improving and challenging the law and its application to make life better for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other minoritized people and communities.

This edited collection is the first output of the project and the pages of this book re-imagine, re-write and re-invent judgments, from queer and other complementing perspectives. With an international reach and multi-disciplinary scope, this edited collection invites you to a queer dance through 26 judgments and commentaries.

About QJP

The Queer Judgments Project is an initiative that evolved from disparate conversations between the current co-editors about how legal judgments related to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) could have been written in more appropriate terms in light of the legal framework at the time. We wanted to cultivate a project that brought together friends, colleagues, and activists who were interested in improving and challenging the law and its application to make life better for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other (LGBTIQ+) people and communities.

The main aim of the project is to re-imagine, re-write, re-invent, from queer and other complementing perspectives, judgments that have considered SOGIESC issues.

The project has an international reach and multi-disciplinary scope. Thus, individual contributors are free to choose which judgment they want to focus on, featuring voices from across the globe. Similarly, the audience is to include people outside of academia, marginalised people and young people.

About the Speakers

Vinay Chandran

Vinay Chandran is the Executive Director of Swabhava Trust, a non-governmental organisation in Bengalurur. Established in 1999, Swabhava works on providing access to support services for LGBTQIA+ populations. Swabhava’s programmes include the Sahaya Telephone Helpline (080-22230959), documentation and research, training and workshops, and support spaces for various LGBTQIA+ groups. Vinay is a peer counsellor on the Helpline and set up the projects in Swabhava. His research on healthcare perspectives on SOGI communities has been published (co-edited by Arvind Narrain) in Nothing to Fix: Medicalisation of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SAGE/Yoda Press, 2015). He is currently working on a follow-up book on healthcare discrimination in southern India.

Aishwarya Birla

Aishwarya joined NLSIU in 2022 as an Academic Fellow, and now works as Assistant Professor of Law at NLSIU and Research Associate for the Pluralist Agreement and Constitutional Transformation (PACT) project. Her broad interests include human rights law, anti-discrimination, refugee law, and constitutional law.

 

Raju Behara

Raju is a non-binary disabled poet and expressive arts practitioner whose work centers queerness, disability, and anti-caste resistance through hybrid forms like blackout and found poetry. Their practice focuses on chronicling and re-imagining erased histories of queer-trans communities via community-led initiatives, including a trans-led expressive arts cohort with the Piravi Art Community. In 2022, they initiated Redefining Queerscapes, a movement using workshops to transform legal texts into protest poetry, archived in the Queer Judgments Project, Reframe Journal and multiple anthologies. Their debut collection, Withering Tempests (2021), explores queer isolation, and their writings on queer-trans journeys in urban spaces in India appears in journals and queer collectives. As an EQUAL fellow and a collaborator with the Asia Pacific Trans Network, Raju documented systemic healthcare barriers faced by trans youth and led Queer & Quarantine, a crisis-intervention initiative, during the pandemic.

Deedee

Deedee is an independent impact consultant supporting Trans- and Women-led organisations across India. Her work is grounded in feminist, anti-caste, and anti-colonial frameworks. She previously served as South Asia Co-Leader at Ashoka Young Changemakers, a Washington D.C.-based organisation known for pioneering the field of social entrepreneurship. An experienced organizer and fundraiser, she has mobilized over $1 million and trained 10,000+ students and educators on the relationship between Empathy and Power in everyday praxis. Deedee holds a Philosophy degree from the University of Delhi, where she also partnered with the Vice Chancellor’s office to advance inclusive student leadership.

Radhika Chitkara

Radhika is an Assistant Professor of Law at NLSIU, Bengaluru, where she is also pursuing her PhD on “Policing Terror: A Legal Cartography of Institutions, Powers and Functions” as Dr. NR Madhav Menon Doctoral Scholar and a grantee of the Law and Social Transformation Grant administered by DAAD-UGC. She is an Editor of the National Law School Journal, and has over twelve years of experience as a human rights scholar and practitioner. Her research interests include policing and civil liberties, gender, and indigenous peoples’ rights.

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Talk on ‘Reconsidering Dignity in Theory and Practice’ by Prof. Susan Marks, Professor of International Law, LSE Law School

NLSIU’s UNHCR Chair on Refugee Law organised a talk on ‘Reconsidering Dignity in Theory and Practice’ by Prof. Susan Marks, Professor of International Law, LSE Law School. The talk took place at the Allen & Overy Hall at the Training Centre at the NLS campus on July 28, 2025.

While at NLSIU, Prof. Marks met with the international law and human rights teaching cohort and the Council for International Relations and International Law (CIRIL), a student-run committee.

About the Talk

A central concept in constitutional and human rights law, dignity is understood to refer to the inherent worth and value of every human being, and the respect that is due to all of us simply by virtue of our being human. Whereas earlier notions of dignity were tied to status and rank, the modern conception of human dignity is celebrated as egalitarian and universal. But what if human dignity still remains bound up with hierarchy, privilege and rank? This talk will explore that question.

Speaking to us, Prof. Marks said:

“Dignity is a central concept in constitutional law and international law. There’s a huge amount of literature already on dignity, but most of it is extremely abstract, and I was interested in what it would mean to examine dignity as a worldly concept, as a relational concept, as something embodied and experienced.”

