VICE-CHANCELLOR MESSAGE

Academic & Administration Prof. Dr. A. Lakshminath is a rare combination of an erudite scholar, an astute administrator, a relentless researcher and a revered teacher in the legal fraternity. For the past 52 years, he served with single-minded devotion in the academia in law in multiple capacities across the country as Founder Chancellor, D.S. National Law University, Visakhapatnam (A.P.); and, Founder Pro-Chancellor Emeritus as well as Founder Vice-Chancellor, Chanakya National Law University. Prof. Lakshminath has rendered selfless service to the cause of legal education by strengthening both the Universities that continue to compete with 20 other National Law Universities as Centres of Excellence in Legal Education. He has been teaching Law since the year 1967 to thousands of students who became eminent lawyers, jurists, public figures, judges and academicians, among others. To date he has guided more than 550 LL. M. dissertations, 360 project reports, 130 Ph.D. degrees in Law and 18 LL.D. degrees which is a RECORD by itself. He has authored/coauthored 14 Books and 215 Articles in reputed Journals. He was the Editor of twelve law journals of national and international repute. Prof. Lakshminath has served the cause of legal education in almost all parts of the country. Starting his teaching career in Nagpur University, Prof. Lakshminath later served as its Dean of Faculty of Law, and then taught at the Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, and served as the Principal and Dean of Law Faculty at Andhra University. He was appointed Professor-Registrar and Dean, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad before finally shifting to Bihar to establish and lead the Chanakya National Law University, Patna for 12 years. In a rare and unprecedented gesture the Bihar legislature amended the University Act to continue his dedicated services to the University for five more years after completion of Seventy years of age. In yet another unique and rare gesture the Government of Andhra Pradesh has reappointed him for a second term as Chancellor of D. S. National Law University of Andhra Pradesh. In between these major innings, he continued to enrich himself and the legal community – nationally and internationally. He was Fulbright Visiting Professor at the University of Massachusetts, U.S.A., Fellow of Salzburg Seminar, Austria and Visiting Professor at Banaras Hindu University, and Guest Professor at Fort Valley State University, Georgia, USA, amongst many other universities and institutions. He has delivered key note addresses in more than 200 national and international seminars and symposia in India and across the globe including USA, UK, Japan and Europe.

Clinical Legal Education Prof. A. Lakshminath has contributed immensely to the clinical legal education by spreading legal awareness and organizing legal aid camps, amongst the masses, especially the underprivileged and marginalized sections of society throughout the country. As project director of the NHRC’s human rights literacy program, he facilitated publication of books on human rights in four South Indian Languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada). As a senior consultant to the Andhra Pradesh government, he successfully completed projects on judicial process and good governance. As director of United Nations Development Program (UNDP), he organized several sensitization programs on Environmental Awareness in remote, far-off and inaccessible areas.

Social Cultural Prof. A. Lakshminath has relentlessly worked towards promoting sociocultural understanding and integration by heading voluntary organizations for the cause of communal harmony, linguistic minorities and consumer rights. He was president of cultural associations, cooperative housing society, consumer and environmental forums, and vice-president of Hindu Muslim welfare associations. He was visiting professor at National Fire Service College of India, Nagpur; and, L.B.S. National Academy of Administration, Mussorie, etc. He was the founder director of Department of Legal Studies in Dr. Ambedkar College, Deeksha Bhoomi, Nagpur.

Awards & Honors Recipient of many awards and honors, Prof. A. Lakshminath was conferred Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon Best Law Teacher Award in 2012 for SAARC countries for his long and distinguished services to legal education and legal profession, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Education Award in 2008 and Lifetime Achievement Award by International Educators for World Peace, Alabama, USA in 2007. It is very appropriate to quote Padmashri N.R. Madhava Menon, with “There are few legal academics still serving the cause of legal education with devotion and commitment credited to Prof. A. Lakshminath. As a teacher, he excels in class and is admired by students for clarity of expression and depth of learning. As a colleague, law teachers take him as an elder brother who can be approached for help in resolving difficult legal problems. He has become an institution by himself.” Prof. A, Lakshminath served as a member, Bihar State Law Commission, and member, Accreditation Committee of Legal Education and the Directorate of Legal Education of Bar Council of India. He was Executive Member of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association; and member of the Governing Council of the Indian Law Institute. He was Governor on the Board of Governors of Doon School, Dehradun.