NLUO | National Law University Odisha

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Dr. Sohini Mahapatra

Dr. Sohini Mahapatra

Asst. Professor of Law

|sohini.mahapatra@nluo.ac.in |mahapatrasohini@gmail.com   drafts

About Dr. Sohini Mahapatra

Dr. Sohini Mahapatra, first joined the university as a Research Associate in Research Project entitled “Exploring Changing Dynamics of Children Law in India in Post Liberalization Era” sanctioned by Indian Council of Social Science Research under Centre for Child Rights in May 2016. Prior to that she has been a Visiting Faculty in the university, since February 2016. She was also one of the faculties for in the Barefoot Lawyers’ College, NLUO which is an Advanced Vocational Diploma in Paralegal Studies under UGC Community College Scheme. In October 2018, she completed her Ph.D. from NLU Odisha, on ‘Non-Humans and the Law: An Analysis of Animal Welfare and Animal Rights Within the Indian Legal Discourse’. Furthermore, she is a proud alumni of the university having completed her Masters in Law from NLUO, in 2014 where she was awarded the University Gold Medal for securing First Rank in LLM. She completed her B.A.LLB from Amity Law School, Amity University, NOIDA in the year 2012, where she was awarded Merit Scholarship by Amity University for Academic

Research Interests:

Animal Welfare Law, Media Law, Labour Law

Subjects Taught:

Labour Law I, Labour Law II, Media Law, Civil Procedure Code, Animal Welfare Law, Child Labour, Language and Communication Skills

Administrative and Other Responsibilities:

  • Deputy Proctor, Proctorial Board (2023 – )
  • Director, Centre for Film Studies (2023 – )
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2023-24
  • Member, Advisory Council of IQAC (2023-24)
  • NAAC Steering Committee (2023)
  • Member, Library Committee (2023-24)
  • Coordinator, Faculty Seminar Series (2023-24)
  • University Website Committee (2023-24)
  • Member, Admission Committee for 3 year LL.B. Programme (2023-24)

Qualifications:

  • PhD (NLU Odisha) 2018,
  • LLM (NLU Odisha) 2014 (University Gold Medalist),
  • B.A.LLB (Amity University) 2012

Books

  • Author, Media Law in India: Freedom, Evolution and Contemporary Issues (lexisNexis, 2023) [ISBN: 978-93-95116-12-1]
  • Author, Non-human Animals and the Law: An Analysis of Animal Welfare and Animal Rights Within the Indian Legal Discourse (Thomson Reuters, First Edition 2020) (ISBN 978-93-89407-65-5)https://www.alaw.org.uk/2020/05/nonhuman-animals-and-the-law-by-dr-sohini-mahapatra/ (Book reviewed by Michelle Li Sze Cheng, UK Centre for Animal Law, London)
  • Editor, Animal and Environmental Jurisprudence: A Wildlife Perspective (Satyam Law International 2020) (ISBN: 978-93-87839-61-8)

Journal Articles

  • “India’s Perspective on the Welfare of Farm Animals”, Animal Justice UK: Special Edition Farm Animals, A-Law UK Centre for Animal Law, August 2020
  • Case Comment: ‘Evolving Jurisprudence for Friends Beyond Species through Cause Lawyering – A Comment on Govt., Tamil Nadu v Animal Welfare Board of India’, NLUO Law Journal, Volume VI, 2019 [ISSN: 2348-8913]
  • Case Comment: “Traversing Beyond Traditional Human Rights: A Comment on Narayan Dutt Bhatt v Union of India”, Human Rights Law Journal NLUO, Volume III, 2019 [ISSN: 2581-3307]
  • “Perceiving Animals as ‘Right Holders’: Understanding the concept of ‘Animal Rights’ and ‘Animal Welfare’, Rostrum’s Law Review Vol. IV, Issue II, 2018 [ISSN: 2321-3787]
  • Case Comment: “Devidas Ramachandra Tuljapurkar v State of Maharashtra – An Oxymoron of Freedom of Speech and Expression”, Lex Revolution, ISSN 2394-997X, UGC Journal No. 45256, for publication in Volume IV, Issue 2, April-June 2018
  • “Sacrifice As Oblation in India – Animal Welfare versus Freedom of Religion”, Cochin University Law Review (ISSN 0970-0331, UGC Listed), Vol. LXII, Jan- June 2017
  • Book review of ‘Wild Animal Protection Laws in India”, NLUO Law Journal, Vol. IV 2017 [ISSN No. 2348-8913]
  • Co-authored “Addressable Systems: Journey of Organizing the Cable Industry in India”, Journal of Contemporary Legal Affairs, Vol. 4 Issue 2 [ISSN No. 2518-8798] 2017
  • Co-authored “Child Prodigy v Child Rights: A Case Study on Budhia Singh”, NLUO Journal of Rights of Child Vol.1 Issue 1
  • “The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013: A Long Due ‘Hasty’ Legislation”, International Journal of Human Resource Management and Research (IJHRMR), Volume 6 Issue 4 [ISSN(P): 2249-6874; ISSN(E): 2249-7986] Aug 2016, 23-40
  • “Transgenders in India: Status of ‘Third Gender’ and Need for Gender-Neutral Gender Equality”, International Journal of Research and Analysis, Volume 4 Issue 1 [ISSN 2347-3185] 2016, 175-183

