Ministry of Education
HNLU Launches ‘Vidhi Sarathi – Justice Connect Litigation Fellowship’ to Boost Pro Bono Legal Aid in Chhattisgarh
Selected fellows to receive a monthly honorarium of ₹22,000 for the 18-month programme, targeting over 1,000 beneficiaries.
Posted On:
15 OCT 2026 5:58PM by PIB Raipur
Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, has commenced the first cohort of the विधि सारथी – Justice Connect Litigation Fellowship Programme, an initiative with the dual objective of strengthening access to justice for disadvantaged and marginalised communities and fostering the professional growth of young practising advocates, particularly first-generation lawyers. The programme seeks to enable these advocates to build their litigation skills and professional capacities while contributing meaningfully to pro bono legal services. It is being implemented across five districts of Chhattisgarh - Bilaspur, Raipur, Rajnandgaon, Durg and Baloda Bazar, with a focus on extending legal assistance to underserved communities and strengthening access to the justice delivery system at the grassroots level.
As part of the initiative, HNLU organised a two-day orientation programme for the selected Litigation Fellows on 14 and 15 October 2026. Prof. (Dr.) V.C. Vivekanandan, Vice-Chancellor and Project Director, highlighted the fellowship’s dual objective of strengthening access to justice for underserved communities and fostering the professional development of young advocates, particularly first-generation lawyers. He emphasised that the initiative seeks to translate legal knowledge and professional expertise into meaningful public service, contributing to the socio-legal development of Chhattisgarh by promoting pro bono litigation and nurturing a culture of professional and social responsibility among young advocates. He further underscored the programme’s commitment to bridging gaps in access to effective legal representation while enabling young advocates to strengthen their litigation skills and serve marginalised communities.
The orientation programme commenced with a keynote address by Justice Gautam Bhaduri, former Judge of the High Court of Chhattisgarh and former Executive Chairman of the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority. Describing the initiative as a distinctive effort to connect legal practice with social responsibility, Justice Bhaduri highlighted the importance of making legal assistance accessible to disadvantaged sections of society. He emphasised the role of advocates in ensuring that economic and social barriers do not prevent individuals from seeking appropriate legal remedies and encouraged the fellows to approach their professional responsibilities with dedication, sensitivity and a strong commitment to public service.
Justice Deepak Kumar Tiwari, former Judge of the High Court of Chhattisgarh, delivered a session on “Free Legal Aid and Access to Justice: Practical Aspects of Legal Drafting, Pleadings and Advocacy.” The session focused on the practical requirements of litigation, including effective drafting, preparation of pleadings, courtroom advocacy and the professional responsibilities involved in representing litigants. The fellows were encouraged to develop a sound understanding of procedural requirements, prepare cases diligently and adopt an ethical and client-centred approach to legal practice.
The programme also featured contributions from Prof. (Dr.) Deepak Kumar Srivastava, Registrar-in- Charge and Faculty-in-Charge of the Project; Shri Shubham Tomar, Prosecution Officer; Shri Parth Tiwari, Deputy Secretary, Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority; Abhinav K Shukla, Assistant Professor andFaculty-in-Charge; Mr. Nishant Jain, Programme Manager and Mr. Anant Pratap Singh, Fellowship Coordinator. The sessions were interactive and practice-oriented, providing the fellows with an opportunity to engage with resource persons from the Bar, Bench, legal services institutions, prosecution services and legal academia. The discussions covered practical challenges in litigation, effective representation of clients, professional ethics, procedural preparedness and the importance of understanding the circumstances of litigants from marginalized communities. The resource persons also shared their experiences and offered guidance on strengthening litigation practice while ensuring that legal services remain accessible, responsible and responsive to the needs of society.
The initiative has also received valuable institutional support from the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority, reflecting the importance of collaborative efforts in strengthening access to justice and extending effective legal assistance to underserved communities across the State. Their support reinforces the programme’s broader objective of connecting legal expertise, institutional collaboration and community-oriented legal services.
The first cohort comprises ten practising advocates, with two fellows selected from each of the five districts. Many of the selected advocates are first-generation legal professionals, making the fellowship an opportunity to strengthen their professional experience while enabling them to contribute directly to the community. Each fellow will receive an honorarium of ₹22,000 per month during the eighteen-month fellowship. The fellows will undertake pro bono cases before district and sessions courts and other courts, with the programme aiming to reach approximately 1,000 beneficiaries across the identified districts during its tenure.
The selection process witnessed approximately 500 applications, from which the ten fellows were chosen through a rigorous selection process involving a panel comprising former High Court judges and members of the Bar, Bench and legal academia. The selection reflects the programme’s commitment to identifying advocates who can combine professional potential with a commitment to providing legal assistance to those who face barriers in accessing justice.
With the first cohort now commencing its engagement, HNLU aims to strengthen the role of young advocates in community-oriented legal practice and expand the reach of pro bono litigation in Chhattisgarh. Cohort 2 of the विधि सारथी – Justice Connect Litigation Fellowship Programme is expected to commence in November 2026, further advancing the University’s efforts to connect legal education, professional development and social impact through sustained legal assistance to underserved communities.
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