Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi establishes ₹2 crore endowment at OP Jindal Global University

Eminent jurist and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi has signed an Endowment Agreement with OP Jindal Global University (JGU) for establishing the “Singhvi Endowment” at Jindal Global Law School to the tune of ₹2 crores.

Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi is an eminent jurist, politician, visible media personality, well-known columnist, author, thinker, and commentator. He is a Member of Parliament (third-term), and the youngest designated Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India (at age 34). Dr. Singhvi supports many charities with large and significant contributions, including a stand-alone Prayas centre for destitute children, the Singhvi Scholarship at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, an oxygen express van and medical equipment for COVID and general medical assistance and large contributions to the Supreme Court Bar.

Announcing the Endowment, Singhvi observed, 

“I am most excited to announce the establishment of the Singhvi Endowment at Jindal Global Law School of O.P. Jindal Global University...The vision of the Singhvi Endowment is to provide access to world-class education for young people who cannot afford and to empower India's leading universities to promote excellence.” 

The five major objectives of the establishment of the Singhvi Endowment at JGU are: 

1. To recognize the role of philanthropy in higher education and legal education with a view to empowering young people to fulfill their dreams and aspirations to pursue university education. It provides opportunities for creating access to world-class legal education in India for people who may not be able to afford it, especially at a premier institution. 

2. To recognize the role of the senior members and leaders of the legal profession to participate in the efforts to promote excellence in legal education. This makes such leaders and outstanding members of the legal profession to be able to engage with all stakeholders directly and have a larger impact in the efforts to raise the quality of legal education and legal profession.  

3. To empower law schools and universities to work towards building collaborations and partnerships with the senior members of the legal profession to serve as mentors for students and younger members of the bar. This will ensure that accomplished lawyers are able to substantially participate in the efforts to build the future of legal profession.  

4. To recognize the contribution of leaders in the legal profession and other professions by instituting endowments with a view to celebrating their achievements for perpetuity through annual conferences and memorial lecture series. This will also serve as a legacy for the future by inspiring generations of students to follow the path laid down by eminent persons.   

5. To support the active engagement of the outstanding members and leaders of the legal profession in the development of law schools and universities with a view to shaping their curriculum, teaching pedagogy, research ecosystem, experiential learning, advocacy skills, international collaborations and clinical legal education. The philanthropic contribution of the successful members of the legal profession will help in benchmarking the quality and standards of Indian legal education with the best in the world.

The endowment, of which students of JGLS would be the primary beneficiaries, will have five major components:

• Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi Outstanding Youth Scholarship

The Excellence Scholarship aims to recognize the outstanding merit of entrants to Jindal Global Law School and to encourage and support them in their continuing studies at JGLS to become outstanding professionals of law. This will be awarded on an annual basis to the topper of the LSAT-India Entrance Exam for admission to JGLS. Bestowal of this scholarship would be a recognition of the merit and potential of young law students as they begin their legal studies. 

• Mrs. Anita Singhvi Outstanding Youth Scholarship 

The aim of “Mrs. Anita Singhvi Outstanding Youth Scholarship” is to recognize the outstanding merit of young law students who are admitted to JGLS and to encourage and support them in their continuing studies to become outstanding professionals of law. This Excellence Scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis to the topper of the LSAT-India Entrance Exam for admission to JGLS. Bestowal of this scholarship would be a recognition of the merit and potential of young law students.

• Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi Academic Award and Gold Medal for Outstanding Academic Performance in Administrative Law  

This is an award and medal that is instituted to inspire and celebrate the student who is the topper in the course on "Administrative Law". Bestowal of this award would be a recognition of their efforts, endeavors, and success in a branch of law that is highly relevant in the governance of a self-constituting, democratic and reorganizing global society based on the principles of the rule of law. 

• Dr. L.M. Singhvi Annual Global Conference on International Law and International Relations 

The conference aims to draw inspiration from the early efforts of Dr. L.M. Singhvi who functioned within the intersecting spaces of international law and international relations and to draw inspiration from his work in the global society. The conference’s predominant focus would be on the intersections of international law and relations—the ideas and practices therein—on areas such as diplomacy, inter-state relations, strategies, dispute settlement, economic and cultural relations, and law & policy-making. 

• Dr. L.M. Singhvi Memorial Annual Lecture Series 

The Lecture Series aims to focus on topics close to Dr. L.M. Singhvi’s heart, which include legislative process, international relations, diplomacy, international law, Indian culture, and global togetherness. The larger philosophy of the Lecture Series is to share the perspectives and ideas of Dr. L.M. Singhvi to the younger generation through the topics, which inspired his thoughts and action. 

Commenting on the establishment of the endowment, Professor (Dr.) C Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, OP Jindal Global University (JGU) & Founding Dean, Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) said,

“This is a historic occasion for JGU and JGLS to have become the recipient of the distinguished endowment by Dr. Abhishek M. Singhvi...This Endowment has been established at JGU for perpetuity and several initiatives will be part of the endowment benefitting the faculty and students of JGU and JGLS.”

Professor Peter H Schuck and Simeon E Baldwin, Professor of Law Emeritus, Yale Law School, USA & Chair, International Board of Advisors, JGU said,

"The establishment of a new and extraordinarily generous endowment at JGU by the noted philanthropist and jurist, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi represents a firm commitment to this remarkable institution's continued flourishing and expansion into new areas of study, research, innovation, and community service."

Professor (Dr.) Jayanth K Krishnan, Milt and Judi Stewart Professor of Law, Indiana University, USA & Co-Chair, International Board of Advisors, JGU observed,

“This incredibly generous gift by Dr. Singhvi is a significant moment in the history of O.P. Jindal Global University. Dr. Singhvi’s extraordinary contribution here to promote the rule of law by helping to strengthen legal education is pivotal for all of us who care about providing access to the best research and teaching opportunities to the next generation of law students and future lawyers in India."

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