India Law Forum & LITFest 2022

Sameer Kochhar is a social scientist, leading reforms historian in India and an acclaimed author. His domain expertise on socio-economic issues has been used by the government and private sector alike for consultancy on public policy and strategy. He has published 16 books including Defeating Poverty, ModiNomics and The Untold Story of Indian Reforms. He is privileged to have his books released by Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Narendra Modi, Mr Arun Jaitley and Mr P. Chidambaram, among several other luminaries. His mantra is growth, livelihoods and equity.

Mr Arvind P. Datar was designated as a Senior Advocate, Madras High Court, on July 18, 2000.He set up an independent practice on March 1, 1984 before the Madras High Court, mainly on the original side, appellate side and writs, appearing in matters related to income tax and central excise, customs, OSA etc. Subsequently, he has also appeared before the Supreme Court of India in matters related to constitutional law, corporate, SEBI and tax laws. He has appeared before various tribunals and State High courts throughout his legal career. Currently, Mr. Datar is a Trustee, Palkhivala Foundation; Director, Nani Palkhivala Arbitration Centre; Chairman, Maharashtra Building Trust; and Vice-President, Bar Association of India.

Mr KK Venugopal is the 15th and current Attorney General to the Indian government.He is an Indian constitutional lawyer and a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India.He was designated as a senior advocate in the supreme court of India in 1972. He was appointed as the 15th Attorney General of India on the 1st of July 2017. Earlier He was also appointed by the Royal Government of Bhutan to serve as the Constitutional adviser for drafting the Constitution of Bhutan.Currently he is a trustee of SAARCLAW, the regional highest body of SAARC countries, and has previously served as its president. Mr Venugopal was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2015 and the Padma Bhushan in 2002, By the GoI.

Mr Fali Sam Nariman is an eminent jurist. He has been senior advocate to the Supreme Court of India since 1971 and also the President of the Bar Association of India from 1991 to 2010.He is an internationally recognised jurist on international arbitration.. He is one of India’s most distinguished constitutional lawyers and he has argued several leading cases.He remained Additional Solicitor General of India from May 1972- June 1975.He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan in (1991),Padma Vibhushan in (2007) and Gruber Prize for Justice in (2002) He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha, from (1999–2005).

Mr Venkatramani has 42 years of practice in the Supreme Court. He was designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court of India in the year 1997. He Has practiced in various branches of law prominently Constitutional Law, Arbitration Law, Law of Indirect Taxes, Corporate and Securities law, Environmental Law, Law relating to Education, Land Laws, Criminal Law, Human Rights Law, Consumer Law, as well as law relating to services. He has been a Special Senior Counsel for various departments of Government of India in Supreme Court and High Courts between 2004–2010 and has also been acting as Counsel for the Supreme Court in matters pertaining to the service conditions of employees of the Court. He has also been a member of several key committees including the Sub-Committee on Directive Principles of State Policy, constituted by the Commission reviewing the working of the Constitution under the Chairmanship of Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah.

Mr V. Sudhish Pai , Senior Advocate is a distinguished jurist and an acclaimed author specializing in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law, having been at the Bar for about thirty eight years. He was also Government Advocate, High Court of Karnataka (1999-2006) and handled important and sensitive litigation on behalf of the State. Apart from private clientele, he has appeared for and advised various institutions.He is also a contributor to the Restatement of Indian Law on Legislative Privileges, a project of the Supreme Court. He was also Visiting Chair Professor- Asutosh Mookerjee Chair at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.