Nyayaspandana: Empowering Legal Literacy —Edited Book On Legal Awareness, And Legal Literacy Released

The Editors-in-Chief are Justice S. G. Shah, Former Judge, High Court of Gujarat; Bhamathi Balasubramaniam (Ex-IAS), Former Secretary to the Government of India; Desh Ratan Chaudhary, Senior Advocate Designate; Dr. Anindhya Tiwari, Assistant Professor of Law, HNLU; and Akshit Dwivedi, Student of B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), HNLU. Jeevan Sagar, Assistant Professor, HNLU, serves as Editor.

The edited book comprises chapters authored by Assistant Professors, Research Scholars, and undergraduate and postgraduate students drawn from institutions including the National Law Universities, and other premier law institutions.

The editorial team comprises Dipti Singh, Mandvi Dubey, Lovepreet Kaur, and Ananya Priyadarshi, Pranjal Gautam Bhoir, Anindita Pati, Srishti Gon, Paridhi, and Namya Agrawal.

Background

The edited book draws its intellectual foundation from the National Seminar titled NyayaSpandana: Empowering Legal Literacy, convened on 24 August 2025 in virtual mode by the International Sai Sewa Trust (ISST) in collaboration with the Social Justice Forum & ProBono India, under the guiding theme "Voices United for Legal Empowerment." The Seminar was inaugurated by Justice S.G. Shah, Former Judge, High Court of Gujarat, who delivered the inaugural address on the judiciary's role in advancing legal literacy. The Guest of Honour address was delivered by Prof. (Dr.) R. Venkata Rao, Vice-Chancellor, IIULER, Goa, and former Vice-Chancellor of NLSIU, Bengaluru, on the transformative power of legal education in shaping empowered citizens.

The Seminar featured thematic sessions across a range of subjects including legal aid frameworks and citizens' rights, constitutional law and governance, and legal awareness in the context of social movements. The speakers included Dr. Kalpeshkumar L. Gupta (Founder-ProBono India), Dr. Rajput Shraddha Bhausingh (Assistant Professor, HNLU), Dr. Uttam Kumar Panda (Assistant Professor, HNLU), and Mr. Shailesh Kumar Pandey, Ph.D. Scholar, HNLU, among others.

The Seminar was convened by Akshit Dwivedi, Chief Executive Officer, International Sai Sewa Trust (ISST). The edited book further incorporates contributions received through a Call for Papers jointly issued by ISST in collaboration with ProBono India.

About the Editors-in-Chief

Justice S. G. Shah, Former Judge, High Court of Gujarat

Justice S. G. Shah served as a Judge of the High Court of Gujarat for over twenty-two years, adjudicating nearly seventeen thousand cases across diverse subject matters. Upon his retirement from the Bench in 2019, he transitioned to arbitration and has since presided over eight arbitration proceedings. He served as Head of the E-Committee of the Supreme Court of India, overseeing the computerisation of courts across the country under the e-Courts Project. Justice Shah has also addressed Judicial Officers, Judges, CA and CS students, and forensic scientists at various national platforms.

Ms. Bhamathi Balasubramaniam (Ex-IAS), Former Secretary to the Government of India

Ms. Bhamathi Balasubramaniam is a retired officer of the Indian Administrative Service and former Secretary to the Government of India. Following her retirement, she served as a Member of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), dealing with matters relating to government employees' service rights. Her experience spans governance, policy, and public administration. She is associated with this volume as an Editor-in-Chief.

Mr. Desh Ratan Chaudhary , Senior Advocate Designate, High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

Mr. Desh Ratan Chaudhary is a practising advocate before the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad. He was designated as a Senior Advocate in November 2025. With experience in litigation before the High Court, he contributes a practitioner's perspective to this editorial project.

Dr. Anindhya Tiwari , Assistant Professor of Law, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur

Dr. Anindhya Tiwari is an Assistant Professor of Law at Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur. He holds a Doctorate from National Law University, Jodhpur, with research in the field of International Taxation. He has over eight years of teaching experience and four years of industry experience at a law firm in New Delhi. He teaches subjects including Corporate Law, Competition Law, Banking Law, and Taxation, and has published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. He is the author of a book on Banking Law and has edited two books with academic publishers.

About the Editor

Mr. Jeevan Sagar
Assistant Professor, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur

Mr. Jeevan Sagar is an Assistant Professor at Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, where he teaches English Language and English Literature. He holds an M.A. in English, a B.Ed., a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching English (PGCTE), and is UGC-NET qualified. His research interests include postcolonial literature and linguistic identity, and he has published research on the works of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in a peer-reviewed journal. He serves as the Editor of this volume.

About Founding Editor-in-Chief

Mr. Akshit Dwivedi
Student, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur

Mr. Akshit Dwivedi is a student of the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programme at Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, and the Founding Editor-in-Chief of NyayaSpandana. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of the International Sai Sewa Trust (ISST). His research interests include International Commercial Arbitration, Mergers and Acquisitions, Competition Law, Taxation Law, and Criminal Law. He has presented papers at various law schools and academic forums across India and has received recognition for his work in the field of social welfare.

About the International Sai Sewa Trust (ISST)

The International Sai Sewa Trust (ISST) is a non-governmental organisation established in 2018, dedicated to promoting social justice, community welfare, and legal awareness across India. Its work has centred on enhancing access to justice, strengthening women and child rights, and fostering civic engagement among marginalised communities.