It is also the subject of her new book:

“My new book is called Trucanini’s Stare. The title comes from one of the chapters that looks at the situation of a Tasmanian indigenous woman in the 19th century who was photographed many times. She was subjected to a form of anthropometric photography, which is very undignified. But at another level. I found her to possess an incredible dignity in her bearing and that intrigued me and led me to explore her situation further.”

About the Speaker

Susan Marks is Professor of International Law in the School of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She previously taught at the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. Her research seeks to bring insights from critical social theory to the study of international law and human rights. She is the author of The Riddle of All Constitutions, International Human Rights Lexicon (co-written with Andrew Clapham), A False Tree of Liberty and Trucanini’s Stare, and edited a volume entitled International Law on the Left.

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Muse@NLS Library | ‘Rain Incarnations’ | Poetry Reading With Prof. Bishnu Mohapatra

NLSIU’s Library Committee organised a poetry reading by Prof. (Dr.) Bishnu N. Mohapatra, Professor of Politics and Director of Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, KREA University.

About the event

Poet and political scientist, Prof. Bishnu Mohapatra, brought both his worlds together at NLSIU while discussing his recently published poetry collection ‘Rain Incarnations‘ (Speaking Tiger, 2025). The poetry reading session was organised at the NLS Library Basement on Monday, 4 August 2025, at 4 PM by NLS faculty Dr. Rinku Lamba.

Rain, an enduring figure in poetry across languages, finds fresh expression, in the 35 poems of this volume. NLS faculty Keerthana Venkatesh, opened the session with a welcome note, followed by Ammel Sharon who reflected on the many ways Indian traditions evoke the monsoon across musical forms, classical and folk, through recurring motifs like thunder, frogs, and lovers, each shaped by mood and raga.

Prof. Mohapatra recited the traditions he carries: his mother’s poetry, modern Odia verse, the Ramcharitmanas, and Faiz, alongside selections from his wide ranging collection in Odia and in English. The discussion flowed from the idea of a Puranic “Barshavatar” to questions about the relationship between the poetical and the political. In response, he read his rain poem on Socrates and spoke of his own examination of metaphysical ideas. The evening closed on a note of possibility and, as one student put it, “revolutionary optimism.”

About the poet

Prof. Bishnu Mohapatra is a well-known Indian poet who writes his poetry in Odia. Currently, he is a Professor of Politics and the Director of Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences at KREA University, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, India. He served as the regional anchor of India and South Asia for the World Humanities Report (WHR), published in 2024.

Prof. Mohapatra has authored five volumes of poetry and has translated two volumes of Pablo Neruda’s poetry into Odia. A Fragile World, a book of his poetry in English translation, was published in 2008. He served as the national jury member for the Moortidevi Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith, Delhi, from 2013 to 2015. A volume of his poetry in Hindi translation – Buddha aur Aam – was published by Pralek Prakashan, Mumbai, in 2022. Prof. Mohapatra’s poetry carries not only a theorist’s critical gaze but, more importantly, a seeker’s voice. In terms of great uncertainty and disenchantment, his poetry seeks to re-enchant the world without drowning out contemporary realities.

A volume of his poetry in translation – Rain Incarnations – was published by Speaking Tiger in 2025. He is in the process of completing a volume of Rilke’s poetry in Odia translation.

Report Launch | ‘Unmaking Citizens’ | Access to Justice in Citizenship Determination Project, NLSIU & Queen Mary University of London

The Access to Justice in Citizenship Determination Project, NLSIU, and Queen Mary University of London launched a report on the Foreigners Tribunals in Assam titled ‘Unmaking Citizens’ on July 26, 2025. The launch took at Teen Murti Bhavan, Teen Murti Marg, New Delhi

The report was authored by Mohsin Alam Bhat (Queen Mary University of London), and researchers Arushi Gupta, and Shardul Gopujkar, with the support of researchers and law students from NLSIU.

Read the Report

Speakers

  • Hon’ble Mr Justice Madan Lokur (Retired), former Judge, Supreme Court of India
  • Dr. Usha Ramanathan, Human Rights Activist and Independent Researcher
  • Mr. HRA Choudhary, Senior Advocate, Gauhati High Court
  • Dr. Mohsin Alam Bhat, Assistant Professor of Law, Queen Mary University of London
  • Ms. Darshana Mitra, Assistant Professor of Law and Director-Clinics, NLSIU

About the Report

Based on 1,193 High Court cases, landmark Supreme Court rulings, and in-depth field interviews, the Unmaking Citizens report offers the most comprehensive study yet of Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals. It reveals a legal system in deep crisis: over 165,000 people have already been declared “foreigners,” with 85,000+ cases pending and more than 1 million NRC appeals potentially headed to these opaque tribunals. The report documents widespread arbitrariness in decision-making, including the wholesale rejection of documentary and oral evidence, and the absence of legal norms to protect individuals from wrongful targeting. These are not isolated failures—they reflect an institutionalised machinery of exclusion, with severe regional and national implications.

In the Press

The Hindu | Assam’s Foreigners’ Tribunals disregard constitutional safeguards: report
The Wire | Assam’s Foreigners’ Tribunals Are Instruments of Exclusion, New Report Says
The Hindu | Clerical errors in documents “fatal” for citizenship in Assam: Study
The Leaflet | Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals system lacks a secure legal foundation, is vulnerable to executive interference 

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