I graduated from National Law School of India, Bangalore in 1994. I have worked full-time with Mumbai-based human rights and women's rights (non-profit) organizations. I now work as an independent research consultant on Indian and international law in the context of human rights, gender and mass crimes. The initial five years of my work were focussed on litigation, mainly in the High Court and Family court of Mumbai, where I represented women on issues pertaining to matrimonial law. I worked then as a full-time employee of Majlis - a legal and cultural centre for women, under the guidance of Adv. Flavia Agnes. This period helped me develop a feminist perspective, and insights on the contours of women's rights and the law. Simultaneously I completed my first LL.M. in Family Law and Human Rights from the Bombay University. In September 1998, I was fortunate to receive a British Chevening scholarship on Human Rights, which enabled me to pursue a second LL.M. - this time in International Human Rights - at the University of Nottingham, U.K. The scholarship provided me with an opportunity to understand and explore the significance of international legal jurisprudence. After my return to Mumbai in October 1999, I joined India Centre for Human Rights and the Law - a non-profit organization that works on human rights issues - as an Assistant Director. Simultaneously, jointly with a small group of like-minded people, I commenced the ICC-India campaign: an anti-impunity campaign on mass crimes and international law, that focussed on the International Criminal Court. I continue to coordinate the campaign till date. From March 2001 to October 2002, I worked in my independent capacity, taking a break from active professional life to enjoy motherhood. I used the time to do plenty of reading and some writing, and to nurture the campaign that had been started in the year 2000. Thereafter, in November 2002, I joined Women's Research and Action Group (WRAG) as its Co-Director, subsequently moved onto becoming its Executive Director, and finally resigned from Directorship in February 2010. During my eight years at WRAG, my work included conducting capacity-building and information dissemination programmes, research and publication, advocacy and leadership responsibilities related to the organization's administration. From the time that the ICC-India campaign was adopted as a project of WRAG in 2002, the campaign grew with the administrative, logistical and technical support of the organization. Its varied activities spread across the country, and its civil society support base expanded a great deal. Since November 2009, I began working as an independent consultant. In the past few months, I have been combining law and human rights research, with part-time teaching and associated work in Mumbai-based educational institutions, while actively participating in human rights campaigns.
Human Rights
Addressing Domestic Violence Through the Law: A Guide to - The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (2010)
The book is essentially a guide to the use of Protection of Women from Domestic...
Kandhamal: The Law Must Change its Course (2010)
The tragedy of Kandhamal, a district of Orissa in eastern India, is that the attack...
International Treaties on Human Rights, UNPACKAGING HUMAN RIGHTS: CONCEPTS, CAMPAIGNS & CONCERNS (2009)
The chapter provides an overview of international human rights norms and the dynamic relationship they...
Repressive Laws in India, UNPACKAGING HUMAN RIGHTS: CONCEPTS, CAMPAIGNS & CONCERNS (2009)
The ‘repressive laws’ chapter focuses on typical characteristics of repressive laws, laws related to preventive...
TOWARDS REALIZING WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS: Report of Activities 2003-2009 (2009)
This is a report of the activities undertaken by Women's Research & Action Group from...
Mass Crimes
Kandhamal: The Law Must Change its Course (2010)
The tragedy of Kandhamal, a district of Orissa in eastern India, is that the attack...
Summary Observations by an Independent team of Women Professionals, An Assessment of the Impact of the Salwa Judum on the Lives of Adivasi Women (2008)
These are the summary observations made by a team of women professionals that visited Dantewada...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Karnataka (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Rajasthan (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Tamil Nadu (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
International Law
International Treaties on Human Rights, UNPACKAGING HUMAN RIGHTS: CONCEPTS, CAMPAIGNS & CONCERNS (2009)
The chapter provides an overview of international human rights norms and the dynamic relationship they...
UNPACKAGING HUMAN RIGHTS: CONCEPTS, CAMPAIGNS & CONCERNS, UNPACKAGING HUMAN RIGHTS: CONCEPTS, CAMPAIGNS & CONCERNS (2009)
This edited volume is a reader on human rights for the use of students of...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Karnataka (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Rajasthan (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Tamil Nadu (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
International Criminal Court
Towards Accountability for Mass Crimes: A Report of the Indian Campaign on International Criminal Court 2000-2007 (with Pouruchisti Wadia) (2008)
This contains a detailed narrative on the activities undertaken by ICC-India - an anti-impunity campaign...
Antarrashtriya Dand Nyayalaya Aur Bharat: Kuch Sawaal-Jawaab (2006)
This is the Hindi translation of the publication 'International Criminal Court & India: Some Questions...
Danda Mukti Ko Virodh (with Vahida Nainar) (2006)
This is a Hindi translation of the English publication 'Combating Impunity'
For Women, A Court of Last Appeal, The Indian Express (2005)
The article focusses on the significance of standards set and efforts made by the International...
Report of the 1st National Consultation on International Criminal Court & India (2005)
This publication contains a detailed report of each session of the 1st National Consultation on...
Women & Law
Addressing Domestic Violence Through the Law: A Guide to - The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (2010)
The book is essentially a guide to the use of Protection of Women from Domestic...
TOWARDS REALIZING WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS: Report of Activities 2003-2009 (2009)
This is a report of the activities undertaken by Women's Research & Action Group from...
Summary Observations by an Independent team of Women Professionals, An Assessment of the Impact of the Salwa Judum on the Lives of Adivasi Women (2008)
These are the summary observations made by a team of women professionals that visited Dantewada...
Communal Crimes Bill, 2008 (2008)
This is an alternative draft law on communal violence, drafted by a section of civil...
The Supreme Court Speaks: Judgments on Muslim Law & Women's Rights (2007)
The book contains a compilation of pro-women judgments by the Supreme Court on issues pertaining...
Torture
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Karnataka (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Rajasthan (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Interim Observations of the Jury, People's Tribunal on Torture - Tamil Nadu (2008)
This is the interim report of the jury of the People's Tribunal on Torture, held...
Communal Crimes Bill, 2008 (2008)
This is an alternative draft law on communal violence, drafted by a section of civil...
Criminal Responsibility for Torture: An Indian Perspective (Part II), The Daily Star (2005)
This is the 2nd and final part of the article on the Indian Legal Perspective...