NLIU Bhopal: Panel on 15 Women Architects of the Indian Constitution
ABOUT NLIU
The National Law Institute University, Bhopal (NLIU) was established by the Rashtriya Vidhi Sansthan Vishwavidyalaya Adhiniyam, Act No. 41 of 1997, and substituted by Act No. 6 of 2018, enacted by the Madhya Pradesh State Legislature. The University Grants Commission and the Bar Council of India had given recognition to NLIU. The vision of NLIU is to become one of the world’s best centers of legal education, training, and research.
The mission of NLIU is to develop and nurture the intellect for the betterment of the nation and humanity through law and justice. The main objective of NLIU is to impart and disseminate comprehensive legal education to achieve excellence by way of organizing progressive study programs and promoting research with a focus on improving the ability of students and research scholars to analyze contemporary issues of public concerns and their legal implications so that law learners acquire skills to advance legal education professionally and responsibly
ABOUT PULER
People United for Law, Education, and Rehabilitation (PULER) is a student-led initiative established in 2009 at the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal. The initiative goes beyond simply visiting the Mendora Government School—it strives to create a safe and comforting environment for children, much like the warmth of their own homes. PULER embraces the values of the children without judgment and encourages the understanding that different beliefs can coexist peacefully. In recent years, the initiative has expanded its blog platform by incorporating insightful articles, legal snippets, and engaging blog posts. It has also conducted various Bal Sabha activities aimed at fostering the overall development of children through extracurricular involvement. In addition, PULER has organized donation campaigns and informative webinars. More than just an organization, PULER considers itself a family dedicated to social change through legal education and grassroots outreach. Its mission includes enhancing the educational development of children in nearby villages, particularly focusing on literacy and numeracy skills. The initiative operates through five key teams: Administration and Finance, Project Management, Assessment and Strategy, Quality Control, and Public Relations and Website Management, all working collaboratively to bring PULER’s vision to life.
ABOUT LAC
The NLIU Legal Aid Clinic (NLIU LAC) was established on April 11, 2018, at the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, with the support of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). It is a student-driven legal aid initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing barriers to justice faced by economically and socially disadvantaged groups. Guided by the Directive Principles of State Policy, especially Article 39A of the Indian Constitution, the Clinic works toward creating a justice system that is accessible to all, regardless of location, financial background, or education level.
Unlike traditional legal aid models that rely largely on legal professionals, NLIU LAC follows a distinct approach where law students, under the supervision of faculty, play an active role in spreading legal awareness and providing assistance. The Clinic believes that legal education should extend beyond classroom learning, encouraging students to become change agents who connect the legal framework with underserved communities.
Since its founding, the Clinic has taken a broad and inclusive approach, going beyond legal representation to include legal literacy, policy analysis, community outreach, and public engagement. It functions as more than just a platform for free legal aid, it is also a space for student learning, community involvement, and innovative policy development.
ABOUT THE EVENT
“We want that when we legislate, we must be able to see that women have the same rights as men—not only on paper but in actual fact.”
– Hansa Mehta, Member of the Constituent Assembly
P.U.L.E.R. and the LAC, NLIU Bhopal, are proud to present a panel discussion on “15 Women Architects of the Indian Constitution”, on August 12, 2025, a conversation aimed at rediscovering the legacy of the remarkable women who helped shape India’s founding document.
Between 1946 and 1950, only fifteen women served in the Constituent Assembly, not merely as participants, but as active framers of constitutional vision. They were lawyers, educators, social reformers, and freedom fighters who engaged with questions of gender justice, minority rights, caste discrimination, secularism, and property reform. Their work resonates today in the ongoing legal and policy debates, including the 2023 Women’s Reservation Act, the 2025 Rajasthan High Court judgment in Manni Devi, and the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The panel will explore themes such as elite representation vs. intersectional inclusion, feminist legal reforms and institution-building, decentralized governance, secularism and minority rights, and the politics of public memory. In doing so, it invites us to reflect on how far we have come and how far we must still go to realised the framers’ constitutional dreams.
The discussion will be led by a diverse panel comprising Adv. Dr. Shalu Nigam, Adv. Urja Pandey, Prof. Raka Arya, and Prof. Bir Pal Singh, each bringing unique academic, professional, and activist perspectives to the discussion.
With media partner from SCC Online Times and sponsorship with Judiciary Gold, the event promises to be both reflective and forward-thinking. Join us in honoring the women whose words still echo through India’s constitutional fabric.
THE PANELISTS
1. Dr. Adv. Shalu Nigam
Advocate Dr. Shalu Nigam is a prominent Indian lawyer, feminist legal scholar, author, and human rights activist, with a longstanding commitment to issues of gender justice and legal empowerment. Her intellectual contributions include a series of widely referenced books such as Domestic Violence in India: What One Should Know, Women and Domestic Violence Law in India: A Quest for Justice, Dowry is a Serious Economic Violence: Rethinking Dowry Law in India, and Domestic Violence Law in India: Myth and Misogyny. She was also a TEDx speaker at TEDxSIBMBengaluru in 2022.
Dr. Nigam holds a B.Sc. from Lady Irwin College (1990), an LL.B. from Delhi University, and an M.A. in Social Work from Jamia Millia Islamia, where she also earned her Ph.D. in 2002 on the doctor—patient relationship under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. She pursued post-doctoral research at the Centre for Women’s Development Studies with ICSSR support. Professionally, she has served as Secretary of PUCL Delhi and, since September 2024, as its Vice President, overseeing the internship programme. She is the Founder-Director of the We the People Platform, Secretary and Trustee of the Indian Renaissance Institute, and a Visiting Senior Fellow at IMPRI, where she initiated the Law and Public Policy Youth Fellowship and an online course on Ending Violence Against Women.
