HNLU Raipur Holds 9th Convocation Ceremony in the Presence of Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Confers Degrees and 36 Gold Medals

Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, solemnly celebrated its Ninth Convocation Ceremony on 22 February 2026 at the Emerald Hall, Hotel Babylon Capital, marking yet another milestone in its journey of academic distinction and institutional growth. The Convocation was graced by the august presence of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant, who delivered the Convocation Address.

In his address, the Hon’ble Chief Justice reflected on the evolving responsibility of legal education in sustaining constitutional democracy. He urged the graduating students to uphold justice, dignity, and ethical responsibility in a rapidly transforming world, observing that law, beyond professional success, is a moral calling anchored in service.

Emphasizing collegiality within the profession, he remarked that students must treat their peers with kindness and respect, for classmates of today may become lifelong professional colleagues — and even future Judges. He perceptively noted that while entry into premier law schools is shaped by intense competitive examinations, the logic of legal practice operates on an entirely different plane. “The legal system flows like a river,” he observed, “strengthened at every stage by tributaries.”

Highlighting the collaborative character of the legal profession, he reminded graduates that behind every argument presented in Court lie hours of research by juniors, deliberations with colleagues, guidance from seniors, and the invisible support of many whose names may never find place in official records.

Earlier, Prof. V. C. Vivekanandan, Vice Chancellor of HNLU, delivered the Welcome Address and presented the University Report. He noted that within the first ninety days of his tenure, the Hon’ble Chief Justice had visited six law schools across the country — a testimony to his deep and cathartic engagement with legal education. Drawing a thoughtful parallel, the Vice Chancellor observed that though the Hon’ble Chief Justice graduated first in Geography, he has since inscribed his name in History as the head of the nation’s highest constitutional court.

In his message to the graduating class, the Vice Chancellor reflected that law, at its finest, is not spectacle but dignity restored. He identified five markers of HNLU’s recent progress:

1. Recognition from academic and professional peers;
2. The blooming Research Hub & Spoke (R-HaS) model;
3. Significant infrastructure investments;
4. Faculty achievements; and
5. Student accomplishments.

He further remarked that while legal education involves the absorption of accumulated wisdom and practice, its true purpose lies in the imagination and renewal of that wisdom.

The Convocation Ceremony was presided over by Justice Ramesh Sinha, Hon’ble Chief Justice of the High Court of Chhattisgarh and Chancellor of HNLU, who administered the oath to the graduates and conferred degrees upon:

• 6 Ph.D. scholars
• 88 LL.M. graduates
• 148 B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) graduates

The ceremony unfolded in the presence of proud parents, guardians, faculty members, members of the Bar, senior government officials, and distinguished guests.

The event was further graced by the presence of:

• Justice P. S. Narasimha, Judge, Supreme Court of India & Member, Executive Council, HNLU
• Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, Judge, Supreme Court of India
• Shri Ram Vichar Netam, Minister for Tribal Welfare, Government of Chhattisgarh
• Shri Gajendra Yadav, Minister for School Education and Law, Government of Chhattisgarh
• Hon’ble Mr. Justice Parth Prateem Sahu, High Court of Chhattisgarh
• Hon’ble Mr. Justice P. Sam Koshy, High Court of Telangana
• Hon’ble Mr. Justice G. Raghuram, former Director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal
• Hon’ble Judges of the High Court of Chhattisgarh
• Seven Vice-Chancellors of National Law Universities and two former Vice-Chancellors of NLUs

Academic Distinctions and Gold Medals

A major highlight of the Convocation was the conferment of 36 Gold Medals across LL.M. and B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programmes, recognising exceptional academic merit.

Among the LL.M. graduates:

• Ms. Nilanjana Banerjee received the University Gold Medal for First Rank and the Adv. Lt. Shri Kamalnarayan Sharma Gold Medal.
• Ms. Shrasti Agrawal secured the Gold Medal for highest CGPA in Technology & Law specialization.
• Mr. Shreyansh Sharma received the Gold Medal for highest CGPA in Intellectual Property Rights specialization.

Among the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) graduates:

• Ms. Jass Kaur Bindra emerged as one of the most decorated graduates, receiving the Chancellor’s Gold Medal, the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council Gold Medal, and several memorial distinctions.
• Ms. Harsimran Kaur received six medals spanning Corporate Law, Criminal Law, Economics, Sociology, and Jurisprudence.
• Ms. Garima Agrawal, Ms. Aditi Kundu, Ms. Somya Gadpayle, and Ms. Vaishnavi Chandrakar were also recognised with subject-specific and memorial gold medals.

Distinguished honours awarded on the occasion included the Chancellor’s Gold Medal, University Gold Medal for Best Outgoing Student, Chhattisgarh State Bar Council Gold Medal, Late K. P. Munshi Gold Medal, Late Smt. Shanti Devi Agrawal Memorial Gold Medal, Shri Vidyadhar Mishra Memorial Gold Medal, Dinesh Prasad Srivastava Memorial Gold Medal, Syed Wakil Ahmed Rizvi Gold Medal, among others.

Infrastructure Milestones

Earlier in the day, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India laid the Foundation Stone for the New Auditorium Complex at the HNLU campus — a ₹50-crore infrastructure initiative designed to expand the University’s academic and institutional capacities.

He also inaugurated the newly established Research Hub and Spoke (R-HaS) Block, comprising 30 research chambers and a dedicated Board Room, significantly strengthening the University’s research ecosystem.

Research and Publications

HNLU reported notable research advancements, including:

• A Climate Change Legislation Project for the State of Chhattisgarh;
• An ICSSR-funded study on the Abujh Maria language and society;
• Project Justice Connect, supported by a ₹3.35-crore grant from the Azim Premji Foundation.

On the occasion, the University released:

• HNLU Journal of Law & Social Sciences (Vol. IX, Issue I);
• HNLU Student Law Journal (Vol. II);
• An edited commemorative volume titled Constitution @ 75.

Institutional Standing

HNLU continues to consolidate its national and global academic presence:

• Ranked 5th among law colleges in India (India Today, 2025);
• Ranked 46th globally in Visionary Leadership under the WURI Rankings.

The Convocation ceremony was live-streamed on the official HNLU YouTube channel, enabling broader participation and engagement with the University community worldwide.

The Ninth Convocation thus stood not merely as a ceremonial conferment of degrees, but as a reaffirmation of HNLU’s commitment to academic excellence, research innovation, constitutional values, and institutional advancement.