New Delhi, March 8, 2025: Calling for compassion, humanity and care in order to achieve equality both in the society and the legal profession, the Hon’ble Attorney General of India, Mr R. Venkataramani said that law is currently at different crossroads and encompasses every part of human life requiring a more participatory approach.
Speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day at an event organized by Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF), Mr Venkataramani said that there is a need for a social order wherein people can share their thoughts without any hesitation and care for each other.
“Today law is in different crossroads. It’s not what the Real Contract Act or the Evidence Act of the Indian penal code. Law has begun to occupy every part of our life. From ‘the cradle to the grave’ as they call it and who makes this kind of a law and what content of the law, and more of us who seem to have a participatory way, can make law look very different or pursuit of law. Our careers in laws also become very different,” he said.
Acknowledging the role of women in India’s Constituent Assembly in framing the Constitution, the Hon’ble Attorney General of India said: “Like you’re talking about those wonderful women who were part of making the Constitution of India. Look at the rest of the world. You don’t have any such example, anywhere else where women have played a big part in making, in the shaping of the constitution.”
The event celebrated the massive contribution and the remarkable journey India’s women in the country’s road to ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
Additional Solicitor General and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court, Ms Archana Pathak Dave outlined the contribution of all the 15 women of the Constituent Assembly towards making of India’s Constitution.
Describing women as “caregivers”, she noted that in the backdrop of responsibilities towards the family along with professional commitments, its is the apt with which women can “multitask” that gives them the edge and help them grow. “Multitasking is the core and I say that women are masters in that,” Ms Dave said.
Further, Dr. Lalit Bhasin, President, SILF was of the view that women are source of power and divinity and womenhood needs to be celebrated.
“Womenhood has to be celebrated and women have to be given their right place,” he said. Citing Swami Vivekananda’s words, he said that rather focusing on just protecting women, the focus should be on respecting them as they are capable enough to protect themselves.
The Chairperson of the SILF Ladies Group, Ms. Zia Mody stressed on the need for mentorship in law firms and self-advocacy among women.
Emphasising on the need for work-life balance, Ms Mody said that it is the critical element in a career in the legal profession and also said that building confidence among women would help them reach leadership positions. She also said that the role of men and their encouragement to the women around them is key for success and growth of women lawyers.
In her concluding address at the event, Ms. Nina Gupta, Vice-Chair SILF and Member of Gender Sensitization Committee of the Supreme Court of India highlighted the low representation of women judges in judiciary and stressed on the need to increase their representation.
“As we all know, the Supreme Court of India was established in 1950. It took 39 years for Justice Fatima Bibi to be appointed the country’s first female Supreme Court judge in 1989. Even today the representation of women judges in the Supreme Court is very low. Presently we have only two women judges out of total 32 judges,” said Ms. Gupta adding that there are only 106 women judges in High Courts out of 750 judges.
On the occasion of the International women’s Day, SILF has awarded women’s in various categories Ms. Manisha Singh, Legal expert has been awarded as excellence in the field of IPR, Ms. Gunjan Shah, Partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co in the field of Corporate Laws, Ms. Ritika Chopra, Chief of the National Bureau (Govt) excellence in Indian Media and Education; Dr. Mallika Kumar, Head Economic Department at SRCC awarded in field of Higher Education; Ms. Rummi K Seth, Excellence in the field of service to Specially Abled Children; Ms. Tejal Patil, General Counsel at Wipro as excellence in Law as India’s Front Ranked General Counsel; Dr. Gauri Durga Chakraborty, Excellence in academia, arts and film making, Ms. Reena Singh, Excellence in social work and International Business and Prof. (Dr.) Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu college, Excellence in the field of showcasing India’s Higher Education Globally.
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