Dr. Nigam’s activism spans several high-impact national campaigns. She participated in the lawyers’ protest following the Kathua rape case (2018), co-signed letters to the judiciary regarding victim treatment in sexual violence cases (2020), and was part of collective statements condemning hate speech against Muslim women, the Karnataka High Court’s hijab ruling, and the remission of the Bilkis Bano convicts. In 2023, she made statements on the violence in Manipur, and in December of the same year, she signed the international convention opposing the destructive use of science and the genocide in Gaza.
She is also known for her landmark legal battle in Shalu Nigam v. Regional Passport Officer, where she challenged the denial of a passport for her daughter due to the omission of the father’s name. The Delhi High Court’s 2016 decision upheld her plea, recognizing the rights of single mothers and children to define their familial identity, and prompted a nationwide change in passport rules, allowing for single-parent documentation. This case continues to be cited as a milestone in Indian legal discourse on gender and identity.
Dr. Nigam remains a vital force in bridging academic insight, grassroots advocacy, and policy reform to advance gender equity and human rights in India.
2. Adv. Urja Pandey
Advocate Urja Pandey is a practicing lawyer at the Supreme Court of India. She’s a driven and articulate legal professional who has steadily built a robust litigation career through her experience in some of the country’s most prestigious legal chambers, under the mentorship of highly respected members of the Bar and Bench.
Urja began her academic journey at Delhi Public School, Jabalpur, and later pursued her integrated law degree, BLS LL.B, from Mumbai University (2015—2020). During her law school years, she developed a keen interest in the intersection of technology and legal frameworks, which led her to complete a Diploma in Cyber Laws at the Asian School of Cyber Laws (2016—2017). This foundational training has significantly contributed to her nuanced understanding of evolving issues in cyber jurisprudence.
Her professional career began in 2022 as a Legal Associate at the Chambers of Arjun Bhati and Krishna Dev Jagarlamundi, followed by a highly enriching tenure with the Chambers of Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya (Retd. Supreme Court Judge and former NCLAT Chairperson), where she worked from September 2022 to March 2025. She further honed her litigation and drafting skills during her time with the Chambers of the Additional Solicitor General of India, Senior Advocate Chetan Sharma in April 2025, and later with the Chambers of Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, one of India’s most respected criminal lawyers.
Her early exposure to high-profile litigation began with internships at the chambers of senior stalwarts, such as Senior Advocate Vivek Tankha (Feb – Mar 2019) and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal (Oct – Nov 2018). The experiences offered her deep insights into the functioning of the legal system at the highest level.
Most recently, her legal perspective was featured in a national media discourse when journalist Khadija Khan approached her for inputs on a Supreme Court judgment in a POCSO case. The resulting piece, titled “SC convicted POCSO accused, then set him free — it factored in lived realities and systematic failures,” was published in ThePrint.
Adv. Urja Pandey continues to build her practice at the intersection of litigation, constitutional values, and contemporary legal challenges, and is fast emerging as a dynamic young voice in the legal fraternity.
3. Prof. (Dr.) Bir Pal Singh
Prof. (Dr.) Bir Pal Singh, with over 25 years of academic experience, is a senior Professor of Panchayat Administration & Nyaya Panchayat and currently serves as the Chairperson of the Centre for Tribal Studies and Research at the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal. He holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology and Sociology, with his research primarily focused on the socio-cultural dimensions of tribal communities, particularly the Tharu tribe in contemporary India. He has played a pivotal role in several national and international research initiatives, including collaborative projects between UNDP and NLIU. Prof. Singh has also held significant administrative positions within the university, contributing to its academic and institutional development.
A prolific scholar, he has authored over 40 research papers and three books, with expertise spanning Tribal and Customary Law, Legal Anthropology, Gender and Law, and Sociological Theory. As a frequent keynote speaker at conferences across India and abroad, he continues to influence the discourse on democratic decentralization, social transformation, and tribal justice systems through his active engagement in academic forums and research communities.
4. Prof. (Dr.) Raka Arya
Prof. (Dr.) Raka Arya is a distinguished academician and legal scholar currently serving as a Professor of Political Science, Dean of Student Welfare, and Chief Hostel Warden at the National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she holds an LL.B. from Aligarh Muslim University, an M.A. and M.Phil. from Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University, and a Ph.D. in International Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Her areas of expertise include Feminist Jurisprudence, Law and Human Rights, and International Relations, particularly European perspectives. She has previously taught at Vasanta College for Women in Varanasi and practiced law for three years in district courts.
Prof. Arya is also the guiding force behind NLIU’s Gender Justice Cell, fostering gender equity through research and advocacy, and she currently serves as a Member of the 22nd Law Commission of India, contributing to critical legal reforms including deliberations on the Uniform Civil Code and the balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles.
EVENT DETAILS
The event is scheduled to take place on August 12th, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Registration to the event is open for all.
Last date to register is August 11th, 2025.
Registration fee is Nil for NLIU Students.
Registration fee is Rs. 200 for others.
UPI ID: 8287528580@pz
For further details, kindly contact;
Kushagra Mahajan
+91 82875 28580