Nithya Rajshekhar

Alumni

Nithya graduated with a B.A, LL.B from WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. She went on to complete her Master’s in Law from Columbia University, New York as a Human Rights Fellow.

She brings with her 8 years of experience in litigation in Delhi and Bangalore, having focused on public interest litigation and human rights. She has previously assisted Senior Advocates Jayna Kothari and Anand Grover. Most recently, Nithya worked as a Legal Consultant with the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. Nithya’s core interest lies in social and economic rights, particularly the right to health.

Publications

Blog

What Stories do the Numbers Tell? A Data-Driven Narrative to Seek Women’s Equal Opportunity in the Higher Judiciary in India

September 23, 2025

Why do women remain so underrepresented in India’s higher judiciary?

A new article published in the Socio-Legal Review (NLSIU) — “What Stories Do the Numbers Tell? A Data-Driven Narrative to Seek Women’s Equal Opportunity in the Higher Judiciary in India” — uses data to show how entry routes, later appointments, and systemic gatekeeping limit women’s path to leadership.

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BLOG | Jane Kaushik v. Union of India – A Watershed Moment for Transgender Rights in India

October 30, 2025

In Jane Kaushik v. Union of India (2025), the Supreme Court advanced transgender rights in India, holding both State and private actors accountable for discrimination. The Court expanded “reasonable accommodation” as a core constitutional duty, demanding structural change for equality and dignity.

Equal Justice: Pathways for Women from the Corporate Bar to the Higher Judiciary – Roundtable Discussion

July 1, 2025

On June 28th, 2025, CLPR organised a Roundtable in Bangalore with senior women lawyers from the corporate bar to examine the emergence of a judiciary pathway for corporate women lawyers and address the challenges of securing gender inclusion within the judiciary. This is part of CLPR’s ongoing Equal Justice initiative to aiming to address the gender gap in the higher judiciary.

Equal Justice: Securing Equal Inclusion of Women in the Higher Judiciary National Consultation

May 6, 2025

On 22nd and 23rd of March, 2024, the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) organised a 2-day National Consultation to analyse systemic barriers that hinder women’s advancement to leadership positions in the judiciary and discuss legal and institutional reforms that can promote gender equality.