This is a BIG BIG deal and a proud moment for NLSIU. Previous winners include US Supreme Court judges like Warren Burger, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sandra Day O’Connor, Sonia Sotomayer, Stephen Breyer and Antonin Scalia; and intellectual giants like Ronald Dworkin, Richard Posner, Guido Calabrese and Anne-Marie Slaughter. This roll of honour probably makes it the most prestigious prize ever received by an Indian lawyer, much ahead of the Infosys prize (NLSIU dominates there too).
Unfortunately, Menaka and Arundhati were unable to attend the awards ceremony in person, because of an SC hearing.
What have they done exactly to deserve this? Is it the same old 'contribution for S. 377' that was actually the work of a team but for which only these two are being singled out consistently? Or have they done anything praiseworthy since then?
It was given for their work on s 377, according to this report.
Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju, who have advanced LGBT rights as lawyers in India, have been named this year’s recipients of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Law....“Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju have worked tirelessly to advance equality and LGBT rights in India, the world’s largest democracy,” Dean Risa Goluboff said....Guruswamy and Katju represented plaintiffs in a landmark 2018 ruling in which the Supreme Court of India unanimously decriminalized homosexuality by striking down a colonial-era anti-sodomy law. The petition was the first time LGBT Indians had challenged the law as a violation of their fundamental rights. In recognition of their success, Guruswamy and Katju were named among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019. ...
There were the only lawyers in the case were actually queer and are a couple themselves. They were interviewed on Fareed Zakaria GPS and confirmed that they are a couple.
On GPS: A victory for LGBT rights in India
Lawyers Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju tell Fareed about how they overturned a colonial era sodomy law and decriminalized gay sex in India.
Indeed a beautiful moment , but this brings the question that for how long NLSIU is going to bask in the success of Guruswamy and Katju ? Need some real prodigies now
Very prestigious accolade, no doubt, but considering the list of legends who have received this medal, I think it should have first been awarded to someone of the stature of Soli Sorabjee, Fali Nariman, Upendra Baxi etc. Even on the 377 issue Indira Jaising and Anand Grover were the early pioneers. I think my friends from NLSIU will also agree on this.
I mean. not everyone needs to worship at the temple of nariman, sorabjee or baxi. Its fine that younger people are being recognised better. This is just kinda snobbish. Theres plenty wrong with the savarna politics of guruswamy and katju, but lets not pretend they didnt do any work. Everyone stands on the shoulders of those who came before them, but you dont see physicians arguing that every new award should first be given to freaking newton.
This list is literally like a Nobel Prize for law. But just as some Nobel Prize choices have been strange, this too is a bit strange. Have we forgotten that, much before the SC struck down 377, the Delhi High Court did so? Why no recognition for the lawyers in that case and the judge who delivered the verdict?
It's always interesting to see armchair critics who know exactly who should be awarded prestigious medals, without actually being involved in the selection process or knowing the criteria for the award. It's also worth noting that the Jefferson Medal for Law is specifically awarded for achievements in advancing the principles of freedom under law, which Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju have certainly done through their groundbreaking work in the Indian legal system. Just because there may be other luminaries who fought for LGBTQ rights before the Delhi high court and Supreme Court does not diminish the importance and impact of Guruswamy and Katju's work. So let's celebrate their achievements and recognize the progress they have made, rather than belittling their well-deserved recognition.
I agree with you. The comments here are basically by people who are very jealous. MG and AK did not hire any PR agency to promote themselves!! They happened to be in New York (at Columbia) before and after the decision and were giving talks on the subject, which is how TIME got to know about them and the Jefferson Medal happened because of the TIME honour.
People commenting here are really stupid to say that other lawyers deserve the same honour. It’s like saying that a cricketer should give up the man of the match award snd share it with the remaining 10 players.
Fully agree. Instead of celebrating two young achievers, people are complaining why the oldies did not win any prize. Also, I personally think Indira Jaising is overrated and opinionated. Remember also that she would have been a very controversial choice, because her NGO is under ED investigation for foreign funding.
Absolutely. The people who are criticising them are like the boomer music fans who hate on young artists like Billie Eilish and Doja Cat. It's obvious that the Jefferson Medal jury wanted to choose younger people this year, so they choose the youngest members of the 377 legal team.
Thoughts on who could next make the Time 100 list? Karuna Nundy made it after them and Vrinda Grover before. Perhaps Rebecca John, Avani Bansal or Gautam Bhatia could be next, looking at the trend?
Unfortunately, Menaka and Arundhati were unable to attend the awards ceremony in person, because of an SC hearing.
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1646943908406894618
https://www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson-foundation/thomas-jefferson-foundation-medals/law-medal-recipients/
Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju, who have advanced LGBT rights as lawyers in India, have been named this year’s recipients of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Law....“Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju have worked tirelessly to advance equality and LGBT rights in India, the world’s largest democracy,” Dean Risa Goluboff said....Guruswamy and Katju represented plaintiffs in a landmark 2018 ruling in which the Supreme Court of India unanimously decriminalized homosexuality by striking down a colonial-era anti-sodomy law. The petition was the first time LGBT Indians had challenged the law as a violation of their fundamental rights. In recognition of their success, Guruswamy and Katju were named among TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2019. ...
https://www.law.virginia.edu/news/202302/lgbt-rights-litigators-receive-jefferson-medals-law
On GPS: A victory for LGBT rights in India
Lawyers Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju tell Fareed about how they overturned a colonial era sodomy law and decriminalized gay sex in India.
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2019/07/12/exp-gps-0714-guruswamy--katju-on-indian-lgbt-rights.cnn
I want them to hire them now.
People commenting here are really stupid to say that other lawyers deserve the same honour. It’s like saying that a cricketer should give up the man of the match award snd share it with the remaining 10 players.