Meet Our New Postgraduate Students | LLM & MPP Programmes | AY 2024-25

Esha Todkar, LLM

My journey so far: I was fortunate enough to kickstart my journey in the legal field at the Indian Law Society (ILS) Law College Pune, one of the oldest law schools in India, whose alumni include three Chief Justices of the country, and has been a place for intellectual dialogue for stalwarts like Prof. S.P. Sathe. I graduated from law school in 2023 with a BA LLB degree and the prestigious Justice P.B. Gajendragadkar Prize. After graduating, I trained in mediation and became a certified mediator,  and began practicing at the Pune District and Sessions courts.

On taking up law: Law came as a natural choice to me. I loved reading civics, political science, history and language at school. Questions about constitutions, governments and justice in our daily lives intrigued me and that’s when I decided that I wanted to systematically study the law.

Coming to NLSIU: Almost every law aspirant dreams of learning at NLSIU. So have I. I had no plans of pursuing a Master’s degree and wanted to get into litigation straight away. But as destiny would have it, my mentor, a seasoned advocate, advised me to first do a postgraduate degree. I decided to follow his sound advice, and appeared for Symbiosis Law School’s PG entrance examination since CLAT PG 2023 had already been conducted. In an unfortunate turn of events, a technical glitch cost me my admission as I failed to submit my answer in the online examination. That was the end of my LLM aspirations. Self-doubt and uncertainty got the better of me. With support from my parents, I decided to appear for CLAT PG 2024. With little or no optimism, I started my preparations in August 2024 with only one thing on mind, to give it my best shot. After four months of relentless preparation, I secured a high rank in the examination, leading to a seat at NLSIU. Had I not unexpectedly failed in the previous entrance examination, I would never have landed at NLSIU. That’s when I realised that such things may not be accidents as they seem but God’s better plans for me.

What I look forward to: My journey of reaching NLSIU has already redefined my capabilities and made me realise my true potential. A sea of knowledge from the best of the academicians in the country awaits me at NLSIU. The exposure to litigation in courts and the interaction between theory and practice gave rise to newer questions, the answers to which required the right guidance and training for a fresh graduate and first-generation lawyer like me. I have found my mentors in the esteemed faculty, lifetime friends in my peers, and the orientation that I was looking for! At NLSIU, we are not merely students but seekers of knowledge. I look forward to harnessing and honing my skills here. I aim to serve in the constitutional courts of India, and not just make a mark for myself but also contribute value to the legal legacy of our country.

Ravi Shanker Mishra, LLM

My journey so far: I come from Varanasi and my journey of higher education started from the prestigious Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U). Later, I completed my LL.B from the Campus Law Center (DU), and in the quest for quality education, my journey brings me to NLSIU.

On taking up law: For me, law has always been a go to subject, and the diverse nature of law has always attracted me. I feel the LL.M curriculum here at NLS is one of the best designed programmes for any law enthusiast.

What I look forward to: With the help of engaging faculty members and vivid resources, I would very much like to imbibe the culture of NLS, which would provide me with the opportunity to dive deep into diverse areas of the law.

 

Kajal Mhasal, LLM

My journey so far: I am from Ulhasnagar, a small town in Thane, Maharashtra. I completed my Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) in the Science stream before pursuing my undergraduate degree at the Maharashtra National Law University, Aurangabad. During my final year, I began preparing for the CLAT-PG exam and made my way to NLSIU.

I lost two foundational years of my legal education to COVID-19, which I believe led to an isolated understanding of the law. The decision to pursue LLM stemmed from a desire to compensate for what I lost. The concentration in commercial laws here at NLS will help serve as a robust foundation for my career.

On choosing law: I became a lawyer by chance. As a child, I dreamt of becoming a marine engineer and worked towards that goal during my secondary school. However, an encounter with a lawyer sparked my interest in law, compelling me to give it a shot. In my hometown, awareness about the CLAT examination is minimal and it still remains a challenge there to convey the significance of a national institution for law. My journey was also deeply influenced by my mother and her belief in the power of education. She is from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra where circumstances denied her the opportunity to complete even her primary education. She instilled in me the importance of learning and discipline. After completing my BA LLB, I knew I had to aim higher.

What I look forward to: I look forward to building meaningful connections, working on my personal growth, and making use of the best opportunities NLS provides, all while learning from the best in the country.

 

Yash Anil Pund, MPP

My journey so far: I was a reluctant engineer, but it provided me an analytical perspective which has allowed me to delve deeper into questions of public policy and understand them better. I immediately jumped into preparing for the civil services exam after engineering due to an interest in history, society, and international relations. A combination of these factors made me pivot professionally and leverage my technical background which had a humanities touch in the public policy domain. I would probably be pursuing a political science degree in an alternative timeline.

On choosing a public policy programme: During my preparation for the civil services, I was deeply interested in caste, international relations, and history. Even during engineering, I used to regularly read about these issues and track them. This triggered my interest in public policy as it entailed studying a diverse set of subjects that are equally important in crafting public policy. I do not like to be boxed into a specific domain because interdisciplinarity is the future.

What I look forward to: I look forward to making the most of my classes here, the amazing faculty at NLS like Prof. Aravind Narrain and Prof. Rinku Lamba, who I only knew through their books and the famous NRMM Library which is a heavenly abode for a student of humanities like me. NLS allows me to explore and challenge myself academically.

 

Shubhra Rajput, MPP

My journey so far: I completed my bachelors and masters at JNU, New Delhi, in Japanese Language studies and was also a research scholar at the Kyoto University Japan for 1.5 years. I worked as a bilingual consultant for 12 years out of which 9 years were focused on life sciences industry business research and delivery management. I chose NLS as my next stop as I wanted to pivot to add more meaning to my job. People discouraged me saying that me being on the higher side of age and work experience would make me an outlier but I see this as my USP.

On choosing a public policy programme: I was working as a bilingual consultant and was doing well professionally. However, I wanted my work to mean something more. My background in business research and consulting for life sciences companies made me wonder if I could try pivoting to impact consulting or maybe even work in patient support programmes and campaign teams of pharmaceutical companies. It was precisely this thinking that made me choose public policy.

What I look forward to: I am looking forward to being taught by some of the greatest minds in social sciences and using the knowledge that I acquire in creating an impact through my work.

This post has been slightly edited for length and clarity.

If you want to share your story with us, reach out to the Communications Office at NLSIU.