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So who are the viable candidates for the selection process? Are there any NLSIU alumni who have been Full Professors for 10 years and would hence be eligible to apply?
1) VC Vivekanandan: He was wrongly denied NUJS VC-ship, but even if he had been made NUJS VC he would have applied for NALSAR VC-ship anyway. I think his chances are bright because he is an existing NLU VC.
2) Shashikala Gurpur of Symbiosis: She has good political connections and had applied to NLSIU as well. However, in terms of academic credentials, she has a book published by Lambert Academic Publishing, which is a notorious predatory publisher (google it). This may work against her.
https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Genetic-Engineering-Agriculture-Biodiversity/dp/3659445681
3) Srividhya Raghavan from the US, who had also applied to be NLSIU VC.
If NALSAR alumni and students actively campaign for a good VC like NLSIU alumni and students did, expect support for 3, followed by 1.
Both Mrinal Satish and N.S. Nigam would not be eligible at the moment. Mrinal became Full Professor at NLU Delhi in 2016-2017 while Nigam only got that rank with his move to BML Munjal in 2018-2019. Srividya Ragavan had applied for NLU Delhi last year (and not NLSIU) and would be eligible since she has been a Full Professor at least since 2009.
Among the other names posted above, I do not think that NALSAR students/alumni will get behind V.C. Vivekanandan or Shashikala Ghurpur. Both have their own baggage from the past.
Here are some suggestions for people who are eligible and can be persuaded to apply once the advertisement comes out.
1) Prof. Kamala Sankaran - currently at Professor at Delhi University, was earlier VC at TNNLS, she is in her early 60s and fits many boxes such as having the requisite seniority, having published quality scholarship and has been a level-headed administrator.
2) Prof. Sitharamam Kakarala - currently at Azim Premji University, earlier taught at NLS and was with CSCS. He is a well-respected academic and would be able to genuinely improve the LL.M. and Ph.D. programmes if he joins NALSAR. He also has roots in Telangana/Andhra Pradesh and would be acceptable to the entrenched local faculty. However, since he is a Professor of Political Science, the advertisement will have to invite applicants from allied disciplines, as was done in the case of recent VC appointments at TNNLS and RGNUL.
3) Dr. Srividya Ragavan - currently at Texas A&M Law School, earlier at Oklahoma State University. Specialises in Intellectual Property and has been a Full Professor since 2009. She might be considered given her international experience and networks.
4) Dr. Manoj Kumar Sinha - currently the Director at Indian Law Institute, Delhi and was earlier Professor at WBNUJS Kolkata where he was quite popular with students. He is in his early 50s and might apply since he will soon be completing two terms at ILI. He might also be preferred as a neutral candidate by the warring factions within NALSAR. He is also a decent teacher for International Law and will improve course-offerings in that area.
5) Dr. Lavanya Rajamani - currently Professor at University of Oxford, earlier held teaching and research positions at Cambridge University and the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. She is in her late 40s and specialises in International Environmental Law. If the Selection Committee has credible academics, they might give an opportunity to a scholar of her calibre.
6) Dr. V.S. Elizabeth - currently VC at TNNLS Trichy, taught History at NLSIU for a long time. She is known to be a strict but competent teacher. She played a questionable role in delaying Sudhir's appointment as NLS VC, but might be a good option for NALSAR since she will get along with Prof. Dhanda and her group.
If foreign nationals are allowed to apply, the Selection Committee could consider people of Indian origin who are teaching abroad such as Prof. Jayanth Krishnan (University of Indiana), Prof. Vikramaditya Khanna (University of Michigan Ann-Arbour) and Prof. Nehaluddin Ahmad (who has taught in Malaysia).
There are some NLSIU alumni who will become eligible in the next few years and could be considered for the VC positions at other NLUs. Some of them are:
- Arun Kumar Thiruvengadam - currently at NLS, previously taught at NUS and APU, became Full Professor in 2017.
- Mrinal Satish - currently at NLS, became Full Professor in 2016
- N.S. Nigam - currently at NLS, became Full Professor in 2018-2019
- Sarasu Thomas - currently at NLS, became Full Professor in 2017
- T.T. Arvind - currently at York University, UK - became Full Professor in 2012
- Shyam Balganesh - currently at Columbia Law School, USA - became Full Professor in 2014
- Deepa Badrinarayana - currently at Chapman University, USA - became Full Professor in 2014
- Sandeep Gopalan - currently at Carolina University, USA
- Prabha Kotiswaran - currently at Kings College London, UK - became Full Professor in 2017
- Reena Patel - earlier taught at University of Warwick, briefly became Dean at UPES Dehradun and another private law school in Noida.
I hope that this long-list helps current NALSAR faculty/students/alumni to narrow down on a credible successor to FM. This is the least that I can do for a sister institution.
random student.
NALSAR would benefit from having such a person.
It’s much more likely it’ll be someone already at Nalsar who would qualify or someone from the old guard.
Nls got Sudhir not just cause students/ alumni wanted him. Selection committees usually don’t care about that stuff. They got Sudhir because of very specific circumstances involving Sudhir having a good friend in the right position and all the alumni having such an influential and unified position. Neither of which are gonna be true for Nalsar.
Who will be shortlisted: Ved Kumari, Vijay Kumar, VCV, Poonam Saxena, Shashikala Gurpur, Nandimath, VS Elizabeth etc.
As for alumni and student intervention, while the NALSAR family can certainly lobby the Covid pandemic will make it difficult. When Sudhir was being stalled a protest as staged at NLSIU. That sort of thing obviously can't happen.
If I had to bet my money I would bet it on Vijay Kumar, followed by VCV, followed by Ved Kumari.
You are either sudhanshu himself or someone from dhandaa team.
Don't be over enthusiastic and try to lobby for your alumni and other 'Foreign Degree Guy's'.
They will ruin your life in innovative ways. Just look at NLS.
If the 10-year professorship rule is removed then not only NLSIU alumni but even NALSAR alumni could apply. For example, Pritam Baruah, Dean of BML Munjal. If the 10-year professorship rule stays, then I guess Srividhya Raghavan will be the frontrunner.