The Faculty of Law, GLS University, proudly hosted the 9th edition of Shri I.M. Nanavati Memorial Moot Court Competition from January 17 to 19, 2025. This prestigious event witnessed the participation of teams representing India’s premier law institutions, including National Law Universities.
Addressing the participants, the Chief Guest, Honorable Ms Justice Bela Trivedi, Judge, Supreme Court of India paid homage to the enduring legacy of Shri I.M. Nanavati and commented that the moot court competition is crucial for developing research, advocacy skills and imparting court practices. With the changing time, new cases are emerging in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Crimes. Thus young advocates need to upgrade their knowledge on these areas. She urged the participants to embrace humility, adaptability and an unwavering commitment to justice in a profession that continually evolves. Quoting a Sanskrit verse, “Dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ” (Dharma, when destroyed, destroys; Dharma, when protected, protects), she urged the participants to uphold justice and law which should be the religion of mankind.
The Guest of Honour, Hon’ble Mr. Justice N.V. Anjaria, Chief Justice, High Court of Karnataka, advised the budding lawyers to handle the judge efficiently during trial, eye contacts with the judge, arguing in a moderate voice before judge, answering queries of the judge, uphold integrity, leverage technology judiciously and focus on the practical application of legal tenets, “Victory lies not in the trophy but in participation itself, he opined.
In the inaugural address, Mr. Devang Nanavati, Vice-President, GLS University underscored the significance of continuous learning for legal professionals, advocating for a comprehensive understanding of history, literature, and constitutional principles. Drawing inspiration from Aristotle, he elaborated on the importance of ethos, pathos, and logos in legal reasoning, emphasizing independent thought process and the study of jurisprudence. Commenting on the issue of legal decision making, the abstract/ concrete paradox, the speaker viewed law is not practiced in the abstract way unlike other physical science subjects. Thus very often, courts assess the constitutionality of law by working through concrete cases.
Welcoming the guests, and reflecting on the essence of striving for excellence, Dr Mayuri H. Pandya, Dean, Faculty of Law remarked, “The emotion to perform at your best will set everything in motion.” Dr Pandya extended greetings to all including Hon’ble Mr. Justice Biren A. Vaishnav, Judge, Hon’ble Ms. Justice Vaibhavi Nanavati, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Pranav Trivedi, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Deepak Roshan, Prof. (Dr). Chandini Kapadia. Executive Director, GLS University and Prof. (Dr) Dharmesh Shah, Provost, GLS University.
The inaugural ceremony also featured an address by the previous year’s winners, who recounted their journey, instilling motivation in the current cohort. On the inaugural day, participants engaged in intense rounds of competition, adjudicated by the senior advocates and judges of the High Court of Gujarat. The inaugural ceremony concluded with poignant messages from the dignitaries, a Vote of Thanks, and the National Anthem.
On the following day, the grand finale and valedictory ceremony were undertaken. The ceremony was presided over by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Biren A. Vaishnav and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Pranav Trivedi, Judges of the High Court of Gujarat.
Addressing the audience, the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Biren A. Vaishnav extolled the moot court competitions for instilling confidence in budding lawyers and urged participants to uphold integrity and justice. Further, advising the lawyers, the judge remarked that short cut methods to material gains should always be avoided and lawyers should never compromise with honesty and integrity in their profession. Echoing the remarks, the Guest of Honour, Honorable Mr Justice Pranav Trivedi enlightened the significance of moot court practices in gaining the experience of litigations. The judge characterized the competition as a microcosm of real-world legal challenges, highlighting the role of critical thinking, research, and composure under pressure in shaping astute legal minds.
Welcoming the guests and the participants, Dr Sudhir Nanavati, President, GLS University, reflected on his illustrious 52-year legal career, Dr Nanavati highlighted the dynamism of the legal profession, emphasizing the values of respect, meticulous preparation and opportunity for lifelong learning. .
Sharing the broad over view of the programme Dr Mayuri Pandya recounted the event’s vibrant three-day journey, appreciating the participants’ dedication and the rigorous judging process. She viewed this moot court competition as unique compared to similar programmes organized elsewhere. Nationally, it offers the highest cash prize to the winners. Over the years, this competition is attracting huge participation from the top institutions across India.
Towards the end of the valedictory ceremony, the awards and cash prizes were awarded to the winners. Cash prizes worth Rs. 5,46, 000/- were given to the winners which is the highest cash prize amongst all moot court competitions in India. The following awards were presented:- The Winners’ Trophy was awarded to Ms. Aarzoo Challana, Ms. Jasmeen Kaur, Ms. Divyanshi Srivastava, Rajiv Gandhi National Law University, Patiala, who also received a cash prize of Rs. 2,25,000/-. The Runner-Up Trophy was awarded to Chanakya National Law University, Patna, who received a cash prize of Rs. 1,50,000/-. The Best Student Advocate (Appellant) was awarded to Mohammad Rayan Khan, Guru Gobind Singh University School of Law and Legal Studies, New Delhi, who received a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-. The Best Student Advocate (Respondent) was awarded to Devang Goswami, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar who received a cash prize of Rs. 50,000/-. The Best Memorial (Appellant) was awarded to Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, Lucknow, who received a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/- . The Best Memorial (Respondent) was awarded to Symbiosis Law School, Pune, who received a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/-. The Best Researcher award was presented to Ms. Kriti Sardana, Himachal Pradesh National Law University, Shimla, who received a cash prize of Rs. 21,000/-.
The Faculty of Law remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing legal talent and fostering excellence in legal education.