The Centre for Research and Conferences (CRC) at SVKM’s Kirit P. Mehta School of Law (KPMSoL), NMIMS, Mumbai, successfully organized the Two-Day Intra Research Conference 2026 on 10th and 11th January 2026 at the Moot Court Room, Old Mukesh Patel Building, Mumbai. The conference provided a rigorous academic platform for undergraduate law students to present and defend their research on contemporary legal issues.
Encouraging Research and Academic Discourse
The conference aimed to enable students of the Mumbai campus to present their research before experienced panelists and judges, engage in discussions on emerging legal issues, and foster networking and academic partnerships. Around 60 students from the first to fifth year of the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) and B.B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) programmes participated in the conference.
Day One Focuses on Expert Insights and Global Perspectives
The conference commenced on Saturday, 10th January 2026, with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by a welcome address by Ms. Shraddha Pandit, Core Faculty of Law and Ph.D. Candidate, KPMSoL. She highlighted the relevance of legal research in an evolving legal landscape and outlined the conference themes and objectives.
An offline panel discussion was held at the Moot Court Room, led by Adv. Meenaz Kazi, Adv. Atif Ahmed, and Adv. Ashok Yende, and moderated by Ms. Tarini Rao, where panelists deliberated on contemporary legal developments and professional challenges.
This was followed by an online panel discussion featuring experts from India and abroad, with Dr. Niteesh Kumar Upadhyay, Associate Professor of Law, Dhirubhai Ambani University – School of Law, as the Guest of Honour. The international panel included Dr. Arun Chainit (Thailand), Mr. Mohit Khubchandani (Netherlands), Mr. Neel Raamandarsingh Purmah (Mauritius), and Ms. Shreya Basu (India). Discussions focused on artificial intelligence in law, evolving corporate culture, the transformation of legal systems, and their impact on young legal professionals.
The first day concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Ms. Shraddha Pandit.
Day Two Dedicated to Student Research Presentations
The second day, Sunday, 11th January 2026, was dedicated to research paper presentations. Following a structured judges’ briefing session, parallel presentation rounds were conducted across five classrooms. Students presented their research before expert judging panels and received detailed evaluations and constructive feedback.
The judging panel comprised Adv. Advait Helekar, Mr. Rishikesh Dubey, Adv. Sanjay Israni, Adv. Sarosh Damania, Adv. Suraj Sanap, Mr. Jeet Singh Rathore, Adv. Ashwin Wath, Mr. Abhinav Bhushan, Ms. Suhana Heda, and Mr. Ayush Gupta, whose guidance ensured academic rigor and transparency.
Strengthening a Culture of Legal Research
Participation certificates were awarded to students, and gratitude letters and mementoes were presented to the judges in appreciation of their contribution. The conference concluded with a vote of thanks by the Faculty Convenors, followed by informal interactions and reflections on improving future CRC initiatives.
The Intra Research Conference 2026, the third edition of the conference series at the Mumbai campus, was conducted under the guidance of Convenors Ms. Shraddha Pandit, Dr. Shivani Naik, and Ms. Arushi Chauhan, along with Co-Convenor Ms. Akanksha Kumar. The conference successfully reinforced a culture of research and academic inquiry, with selected papers becoming eligible for academic recognition, publication opportunities, and internships.
