Judicial officer Devanshu Sajlan and Advocates Amartya Kanjilal and Praavita Kashyap have been awarded the Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships for 2024..All three were awarded the grant in August this year and have begun their Master's studies - Sajlan and Kashyap at Columbia University, and Kanjilal at the University of Michigan..The Fulbright-Nehru Awards support exceptional students, academics and professionals from India and the US in pursuing study, research and teaching in the host country.Indian scholars undergo a rigorous selection process and receive assistance with visa processing, health insurance and pre-departure orientation..Sajlan, a judge at the Tis Hazari Court since 2019, has delivered over 200 judgments in areas such as contract law, defamation and sexual crimes. He was also among the first in New Delhi to conduct virtual hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic.A graduate of National Law University, Delhi, Sajlan previously worked at AZB & Partners and later pursued criminal and human rights litigation under Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul.As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, he is studying criminal justice, focusing on bail jurisprudence for indigent prisoners, aiming to improve their legal outcomes.On what he hopes to achieve through this scholarship, Sajlan said,"This is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world and has enabled me to pursue an LL.M. at Columbia Law. This incredible opportunity will allow me to delve deep into the US criminal justice system and also explore the intricacies of white collar crime practice in the US. I wish to learn the best practices being adopted by the US courts in relation to bail law and the criminal justice system in general so that I am able to replicate them back in India hopefully. Further, studying at Columbia is providing me a unique opportunity to learn from eminent personalities in the field of civil rights and criminal justice, which is turning out to be an extremely enriching experience intellectually.".Kanjilal, a 2013 graduate of Delhi University's Faculty of Law, has been involved in human rights and criminal law litigation.He has worked as a judicial clerk at the Delhi High Court, practiced as a criminal defence lawyer, and contributed to Project 39A, providing legal representation to death-row prisoners.As a Fulbright-Nehru Master's fellow, he is studying the US criminal justice system, focusing on legal aid mechanisms.Speaking to Bar and Bench, he said,"I feel quite fortunate to be studying in the US on a Fulbright-Nehru fellowship. The fellowship is the only way I could even imagine doing an LL.M. here, as legal education in the US is prohibitively expensive. At the University of Michigan, I am focusing on comparative approaches to understanding constitutional law and human rights, and they have great faculty here for that. During my time here, I hope to broaden my perspectives not just through the classroom, but also through interactions with peers, academics, activists and anyone with a story to tell - a process that will hopefully make me a better lawyer and person when I return.".Kashyap, a practicing advocate specialising in criminal law, represents clients in cases involving criminal defamation, homicidal crimes, sexual violence and anti-terrorism laws.With over a decade of involvement in social movements, she has worked on significant campaigns, including the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and critiques of India's biometric identification project. She founded the ‘Article 21 Trust’ to address issues at the intersection of welfare and technology.She is studying data governance, criminal procedure and movement lawyering in the US, aiming to bridge technology policy with marginalised communities' experiences."My program of study here involves criminal law and cutting edge theories of critical legal analysis. I feel so grateful to be able to experience the variety of perspectives and the rigour of academics here. When I return home, I believe that this experience will positively and transformatively impact my work as a criminal lawyer and my work with people’s movements and campaigns," she said.
Judicial officer Devanshu Sajlan and Advocates Amartya Kanjilal and Praavita Kashyap have been awarded the Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellowships for 2024..All three were awarded the grant in August this year and have begun their Master's studies - Sajlan and Kashyap at Columbia University, and Kanjilal at the University of Michigan..The Fulbright-Nehru Awards support exceptional students, academics and professionals from India and the US in pursuing study, research and teaching in the host country.Indian scholars undergo a rigorous selection process and receive assistance with visa processing, health insurance and pre-departure orientation..Sajlan, a judge at the Tis Hazari Court since 2019, has delivered over 200 judgments in areas such as contract law, defamation and sexual crimes. He was also among the first in New Delhi to conduct virtual hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic.A graduate of National Law University, Delhi, Sajlan previously worked at AZB & Partners and later pursued criminal and human rights litigation under Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul.As a Fulbright-Nehru Master’s fellow, he is studying criminal justice, focusing on bail jurisprudence for indigent prisoners, aiming to improve their legal outcomes.On what he hopes to achieve through this scholarship, Sajlan said,"This is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world and has enabled me to pursue an LL.M. at Columbia Law. This incredible opportunity will allow me to delve deep into the US criminal justice system and also explore the intricacies of white collar crime practice in the US. I wish to learn the best practices being adopted by the US courts in relation to bail law and the criminal justice system in general so that I am able to replicate them back in India hopefully. Further, studying at Columbia is providing me a unique opportunity to learn from eminent personalities in the field of civil rights and criminal justice, which is turning out to be an extremely enriching experience intellectually.".Kanjilal, a 2013 graduate of Delhi University's Faculty of Law, has been involved in human rights and criminal law litigation.He has worked as a judicial clerk at the Delhi High Court, practiced as a criminal defence lawyer, and contributed to Project 39A, providing legal representation to death-row prisoners.As a Fulbright-Nehru Master's fellow, he is studying the US criminal justice system, focusing on legal aid mechanisms.Speaking to Bar and Bench, he said,"I feel quite fortunate to be studying in the US on a Fulbright-Nehru fellowship. The fellowship is the only way I could even imagine doing an LL.M. here, as legal education in the US is prohibitively expensive. At the University of Michigan, I am focusing on comparative approaches to understanding constitutional law and human rights, and they have great faculty here for that. During my time here, I hope to broaden my perspectives not just through the classroom, but also through interactions with peers, academics, activists and anyone with a story to tell - a process that will hopefully make me a better lawyer and person when I return.".Kashyap, a practicing advocate specialising in criminal law, represents clients in cases involving criminal defamation, homicidal crimes, sexual violence and anti-terrorism laws.With over a decade of involvement in social movements, she has worked on significant campaigns, including the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and critiques of India's biometric identification project. She founded the ‘Article 21 Trust’ to address issues at the intersection of welfare and technology.She is studying data governance, criminal procedure and movement lawyering in the US, aiming to bridge technology policy with marginalised communities' experiences."My program of study here involves criminal law and cutting edge theories of critical legal analysis. I feel so grateful to be able to experience the variety of perspectives and the rigour of academics here. When I return home, I believe that this experience will positively and transformatively impact my work as a criminal lawyer and my work with people’s movements and campaigns," she said.
