Supreme Court Judge Underlines Importance of Philanthropy in Legal Education

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Judge, Supreme Court of India underlined the significance of philanthropy in legal education.

As part of the presidential address at the distinguished public lecture on "Climate Change and Global Justice: The Future of Our Planet" and the unveiling of the Singhvi Endowment established at O.P. Jindal Global University recently, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Judge, Supreme Court of India said, “The Singhvi Endowment represents the best of Dr Abhishek M. Singhvi’s views and his contribution to society.”

“This generous and visionary act of philanthropy is motivated by a spirit of equality. It will be extremely heartening for a young student to receive such an affirmation from a leading legal luminary of India. It will foster a spirit of rational enquiry into our public spaces. It will prove to be an invaluable forum for learning,” he added.

“Law courses are places where social hierarchies are interrogated. Do we need to increase access to legal education in the first place? Is a surfeit of lawyers a good thing? If we are to succeed in opening more pathways to the study of law, what would effective access actually entail? Can we harness the skills of such young lawyers into a broader national project? We are an extremely large, diverse country and an unequal country. There have been groups that have been subjugated for centuries and continue to be marginalised today. The study of law is deeply intertwined with our social context. To limit access to this hugely important space is to deny rights to a large section of the population. If our aim is to enhancing access to legal education, simply ensuring greater entry into the hallowed halls of elite institutions cannot be the end of the goal,” he said. 

Vision is to provide outstanding law education to those who cannot afford it

Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi, Member of Parliament & Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India who has signed an agreement with O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) for the establishment of the “Singhvi Endowment” at Jindal Global Law School to the tune of INR 2 crores said, “Today as we unveil the Singhvi endowment, it is an affirmation and a reiteration of the solemn duty that we owe to society. The vision of the endowment is to provide access to world-class education for young people who cannot afford it and to empower India's leading universities to promote excellence. This initiative, inter alia, pays homage to the memory of Dr. L.M. Singhvi, the eminent diplomat, parliamentarian, jurist and author. The endowment also recognises the contribution of leaders in the legal profession and other professions with a view to celebrate their achievements for perpetuity through annual conferences and memorial lecture series. This will also serve as a legacy for the future by inspiring generations of students to follow the path laid down by eminent persons." 

The Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar said, “It is a momentous occasion today as we recognise the contribution of Dr Abhishek M. Singhvi for his generous endowment to JGU. His munificence will support higher education ambitions of our deserving students and it will also enhance the study, research and discourse of law and legal studies in our country through the annual lecture and conference series. It is important to note that growth and progression of higher education institutions are supported by such acts of philanthropy which enable us to reach our goals, aims and vision as the leading educational institution in India.” 

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