Philanthropy is key for equality: Law Minister at launch of KK Luthra & Nirmal Luthra Criminal Justice Studies Centre at JGLS

On the occasion of World Social Justice Day, Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) on February 20 announced the establishment of the KK Luthra and Nirmal Luthra Centre for Comparative Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Studies.

The event commemorated the 100th birth centenary of KK Luthra and will also honour the legacy, contributions and achievements of Nirmal Luthra.

Union Law Minister, Arun Ram Meghwal was among the dignitaries who spoke at the event. In his address, he commented on how philanthropy was key to achieving equality through the justice system.

“This is an occasion to be a champion for social justice. If injustice continues, there will be no peace in society, and we need to fight this. India, through its leaders like Mahatma Phule and Dr. BR Ambedkar had champions of social justice. Experts have pointed out how there can be political equality, but it is difficult to achieve social and economic equality. This can only be achieved through philanthropy," he said.

The newly launched Centre has been established through a fully endowed fund to ensure the sustainability of its activities in perpetuity.

The fund has been created by distinguished lawyer and jurist, Siddharth Luthra, and his sisters Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Geeta Luthra, and Senior Consultant in Paediatric Surgery, Meera Luthra as a philanthropic initiative to honour their parents' legacy.

The Centre will serve as a global hub for interdisciplinary research, dialogue, and advocacy in criminal law and criminal justice, to foster a legacy of excellence in research, education, advocacy, and reform.

The Centre is part of JGLS' efforts to become a global leader in comparative criminal law and criminal justice, and promote fair, equitable, and effective legal systems worldwide.

Speaking at the launch, Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra said that the flagship activities and initiatives of the Centre will include the establishment of the annual KK Luthra & Nirmal Luthra gold, silver, and bronze medals for academic excellence at Jindal Global Law, the conduct of an international conference on comparative criminal law, developing actionable recommendations for policy and law reform advocacy, enabling comparative research studies and assisting with capacity-building workshops for legal professionals.

He added that postgraduate and doctoral research fellowships will also be set up, as will publications and a digital repository along with public engagement and awareness programs to enhance public understanding of criminal justice issues.

"There will also be a series of judicial dialogues and roundtables; internship and training programs for students," he further informed.

The Centre's research, education, capacity-building, and public engagement is aimed to advance comparative legal scholarship, policy innovation, and practical reforms in criminal law and justice.

Founding Vice-Chancellor of OP Jindal Global University and Dean of Jindal Global Law School, Prof (Dr) C Rajkumar said,

“We are delighted that such a distinguished Centre of study is being established at JGU. It will promote high-quality research and knowledge creation in comparative criminal law and justice system; foster academic and practitioner dialogue on contemporary challenges in criminal law; encourage law reform initiatives for fair and effective justice delivery; create a repository of knowledge on global best practices in criminal law and justice; build a cadre of young scholars and legal professionals through training programs and facilitate policy engagement with governments, judicial bodies, and international organizations. The Centre will celebrate the legacy of KK Luthra and Nirmal Luthra by fostering values of integrity, fairness, and justice in criminal law practice."

He also expressed his gratitude and profound appreciation to Sidharth Luthra, Geeta Luthra, Dr. Meera Luthra and Ketaki Goswami for their generous endowment to help set up the Centre.

The launch received global reactions including from distinguished scholars of the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and other leading universities.

Emeritus Professor of Criminal and Penal Justice, University of Cambridge and Former Master, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, Prof (Dr.) Nicola Padfield said,

"A new Centre dedicated to research and scholarship in the field of comparative criminal law and criminal justice is great news... I congratulate both Mr. Sidharth Luthra on his wonderful vision & generosity, and I congratulate the University on its good fortune and vision in developing the Centre. There is so much to learn in this area." 

Emeritus Professor of Criminology, Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford, Prof (Dr.) Julian Roberts added,

"The newly created KK Luthra and Nirmal Luthra Centre on Comparative Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University represents a timely and important step in the evolution of criminal justice scholarship. Located at one of India's leading universities it will become a very useful hub for comparative research which will benefit many jurisdictions."

Chancellor, OP Jindal Global University (JGU), Naveen Jindal graced the occasion with his presence.

Attorney-General of India, R Venkataramani congratulated JGU, and observed that social justice is a concept that must be embedded in the teaching of law.

"The idea of the Constitution itself is rooted in social justice. It encompasses the whole idea of reordering a society on all key parameters. Today, we need to go beyond the dead days of ideological conflict. Social justice cannot belong to any particular ideology. In law schools especially, the idea of social justice must be embedded in the teaching of all law subjects. Students of law are social justice architects especially to ensure the rule of law for all," he observed.

Sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice Sanjay Karol also spoke at the event.

“It is an honour to be at an event of such significance. A study of research and comparative criminal law are crucial for advancing social justice. By comparing different legal systems, scholars can identify practice and promote equality, fairness and access to justice for marginalised and deprived communities," he said.  

Other speakers who reflected on various themes included, Singapore International Commercial Court, Justice Arjan K Sikri; former judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, Justice Michael Wilson; and Senior Advocate, Salman Khurshid.

On behalf of JGU, Dean, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Prof R Sudarshan, and Dean, Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development, Prof (Dr) Stephen P Marks shared their views.

The concluding remarks of the evening were given by the Registrar, JGU, Prof Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik.

<Sponsored by the Brand>