Nagpur: Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), Nagpur celebrated its Fourth Convocation Ceremony on Saturday, February 28, marking a significant academic milestone for the graduating class of 2025. The event witnessed an impressive gathering of dignitaries from the Supreme Court of India, High Courts, academia and the Bar.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Hon’ble Justice K.V. Viswanathan, Judge, Supreme Court of India, who attended as the Chief Guest, and Hon’ble Justice Atul S. Chandurkar, Judge, Supreme Court of India and Chancellor of MNLU Nagpur, who presided over the function. The event commenced with a Guard of Honour, academic procession and a welcome address by Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Vijender Kumar, who also presented the University Report.

Supreme Court Judges Address Graduates

In his presidential address, Justice Atul S. Chandurkar congratulated the graduating students and highlighted the importance of upholding constitutional values, professional integrity and social responsibility. He emphasized that technology must complement—not replace—independent thinking and core legal skills.

Delivering the convocation address, Chief Guest Justice K.V. Viswanathan spoke on the “invisible curriculum” that shapes a lawyer’s growth through lived experiences. He urged students to cultivate four essential habits: avoiding premature conclusions, embracing uncertainty, understanding the Bhagavad Gita’s concept of Svadharma, and developing inner strength.

213 Graduates Conferred Degrees

This year, a total of 213 students received their degrees, including:

• 101 students – B.A. LL.B. (Hons.)
• 37 students – B.A. LL.B. (Hons. in Adjudication and Justicing)
• 57 students – LL.M.
• 18 doctoral scholars, including three current faculty members:
• Dr. Karishma B. Gavai, Dr. Trishla Dubey, and Dr. Devyani

The University also awarded 25 Gold Medals for outstanding academic achievements across various specialisations.

Dignitaries From Judiciary and Academia Attend

The convocation was graced by several eminent guests, including:

• Former CJI Justice Bhushan R. Gavai
• Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikas S. Sirpurkar
• Bombay High Court Judges, including Justice Bharati Dangre, Justice Anil Kilor, Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Justice Prafull Khubalkar
• Senior academicians and law practitioners such as Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Ukey, Dr. Milind Sathe, Senior Advocate C.S. Kaptan, and several professors from MNLU Nagpur.

Top Performers Honoured With Gold Medals

Among the many awardees:

• Ms. Meenal Maheshwari earned multiple medals including the Smt. Hansadevi Chudaman Patel Gold Medal and awards in Criminal Law, Taxation and Legislative Interpretation.
• Mr. Harendra Singh received the University Gold Medal for Best Male Student along with numerous subject toppers’ awards.
• Ms. Bhavya Pokhriyal, Rank 8 in Rajasthan Judicial Services (2025), received the University Gold Medal for Overall Excellence (female).
• Students including Aparimita Sharad Tiwari, Swastika Saxena, Srishti Verma, Pranjal Kumar, and Khushi Rawat received special gold medals for academic distinction.
• Two students were also awarded the SPRIHA IPR Chair Scholarship under DPIIT.

A Celebration of Legal Excellence

The ceremony concluded with the National Anthem, followed by a group photograph and luncheon. The convocation reaffirmed MNLU Nagpur’s commitment to academic excellence, research-driven education and nurturing ethical, socially responsible legal professionals dedicated to upholding justice and the rule of law.