Book Chapters

  • Author, “Freedom of Press and Fractured Pillar of Democracy” in edited book “Institutional Decline in the Neo-Liberal Regime: Notes from India” (Thomson Reuters 2022) (ISBN: 978-93-92630-23-1)
  • Author, “Role of World Organization for Animal Health in Preserving Aquatic Life” in Fisheries Conservation and Trade in Fisheries: Towards Sustainable Use (Accepted for publication)
  • Author, “Sexism and Speciesism: Animal Welfare Mirrored in Feminism”, Chapter 1 in Animal and Environmental Jurisprudence: A Wildlife Perspective (Satyam Law International 2020) (ISBN: 978-93-87839-61-8)
  • Author, Labour Laws and Atrocities Act (Unit – 2)’ as part of ‘Block – 3: Vulnerable and the Law’ of Legal Awareness Programme under  e-Gyanjyoti (LMS platform of Odisha State Open University), Sambalpur (June 2020)
  • Editor, for ‘Consumer Laws and RTI (Unit – 2)’ as part of ‘Block – 4: Commercial Laws’ of Legal Awareness Programme under  e-Gyanjyoti (LMS platform of Odisha State Open University), Sambalpur (June 2020)

Online Articles/blogs:

CONFERENCE/SEMINAR/ WORKSHOPS:

  • Successfully participated in Online Training Programme on Improving Organisational Culture for Maximising Productivity organized by V V Giri National Labour Institute (26-30 September 2022)
  • Participated in 6-day International Workshop on Law, Development and Sustainability, organized by Centre for Law, Justice and Development, NLU Delhi in association with Research Group on Law and Development, University of Antwerp, Belgium under the Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration, Govt. of India (29 August – 3 September 2022)
  • Successfully participated in Two-Day Online Sensitization Training Workshop on Understanding New Labour Codes in the Context of Women Workers organized by V V Giri National Labour Institute (8-9 March 2022)
  • Participated in Two Days Workshop on Writing Research Proposals and Papers & Publication organized by Faculty Improvement Programme Committee, Tamil Nadu National Law University (4-5 March 2022)
  • Participated in One-day ‘NCW Eastern Regional Consultation on Review of Criminal Laws – Improvement in Status of Women’ organized by Centre for Women & Law, NLUO and Centre for Criminal Justice & Human Rights, NLUO in collaboration with National Commission for Women (17 February 2022)
  • Successfully Participated in Online Training Programme on New Labour Codes 2020 organized by V V Giri National Labour Institute (30-31 March 2021)
  • Nominated as Participant, Workshop on Industrial Relations Code 2020 Codes organized by V V Giri National Labour Institute (17 March 2021)
  • Attended One Week Training Workshop on “Moodle and ICT-Based Teaching and Learning” organized by NLUO in collaboration with Prof. K Srinivas, NIEPA (16-23 March 2020)
  • Participated in Second Regional Consultation on Review of Laws relating to Inter-State Women Migrant Workers, organized by National Commission for Women, New Delhi in collaboration with NLU Odisha (14 May 2020)
  • Participated in Regional Consultation on Female Labour Force Participation Rate organized by National Commission for Women, New Delhi in collaboration with V.V. Giri National Labour Institute, NOIDA and Centre for Women and Law and Centre for Industrial Relations and Labour Laws, NLUO (6 March 2020)
  • Participated in Panel Discussion on Maritime Law organized by Centre for Maritime Law, National Law University Odisha in collaboration with 6th NLUO – Bose & Mitra & Co. International Maritime Arbitration Moot 2019 (29 March 2019)
  • Participated in State-level Consultation on Domestic Workers, organized by National Platform for Domestic Workers, at Bhubaneswar (23 February 2019)
  • Nominated to Participate in Two-day State Level Consultation on Effective Implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 with special focus on Integrated Child Protection Scheme Status, organized by Odisha High Court Committee on Juvenile Justice & UNICEF, held at Odisha State Judicial Academy (17 – 18 November 2018)
  • Co-ordinated and attended Two-Day Judicial Colloquium on Juvenile Justice organized by Centre for Child Rights, NLU Odisha in collaboration with UNICEF, International Institute of the Rights of Child, Geneva and HAQ Centre for Child Rights, Delhi (7 – 8 July 2018)

