National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bangalore, is known for producing finest Rhodes Scholars from India. This year Vrinda Bhandari (pictured), final year student has been awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for the year 2012. The scholarship was announced on November 5.

The prestigious Rhodes scholarship is one of the oldest and most sought after graduate fellowships in the world. The Rhodes scholarship is awarded to students who wish to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford, England.

It is administered and awarded by Rhodes Trust, established in 1902 under the terms and conditions of the will of Cecil John Rhodes and is funded by his estate.

Last year, Shreya Atrey from Nalsar and Gautam Bhatia from NLSIU, final year students were among the 6 scholarship winners for the year 2011.

Bar & Bench spoke to the newly awarded Rhodes Scholar Vrinda Bhandari.

Bar & Bench: How does it feel, has all of this sunk in yet?

Vrinda Bhandari: Honestly speaking, it still hasn’t sunk in yet. I feel like I am in a dream. When Mr. Ratan Tata announced my name, I was in shock. I kept wondering, whether I had heard correctly.

Bar & Bench: How has life changed in the little time that has passed between your name being announced as the Rhodes Scholar elect and now?

Vrinda Bhandari: Life hasn’t really changed much, although I still haven’t gone back to college. But I just can’t stop smiling.

Bar & Bench: What was the reaction of your friends and family to this huge achievement of yours?

Vrinda Bhandari: They were elated. My parents, cousins and friends were overjoyed and kept calling me up and screaming with excitement. I think at that point, they were more excited than me, since I was very numb. I am very lucky to have a fabulous support system and parents who have always kept me grounded.

Bar & Bench: Why did you choose to study law in the first place?

Vrinda Bhandari: I see law as an instrument of social change, which allows me to understand problems such as inequality and injustice. Whether through research and academia or litigation, law can be used to meaningfully address pressing concerns of the day. I plan on working on issues of access to justice and judicial reform in India.

Bar & Bench: How has NLS helped you, in not only this endeavour but also as an individual to grow into the person you are today?

Vrinda Bhandari: NLSIU has been instrumental in helping me reach where I am today. Since I am a first generation lawyer, everything I have learnt has been through my courses and internships. At NLSIU I have been lucky to meet many fantastic individuals and teachers who have taught me to believe in myself and my abilities, to learn from and accept failure and to constantly try and improve. Some of the friends I have made and seniors I met have helped me mould into a better person today.

Bar & Bench: By when were you sure you wanted to apply for the Rhodes scholarship?

Vrinda Bhandari:  I guess by the beginning of fourth year, I had a good idea that I wanted to apply for the Rhodes scholarship. I was second in class and had done a fair share of extracurricular activities. But most importantly, I was very excited by the possibility of studying at Oxford.

Bar & Bench: What or who inspired you to do so?

Vrinda Bhandari: My professor Mr. Mrinal Satish has always been my inspiration. I met him first during my internship at the National Judicial Academy in Bhopal and he later came to NLSIU to teach Criminal Law and Procedure. Having taught many Rhodes scholars from NLSIU before, he always encouraged me to apply for the scholarship and believed I would get it.

Bar & Bench: The meaning of a ‘scholar’ is no longer a ‘nerd’; how far do extra-curricular activities enhance your application?

Vrinda Bhandari: I think extra-curricular activities are essential for your application. My emphasis was on sports. I am a five time Basketball Nationals player and was one of the 24 girls selected for the India Camp in 2007. Apart from this, I also ran the Bangalore Half Marathon last year. I love sports and have been playing since as long as I can remember, first in school and then in college at our sports fest ‘Spiritus’.  I think this really enhanced my application.

Bar & Bench: How rigorous is the selection process? Could you explain to us, in brief, the several rounds you went through and about the bench of judges who were present?

Vrinda Bhandari: The selection process is very rigorous and I was told that around 500 applicants apply. There is the written application where you have to submit your CV, SOP and six references. Based on this, the candidates are shortlisted for the preliminary rounds. There was one law round this year in Mumbai and other interviews were held at Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. From this, 16 candidates were shortlisted for the final interview in Mumbai which was held at the Taj and of these, there were four law students. The panel was headed by Mr. Ratan Tata and included Professor Vir Chauhan, the Secretary of the Rhodes Trust, Dr. Vijay Raghavan, Dr. Lavanya Rajamani, Mr. Nandan Kamath, Ms. Madhura Swaminathan, Mr. Malav Shroff and others. Their expertise ranged from law, economics, chemistry and governance. The interview itself was very challenging and I was questioned extensively on the work I had done, my publications and sports.

Bar & Bench: What do you think was the biggest and the most favourable factor in you that led to your selection?

Vrinda Bhandari: I think the fact that I came across as a well rounded candidate worked in my favour. The Rhodes scholarship is unique and different from all other scholarships, in that it focuses on individuals who have achieved academic excellence while at the same time demonstrating leadership, a commitment to ‘fight the fight’ and sporting excellence. Apart from this, the fact that I had worked on access to justice and the court systems helped me.

Bar & Bench: There have been several Rhodes scholars from your alma mater; did you receive their help and guidance in dealing with all the procedures and for preparation of the scholarship?

Vrinda Bhandari: Yes, the alumni from NLSIU was very helpful and I received a lot of help especially from V. Niranjan and Gautam Bhatia. Apart from that there were many other seniors such as Tasneem Deo, Karan Lahiri, Eashan Ghosh and Aditya Swarup (from NALSAR) who also helped me.

Bar & Bench: What course do you plan to take up in Oxford?

Vrinda Bhandari:  I plan on studying Law in Society under Professor Galligan and Principles of Civil Procedure under Professor Zuckerman.

Bar & Bench: Have you planned what you want to pursue after completion of your course at Oxford?

Vrinda Bhandari: If possible, I would like to do my M.Phil after the BCL and come back to India to work in research and academia. I hope to work on case management systems and use empirical research to conduct judicial trend analysis and track consistency in decision making.

Bar & Bench: Any advice for the future Rhodes Scholars from this country?

Vrinda Bhandari: Just follow your heart and do what you like. Your passion and genuineness will show through your essay. But most importantly, believe in yourself, no matter what anyone else says and thinks.