NLSIU’s 3-Year LLB Student Receives Rhodes Scholarship for 2025

We congratulate our student Vibha Swaminathan of the 3-Year LLB (Hons) programme for receiving the Rhodes Scholarship for 2025! This year, five Rhodes Scholars from India have been selected for 2025, marking the culmination of a rigorous national selection process. Vibha joins the list of 25 NLSIU scholars who’ve been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship so far (including this year).

After a competitive application process and two rounds of preliminary interviews, followed by an interview of the shortlisted finalists, five scholars from different parts of the country have been chosen to receive the prestigious scholarship – Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kurukshetra, Ghaziabad and Ranchi. They will be heading to the University of Oxford in October 2025 to join a cohort of more than a 100 scholars from around the world to undertake fully funded post-graduate studies.

In an official statement, Dr. Elizabeth Kiss, CEO of the Rhodes Trust, said: “The Rhodes Trust is delighted to introduce the extraordinary 2025 Class of Rhodes Scholars Elect who represent cultures and perspectives from every corner of the world. For more than a century, the Rhodes Trust has brought exceptional individuals to Oxford and fostered a vibrant global community. We eagerly anticipate the invaluable contributions these Scholars will make, not just during their studies, but throughout their lives as they join the community of Rhodes Scholar alumni who are creating a more equitable and sustainable future for the world.”

About Vibha Swaminathan

Vibha is a final year student from the first batch of the 3-Year LLB (Hons) programme at NLSIU that was launched in 2022. She holds a BA (Hons) in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. As Vibha is interested in the intersections of power and society, she said law was a natural next step for her to pursue after completing her political science degree.

“The Rhodes Scholarship is such an excellent opportunity and marks the beginning of a lifelong engagement, and also opens other pathways. I am interested in studying the political and legal fragilities of citizenship regimes, and hope to combine this academic engagement with a human rights litigation practice before trial courts in India,” said Vibha.

At Oxford, Vibha plans to pursue Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL), a postgraduate degree through which she hopes to gain a strong foundation in public law, constitutional law, equality law, and human rights law. She then wants to study MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, and is particularly interested in exploring the Border Criminology Research Unit at the University.

Reflecting on her journey so far, Vibha also expressed gratitude towards her mentors who influenced her in different ways:
“This journey would not have been possible without the mentorship, support and efforts of many wonderful teachers. At NLS, I am particularly indebted to Dr. Mrinal Satish, Prof. Darshana Mitra and Dr. Atreyee Majumder, for always being available to discuss my aspirations, to refine my application, and for writing recommendation letters. I am also extremely grateful to Dr. Aparna Chandra, Dr. Gauri Pillai, Ms. Preeti Dash, and Dr. Sudhir Krishnaswamy, for invaluable conversations that pushed me to think deeper, during the application process and beyond.

I am also deeply grateful to Ms. Lubhyathi Rangarajan, Adv. Harsh Bora and Dr. Usha Ramanathan – my mentors outside the formal classroom, from whom I continue to learn immensely.

At Lady Shri Ram College, I am indebted to Dr. Snehil Kacker, for the continued support and mentorship, as well as the recommendation letter. I am also very grateful to all my teachers at LSR – especially Dr. Rina Kashyap, Dr. Mahesh Panicker and Prof. Ravindra Karnena – for nurturing my excitement to read deeply and critically. Lastly, I am deeply thankful to Mr. Sathish Jayarajan and Mr. Abhimanyu Arni from Mallya Aditi International School, for introducing me to the subjects I want to study, and for always believing in me.”

We wish Vibha the very best for her academic journey ahead.   

About the Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship is the world’s preeminent and oldest graduate fellowship since 1903, and is awarded by the Rhodes Trust, an educational charity based at the University of Oxford. The Scholarships for India began in 1947 and have been awarded to five outstanding applicants each year.

“Students from anywhere in the world can apply for a Rhodes Scholarship and many find that taking part in our rigorous selection is a profoundly positive experience which leaves them well placed to go on to a Rhodes Scholarship or other opportunities worldwide. The Rhodes Scholarship aims to choose young people with proven academic excellence who also show exceptional character, leadership, energy to use their talents to the full and a commitment to solving humanity’s challenges. Rhodes Scholars form a lifelong community of people in many fields and careers, united by a commitment to having a positive impact on the world. Scholars from India have gone on to pursue careers ranging from public policy, literature, law, medicine, scientific research, etc.,” said a statement from the Rhodes Trust.

The official press release from the Rhodes Trust is available here. 

Featured in the press:

Times of India | Bengaluru Student Vibha Swaminathan Wins Prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for 2025