This Interview has been published by Pragya Chandni and The SuperLawyer Team
Can you share a bit about your background and what initially inspired you to pursue a career in law?
I spent my childhood in two wonderful, yet very diverse, cities – Hyderabad and Delhi. Moving cities and changing schools at a young age provided me with a rich tapestry of experiences and the chance to develop new interests. I discovered a passion for history and quizzing, which fostered an innate curiosity and interest in delving deep into complex issues. My involvement in debates on various geopolitical issues further fuelled this curiosity. These early interests, coupled with a desire to explore and understand intricate societal issues, naturally led me to the field of law, where I believed these interests would be best nurtured and developed.
What was your experience like at Nalsar University of Law, and how did your time there shape your legal career?
I am fortunate to call Nalsar as my alma mater, and my time there was incredibly formative and enriching. At Nalsar, I had the privilege of working as a research assistant for Professor Amita Dhanda at the Centre for Disability Studies. Professor Dhanda’s courses (specifically, Law and Poverty) were not only expertly taught but were also personally impactful. These courses instilled in me a strong sense of academic rigour and discipline; qualities that continue to serve me well in my legal career.
In addition to the academic exposure, my internships with top corporate law firms such as Khaitan & Co and S&R Associates were pivotal experiences. Although the duration of these internships was short, they were invaluable for learning and absorbing practical skills. These stints provided me with the opportunity to engage in a professional environment, understand the workings of high-pressure legal practice, and build essential interpersonal skills. These experiences collectively laid a robust foundation for my career, blending academic excellence with practical insights.
How did your LL.M. at The University of Chicago Law School influence your perspective on law?
The LL.M. program at the University of Chicago Law School was an experience of a lifetime. UChicago attracts the very best of faculty and students, creating an environment rich in intellectual diversity and extraordinary talent. Studying from leading practitioners in diverse areas of law (including Antitrust Law, Constitution Law and several practice-oriented courses) meant that the experience was rigorous, yet immensely intellectually satisfying.
The Law School also promotes multidisciplinary education in the truest sense, and I had the opportunity to cross-register for courses with other departments outside the Law School. I pursued my passion for History with the South Asian Languages & Civilizations Department, and took Professor Martha Nussbaum’s course on “Opera as Idea & Philosophy”. It was fascinating to learn from, and submit a paper for evaluation to a person whose work was an integral part of the courses I had studied in Nalsar.
These diverse academic pursuits, combined with the rigorous legal training at UChicago, significantly broadened my perspective and equipped me with a well-rounded approach to addressing legal challenges.
You recently completed the Tata-Blue Mint Leadership Program. How has this program impacted your role at Tata Digital?
The Blue Mint Leadership Program, which I completed a few months ago, was a transformative six-month experience. Selected for the program, I had the privilege of attending classes taught by esteemed faculty from the London Business School. As the sole lawyer in the program, I gained invaluable insights on understanding business through modules such as digital transformation, sustainability, inclusion and finance for non-finance professionals. This was broadened by business acumen and underscored the importance of cross-functional collaboration; a key takeaway being that working in diverse, multidisciplinary teams can drive greater impact within organisations.
The exposure provided by the Blue Mint Program has significantly contributed to my professional growth and leadership development. These enhanced capabilities have been a tremendous value-add at this stage of my career, enabling me to contribute more effectively to my organisation’s strategic initiatives and cross-functional projects.
Your career spans prestigious positions from Khaitan & Co to IndiGo Airlines, and now Tata Digital. Can you walk us through some of the pivotal moments that defined your career path?
I am acutely aware of the need to constantly further one’s learning (especially in our profession), and have worked towards this to pursue my career goals. Among the pivotal moments that have defined my career path, there are three that I would say were pivotal moments for me:
First, choosing to work with the competition law team at Khaitan & Co, gave me exposure to complex transactions under the mentorship of an excellent team leader. At the time, competition law was a nascent practice area in India, which made it that much more exciting to be so deeply involved in the creation of precedent. My penchant for research helped in this practice area, given the need to look for precedent from jurisdictions that have been around much longer.
Second, pursuing the rigorous LL.M program at the prestigious University of Chicago Law School (on partial scholarship) after working with a law firm for 5 years, fundamentally changed my outlook and reinforced my dedication to intellectual growth.
Third, on a personal note, the decision to move cities, start a new role, and welcome the birth of my daughter – all within a single week during January 2022 – taught me invaluable lessons in resilience and maintaining a positive outlook amidst rapid change.
These pivotal moments collectively define my career path and continue to drive my professional and personal development.
What advice would you give to fresh law graduates who are just starting their careers in the legal field?
As Roger Federer has said in his recent commencement address at Dartmouth – resilience, grit (over talent), and learning from failure are pivotal. Words of wisdom which, in my opinion, hold true not just for fresh law graduates, but for all of us!
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