The Journalists: Rachana Malini Lakshman, Legatum Newsletter at BMS College of Law

The Journalists is a deeper look at the journals published by law schools around the country. In this edition, Campus Ambassador Charishma interviews the BMS Law College's Newsletter Committee Coordinator, Rachana Malini Lakshman.

What is Legatum? Can you brief us about its functionalities?

The Newsletter Committee of B.M.S College of Law publishes its very own Bi Annual Newsletter, Legatum. The committee also publishes a monthly e-Bulletin. A newsletter is the 'grey literature' and an essential aspect of any communication.

The committee also delivers a E-Newsletter to expand its reach to external community, including current students, faculty, other institutions, potential partners, alumni and prospective students. It is at the forefront of any student engagement campaigns by offering a regular dose of college-related news and information including various events, seminars, conferences, cultural programs, faculty and student’s achievements.

The committee has published 6 volumes of Newsletter and e-Bulletin that have helped the college to stay connected with its academic community.

As the coordinator of the Newsletter Committee, what does the role entail?

As the Newsletter Coordinator, I’m required to collect all the reports from various committee coordinators on the events organized by them and compile it. I also edit the content and design the Newsletter and monthly E-Bulletins, using an appropriate template.

I’m also in-charge of the social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Linkedln. After approval by the Principal, the Newsletters and E-Bulletins will be posted on the college official accounts across all social- media platforms.

Legal research is considered an important skill for a law student. What would be your advice to a novice researcher?

Legal research is a very important tool for individual lawyers and law firms irrespective of their practice areas. It involves basic search for land mark cases, governing the issues in question. Finding the right law is crucial to any legal research. Good legal research is an entangle of analysis, understanding, and application.

A lawyer’s understanding and analysis of a case starts by identifying the relevant facts and determining the legal issues that need to be researched. However, one should not forget that the right conclusion depends upon the researcher’s ability to analyze the matter found during the research process.

Research needs to be taken seriously and one needs to be committed to continuously develop their researching skills.

What motivated you to take up a master’s in Political Science and what is your view on the current socio-political set-up in our country?

Political Science has been my absolute favorite discipline. The dynamic inter-disciplinary, emerging fields within the subject and fluidity of curriculum, persuaded me to take up Political Science for my master’s program.

It is the study of human behaviour and interaction in social, cultural, environmental, economic and political contexts. It has a historical and contemporary focus, from personal to global contexts, and considers challenges for the future.

Through studying Political Science, students will develop the ability to question, think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, make decisions and adapt to change.

Thinking about and responding to issues requires an understanding of the key historical, geographical, political, economic and societal factors involved, and how these different factors interrelate.

The subject provides a broad understanding of the world in which we live, and how people can participate as active and informed citizens in the 21st century.

Coming to my views on the current socio-political senario in our country. I would like to say, India today is neither liberal nor a democracy. A liberal democracy is defined as "a democratic system of government in which individual rights and freedoms are officially recognized and protected, and the exercise of political power is limited by the rule of law.” and that very Constitutional ethos of India is being compromised.