HNLU crowned as National Champions of the India Qualifying Rounds to compete at the  the World Moot Court competition at Washington DC -2026

Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, proudly announces the exceptional achievement of its mooting team in being crowned Champions of the India Qualifying Rounds of the 67th Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2026, held at Jindal Global Law School.

Competing in a highly competitive field featuring 65 premier law schools from across India, HNLU advanced to the Top 9 qualifying teams before ultimately securing the Championship Title, marking a moment of immense pride and distinction for the University. This landmark victory reaffirms HNLU’s long-standing tradition of excellence in mooting and public international law.

The Winning Team

• Gurnish – 5th Year
• Kushika Kumari – 4th Year
• Anahita Panda – 3rd Year
• Kashish Malhota – 2nd Year

With this remarkable triumph, the HNLU team has earned the honour of representing India at the World Rounds in Washington, D.C., where they will compete against leading law schools from across the globe.

Prof.V.C.Vivekanandan, Vice-Chancellor remarked, “ HNLU is making its mark as a frontline mooting team in various National and International Moots and this qualifiers second time in a row in the last two outings is a motivational win for all the young mooters in the making at HNLU. The talent pool of mooters have enlarged exponentially with the new experiment of moot clinic replacing the midterm exam giving equal opportunity to all the students to excel. Dr. Anindhya Tiwari, faculty convenor of HNLU moots and his team deserve due recognition for their work on the mooting competitions. HNLU fraternity congratulates the team of  Gurnish, Kushika, Anahita and  Kashish for bringing the laurels to the University.

About the 2026 Jessup Problem

The 2026 Jessup moot proposition, Case Concerning the Gordian Gorge between Alekostria and Restovia, presented complex and contemporary issues of public international law, including:

• The permissibility of intervention by a non-party state, Sollania
• The doctrine of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples in extractive activities
• Recognition of ne bis in idem as a general principle under Article 38(1)(c) of the International Court of Justice Statute
• Grant of state immunity to state-owned enterprises

The team demonstrated exceptional command over international jurisprudence, doctrinal nuance, and courtroom advocacy, impressing judges through analytical depth and persuasive submissions.

A Testament to Excellence

This achievement reflects:

• The team’s relentless dedication and intellectual rigor
• The strategic mentorship and academic guidance provided by the faculty
• HNLU’s sustained institutional commitment to mooting excellence

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