Indian Contribution to International Law
Indian contribution to the field of International Law has been immense. India has produced several lawyers, jurists and intellectuals who have played an important role in the fight against colonialism, apartheid and global economic inequality as also in providing a developing world perspective to the discourse of International Law and Human Rights. Contribution of some of these Indian legal luminaries are highlighted in this photo feature.
B. N. RAU (1887 –1953)
Sir Benegal Narsing Rau, was an Indian civil servant, jurist, diplomat and statesman known for his key role in drafting the Constitution of India. He has the distinction of being the First Permanent Judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).
NAGENDRA SINGH (1914 -1988)
Nagendra Singh was a member of the royal family of Dungarpur in Rajasthan and a career bureaucrat. He made a mark by being the First Indian to be the President of the International Court of Justice from the year 1985 to 1988. He also served on the United Nations International Law Commission and was appointed representative in UNO assembly thrice.
RAGHUNANDAN SWARUP PATHAK (1924 – 2007)
Justice Raghunandan Swarup Pathak, (R. S. Pathak) the 18th Chief Justice of India, was elected as a Permanent judge of the International Court of Justice and served in that position from 1989 to 1991.
DALVEER BHANDARI (1947- )
Justice Dalveer Bhandari, was a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of India, when elected as a Permanent Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2012 and will serve until 2018.
PEMMARAJU SREENIVASA RAO (1942- )
Apart from the permanent judges in the ICJ, several Indians have been appointed as ad hoc judges in specific disputes. For example Dr. P. S. Rao who was appointed by Singapore in the Pedra Branca dispute (1979), a territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore. Since 2010, P.S Rao has also been a Member of Bangladesh-India Maritime Arbitration Tribunal and also acts as Special adviser in the office of the Attorney-General, State of Qatar.
RADHA BINOD PAUL (1886 -1967)
Radha Binod Pal was an Indian judge on the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal who dissented with the other judges to claim that the trial was an exercise in retribution by the victors of the war and that Japan's wartime leaders were not guilty. Pal's contribution to India-Japan relations is remembered even today. Following the war –crimes trial, he was elected to the United Nations’ International Law Commission, where he served from 1952 to 1966.
P.C RAO (1936- )
Many Indian jurists have distinguished themselves by being associated with multilateral organisations and contributing significantly to their functioning. One among them is P.C Rao who was Law Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice and has also worked at the Permanent Mission of India with the United Nations in New York from 1972 to 1976. Since 1996, he has been a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
SOLI SORABJEE (1930- )
Soli Jehangir Sorabjee, the eminent Indian jurist and former Attorney-General of India served as Special Rapporteur to the United Nations Human Rights Commission since 1997. Later, he was appointed an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia (AM), "for service to Australia-India bilateral legal relations"
P.N BHAGWATI (1921- )
Justice Bhagwati is a former Chief Justice of India. Through creative interpretation has expanded the reach and context of human rights. He was elected as the Chairman of United Nations Human Rights Committee in 1999.His services have been utilized by several countries, including Mongolia, Cambodia, Nepal, Ethiopia, and South Africa in framing their Constitutions and particularly the chapters on human rights. He has also presided over the Peoples Tribunal for Violence against Women at the Vienna Human Rights congress.
R.P ANAND (1933 - 2011)
Among the Indians who have made profound contribution to International Law is Prof. R.P. Anand. One of the pioneers of Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), he is widely recognized and respected as a spokesman of the Third World views on the subject. He was Professor Emeritus in the Centre of International Legal Studies (CILS), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and has also served as legal consultant to the UN Secretary General on Law of the Sea.
PROF. RAHAMATULLAH KHAN (1934- )
Dr. Rahamatullah Khan is the former President and Secretary General of Indian Society of International Law. He has been the author of 6 books (on UN, International Arbitration, Fisheries, International Trade Transactions, Comparative Law) and 50 research articles.
Many more such as Prof. B.S Murty, Dr. K. Krishna Rao, M. K. Nawaz, S.P Jagota, T.S Ramarao, B. R Chauhan and Surya P Sharma have also contributed to various aspects of International Law. These include General Principles of International Law, World Trade Organisation, Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), Human Rights, Law on Refugees, Environmental Law, International Court of Justice and also Arbitration.
Source: Ministry of External Affairs
