Dr. Sarasu Esther Thomas

Education

B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) (1995) National Law School of India University, Bangalore
LL.M. (Business Laws) (1999) National Law School of India University, Bangalore
Ph.D in Law (2008) National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Profile

Prof. Sarasu joined NLSIU as a faculty member in 1999. Her academic and research interests include Family Law, Gender, and Human Rights. She was the Coordinator for the Centre for Women and the Law from September 2011 until June 2024. She set up the Human Rights Lawyering Project in 2011 funded by the Ford Foundation, and  served as the Chair Professor, Ford Foundation Endowment Chair on Public Interest Litigation at the University (2018-2020).  She was also the Chief Editor of the flagship Journal of the University – the National Law School Journal  (NLSJ) from 2013-2019.

Publications

Books & Book Chapters:

• Sarasu Esther Thomas (ed.), Gender, Human Rights and Law : 2021 – Vol. 10, Gender, Human Rights and Law (2021).
• Sarasu Esther Thomas (ed.), Gender, Human Rights and Law : 2020 – Vol. 9, Gender, Human Rights and Law (2021).
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Human Rights Lawyering: Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway?”, NHRC English Journal, 2018
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, Law for Christians in comtemporary India, BTESSC, Senate of Serampore (2017 edition)
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Homophobia and the Law: A Critical Review of s. 377” in George Zachariah and Vincent Rajkumar (eds.), Disruptive Faith, Inclusive Communities: Church and Homophobia (Bangalore/Delhi: CISRS/ISPCK, 2015), 15978-81-8465-493-6
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “The Personal is Political: A struggle for equality in the private realm of Family Law”, in Payal Kumar, UNVEILING WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP: IDENTITY AND MEANING OF LEADERSHIP IN INDIA, MACMILLAN (2015)
• “Legal Approaches to Cross border Human Trafficking in India-Nepal-Bangladesh” in Gender, Human Rights and Law Volume 4, National Law School of India University, 2015
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, LAW FOR CHRISTIANS IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA, BTESSC, Senate of Serampore (2014)
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Towards Equality: Moving Towards a More Egalitarian Christian Personal Law”, in Dexter Maben, BORDERS AND MARGINS, CSS-UTC (2014)

Articles/ Reports/ Conference Publications: 

• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Fear of Love and Loving in India“, Deccan Herald, (2024, April 13)
• Dr. Nimushakavi Vasanthi and Dr. Sarasu Esther Thomas (Eds). “Social Exclusion and Rights of Persons with Disability” in memory of Rahul Cherian (2013), Centre for Women and the Law, National Law School of India University. ISBN No: 978-93-833-01-8
• Dr. Sarasu Esther Thomas “The Draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2012: Some Loud Thinking in its Implications on Mental Health Provisions in Personal Laws” SOCIAL EXCLUSION AND RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITY (2013)85, Centre for Women and the Law, National Law School of India University

Research papers:  

• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Law and its discontents: Ageing and Family Law in India”, Journal and Social and Economic Development, Springer Nature (2023) 
• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Access to Justice in India: Managing Multiple Mechanisms in a Restrictive Practice Environment” in Helena Whalen-Bridge (Ed.), The Role of Lawyers in Access in Justice: Asian and Comparative Perspectives, Cambridge University Press (2022)
• BRIDGING SILOS: Dovetailing Curriculum Development, Research and Training of Young Lawyers and Law Students to strengthen synergies between law, practice and policy, to facilitate access to justice funded by Ford Foundation

Opinion pieces

• Sarasu Esther Thomas, “Uttarakhand UCC pits vulnerable young couples against the might of the state”, The Indian Express, (2024, February 20). https://indianexpress.com/article/india/uttarakhand-ucc-vulnerable-young-couples-state-9155651/

Podcast:

• Sarasu Esther Thomas, (Guest/Participant). (2023, April 3). “Single parents: Does the law discriminate?” [Audio podcast]. In Focus podcast. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/podcast/single-parents-does-the-law-discriminate-in-focus-podcast/article66694583.ece