 

  • Participated in the three-day National Discussion Meet on Implementation of RTE: Status, Issues and Challenges, organized by National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in collaboration with Centre for Child and Law, NLSIU Bengaluru (26 – 28 March 2018)
  • Nominated to Participate in the Fourth Round Regional Consultation on Effective Implementation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015 with special focus on Integrated Child Protection Scheme, organized by Supreme Court Committee & Odisha High Court Committee on Juvenile Justice, at Odisha State Judicial Academy (24 March 2018)
  • Participated in ‘Barefoot Counselling Workshop’ by Mrs. Bhooma Krishnan, organized by NLUO in collaboration with Your Dost (20 January 2018)
  • Participated in One day workshop on Animal Rights and Basic First-aid, ‘Odisha Animal Lovers Meet 2017’ organized by Ekamara Animal Welfare Trust, Bhubaneswar (12 November 2017)
  • Participated in One-day Magazine Design Workshop organized at NLUO by Ms. Sadhana Ramachander, Consultant Editor of BluePencil Infodesign (21 April 2017)
  • Co-organized ‘Training Programme for Master Trainers for Child Labour and NCLP Survey in Odisha’ conducted by Centre for Child Rights, NLUO in collaboration with Department of Labour and ESI, Govt. of Odisha (17 and 19 November 2016)
  • Rapporteur in ‘Training for the Public Prosecutors on Juvenile Justice and Child Rights related Laws’ conducted by Centre for Child Rights, NLUO with UNICEF (27 June – 2 July 2016)
  • Participated in ‘Consultation on Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 organized by Government of India’ (7 June 2016)
  • Participated in National Symposium on ‘Disability Rights & Equality’ organised by the Centre for Disability Law and Advocacy, NLUO (19 April 2015)

Participated in Professional Development Workshop organised by ‘A Foundation’ at BIITM, Bhubaneswar (2 March 2014) ADDITIONAL COURSES: 2 – 3 April 2019: 2 Day Certificate Course on ‘Consumer Justice in the Era of Globalization’ organized by the Centre for Consumer Law, NLUO in collaboration with Chair on Consumer Law & Practice NLSIU, Bengaluru

July 2012 – July 2013: PG Diploma Course in Human Rights Law National Law School of India University, Bangalore CGPA – 4.60/7.00

Dec 2011 – March 2012: Online Certificate Course in Intellectual Property Right and Information Technology in the Internet Age  Indian Law Institute, New Delhi ‘A’ Grade

Projects

  • Presented paper titled ‘Right to Sexual Orientation: Identifying Emerging Jurisprudence from UN Treaty Bodies’ Perspective’ at the 6th Law and Development Research Network Conference on Locating Justice held at National Law University Delhi (19-21 August 2023)
  • Presented paper titled ‘Media – Ownership – Political Affiliations: Analysis Of The Dangerous Trinity Of Crossmedia Ownership’ in 1st Annual International Conference on Law & The Contemporary Trends organized by Sharda School of Law, Sharda University, Greater NOIDA in collaboration with Adelaide School of Law, University of Adelaide, Australia (31 March – 1 April 2023)
  • Awarded Best Paper Presentation on ‘Media – Ownership – Political Affiliations: Analysis Of The Dangerous Trinity Of Crossmedia Ownership’ in 1st Annual International Conference on Law & The Contemporary Trends organized by Sharda School of Law, Sharda University, Greater NOIDA in collaboration with Adelaide School of Law, University of Adelaide, Australia (31 March – 1 April 2023)
  • Presented paper titled ‘Trade Unions Under the Industrial Relations Code 2020: A Threat to Collective Bargaining?’ in Two-day National Seminar on New Labour Codes and Its Effects on Migrant Labourers organized by Nehru Academy of Law, Kerala (16-17 December 2022)
  • Presented a paper titled ‘India’s Dwindling Female Labour Force Participation Rate: An Analysis’, in the NCW sponsored National Seminar on Women Police/ Mahila Thana (Working, Efficiency, Effectiveness) organized by Centre for Women and Law, National Law University Odisha (28 October 2022)

