NLS Faculty Dr. Sarasu Thomas Appointed New Director of Manipal Law School
October 4, 2024
We congratulate NLS faculty member Prof. Sarasu Esther Thomas for being appointed Director of the Manipal Law School, Bengaluru! Prof. Sarasu succeeded Prof. Avinash Dadhich, as she stepped into this new role on October 1, 2024.
Prof. Sarasu completed her B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) (1995), LLM (1999), and PhD in Law (2008), all from the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. She started working at the University as a Programme Officer of the Centre for Child and the Law in May 1996. She began her teaching career as a Lecturer in 1999, continued as Assistant Professor (2006), as Associate Professor (2011), and as Professor of Law (2014). She also served as the Registrar of NLSIU from October 2019 to March 2021.
Prof. Sarasu’s academic and research interests include Family Law, Gender, and Human Rights. During her time at NLSIU, 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, reviving the journal after a long hiatus.
She also worked on external projects with various agencies including the National Human Rights Commission, Tata Trusts, and the National Commission for Women. She was Member, Steering Committee on Women’s Agency and Child Rights for the Twelfth Five-Year Plan, and was deputed to the Drafting Committee, Legislation on Matrimonial Property, National Commission for Women among others. She has served on the Boards of Studies and other bodies including Complaints Committees under the POSH Act of several institutions. She is a Founding Member of the Alternative Law Forum.
Prof. Sarasu’s recent publications include the textbook BM Gandhi’s Family Law Volume 2. (Eastern Book Company, 2022). Her other publications are available on her faculty profile.
NLSIU faculty in leadership positions:
Prof. Sarasu Thomas joins a growing list of NLS faculty who have held leadership positions at other universities. NLSIU’s Founder Director Prof. (Dr.) Madhava Menon went on to establish NUJS, Kolkata and was Founder Vice-Chancellor of the university; and Prof. (Dr.) N L Mitra (founding faculty and Director of NLSIU), became the Founder Vice-Chancellor of National Law University, Jodhpur.
Prof. (Dr.) Ranbir Singh was the Founder Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR, Hyderabad and Founder Vice-Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) S. Japhet was the first Vice-Chancellor of Bangalore Central University; Prof (Dr.) Rose Varghese was the Vice Chancellor of NUALS, Kochi, and later was Dean of Faculty at Jamia Millia Islamia Central University, New Delhi; Prof. (Dr.) V. Vijayakumar was Vice-Chancellor of National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal and Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University; Prof. (Dr.) Kesava Rao Vurrakula was Vice-Chancellor of NUSRL, Ranchi; Prof. (Dr.) V. Nagaraj was VC of Dharmashastra National Law University, Jabalpur; and Prof. (Dr.) V.S. Elizabeth served as the VC of Tamil Nadu National Law University, Tiruchirappalli.
Former and current NLSIU faculty who presently serve as Vice Chancellors include: Prof. (Dr.) V. Nagaraj, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu National Law University, Tiruchirappalli; Prof. (Dr.) Srikrishna Deva Rao, Vice Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad; Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan, Vice-Chancellor of HNLU, Raipur; Prof. (Dr.) R.Venkata Rao (former VC of NLSIU), Vice-Chancellor, India International University of Legal Education and Research (IIULER), Goa; and Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Patil, Vice-Chancellor, NUSRL, Ranchi.
We wish Prof. Sarasu the very best as she takes up this new role!
Prof. Sarasu will be on Lien for a period of three years. She can be reached at or