Other

  • Member – Project Team, Social Protection of Women Migrant Workers of Odisha, by National Commission for Women (August 2022 – May 2023)
  • Report Writer, Social Mapping of Migrant Workers in Odisha (Phase II), by Labour and ESI Department, Government of Odisha (2023)
  • Member, ICSSR Strategy Planning Team for Research Project entitled “Exploring Changing Dynamics of Children Law in India in Post Liberalization Era” (January 2017 – September 2018)
  • Research Associate in Research Project titled “Exploring Changing Dynamics of Children Law in India in Post Liberalization Era” sanctioned by Indian Council of Social Science Research (May – December 2016)

Administrative and Other Responsibilities:

  • Member, NIRF Ranking Committee (2022-23)
  • Member, NAAC AQAR Core Committee (2021-22)
  • Member, Advisory Committee of Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) (2022-23)
  • Member, Core Team, NAAC Visit (2022)
  • Faculty Advisor, Cultural Committee 2022-23
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2022-23
  • Faculty Advisor, University Website Committee, 2022-23
  • Co-Director, Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights (March 2022 – till date)
  • Member, Data Procurement Cell 2022-23
  • Faculty In-charge, Faculty Lounge w.e.f. 03.01.22
  • Social Media Coordinator, Institution Innovation Council 2021-22
  • Faculty Advisor, Social Media, Print/Electronic Media and University Website Committee, 2021-22
  • Faculty Advisor, Cultural Committee 2021-22
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2021-22
  • Member, Advisory Committee of Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) (2021-22)
  • Coordinator, Credit/Certificate Course on Animal Laws organized in collaboration with HSI: India (23 March – 2 April 2021)
  • Faculty Advisor, Cultural Committee 2020-21
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2020-21
  • Faculty Co-Convenor, Alumni Relations Society, NLU Odisha
  • Member, Advisory Board, All India Legal Forum (July 2020)
  • Batch Faculty Coordinator (Academic), 4th year LLB, January – May 2020
  • Faculty Member, Centre for Film Studies (November 2019 – March 2022)
  • Faculty Member, Centre for Industrial Relations and Labour Laws (November 2019 – March 2022)
  • Election Counting Supervisor, NLUO Student Council Elections 2019-20
  • Faculty Advisor, Cultural Committee 2019-20
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2019-20
  • Prepared Questions on Indian Legal Profession and Code of Ethics for Qualifying Examination for Indian Nationals Graduating From Overseas Recognized Universities, Bar Council of India (September 2019)
  • Member, Expert Committee, Legal Awareness Programme under Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur (July 2019)
  • Content Writer and Developer for ‘Labour Laws and Atrocities Act (Unit – 2)’ as part of ‘Block – 3: Vulnerable and the Law’ of Legal Awareness Programme under Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur.
  • Conference Coordinator, Two-day National Conference on Animal and Environmental Welfare on the theme “Wildlife Conservation and Sustainability” at NLU Odisha (25-26 September 2018)
  • Election Officer, NLUO Student Council Elections 2018-19
  • Faculty Advisor, Foreign Language Course (German and French) 2018-19
  • Faculty Advisor, Horticulture and Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan Committee 2018-19
  • Faculty Advisor, Cultural Committee 2018-19
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2018 – 19
  • Member, ICSSR Strategy Planning Team for Research Project entitled “Exploring Changing Dynamics of Children Law in India in Post Liberalization Era” (January 2017 – September 2018)
  • Sub-Editor, Journal of Rights of the Child of National Law University Odisha
  • Review Editor, The NLUO Student Law Journal 2018, Volume 3 Issue 1 [ISSN No. 2305-062X]
  • Faculty Advisor, ‘Friends Beyond Species’ – Society for Advancement of Animal and Environmental Welfare, NLUO 2017 – 18